The brands, labels and words surrounding organic and regenerative farming have become confusing. Consumers likely have many unanswered questions: is regenerative better than organic? Which one is better for the environment and human health? Is there a real difference? It has also become perplexing for growers who want to tap into the alternative food markets. […] Read more
Tag Archives organic
Neighbours milk cows in organic partnership
Two Danish producers have been working together successfully for more than 20 years, and they now milk 900 cows between them
Two dairy farming neighbours in Denmark have been milking cows together for more than 20 years and say the partnership model works well for them. Kjartan Poulsen, chair of the Danish milk producers association, farms on the west coast of the Scandinavian country, 30 kilometres north of Esbjerg. Poulsen had 45 cows in 1998, when […] Read more
Organic certification takes the next step
The Regenerative Organic Certified standard was created in the U.S. partly as a way to deal with tillage in organic farming
Regenerative Organic Certified is a mouthful and possibly a bit confusing. But the standard and its brand, an R and an O in a circle with an arrow pointing to a plant, could become a familiar logo on grocery store shelves. The Rodale Institute, an organic research group based in Pennsylvania, created the RO label […] Read more
Close-to-home organic marketing encouraged
One industry insider urges exporters not to ignore the United States, while another emphasizes domestic processors
Canadian organic growers should focus on the world’s largest organic market sitting right on their doorstep, says an industry spokesperson. “The U.S. is the No. 1 organic market in the world. We’re sitting right next to them and we have an excellent trade agreement and we have an equivalency, which is almost full recognition of […] Read more
Glyphosate residues snare organics
BRANDON — Canadians are struggling to sell organic food and grains into Europe, even though it’s the world’s second largest market. That’s because Europeans are finding trace amounts of glyphosate in organic shipments from Canada. “Many of the containers of grains that arrive in Europe are being rejected because of glyphosate contamination,” said Laura Telford, […] Read more
Prairie farmers grow more organic crops
Organic is back. After a period of sluggish growth and a decline in the number of producers in the early 2010s, organic farming is expanding in Western Canada. Certified organic acres on the Prairies reached 1.824 million in 2017, up 29 percent from 1.4 million acres in 2015. The number of organic producers hit 1,605 […] Read more
Organic acres on the rise
Organic is back. After a period of sluggish growth and a decline in the number of producers in the early 2010s, organic farming is expanding in Western Canada. Certified organic acres on the Prairies reached 1.824 million in 2017, up 29 percent from 1.4 million acres in 2015. The number of organic producers hit 1,605 […] Read more
Organic weed war uses ‘many little hammers’
Researchers identify three mechanical control practices for organic farming, but none of them work well on their own
Organic crop researchers are now focused on developing a larger, more diverse tool kit to control weeds. “The research has kind of evolved to the point where we’ve looked at things in isolation and now we’re looking at integrating a number of different factors,” Eric Johnson of the University of Saskatchewan’s agriculture college said during […] Read more
Organic gardener cuts out the middleman
On the Farm Alberta producer’s journey to the field began with a simple question: ‘where do you get your food?’
RED DEER — An innocent question from a subsistence farmer in Kenya in the mid 2000s affected Mike Kozlowski in ways he never imagined. He spent months in the east African country through a Canada Millennium Foundation Scholarship project where he helped identify agricultural-related community needs. The question and the conversation that followed initiated serious […] Read more
Northern organic farmers get help
Fort Vermilion, Alta. — A new organic program in northern Alberta hopes to help solve farmers’ woes when it comes to growing in the region. The recently launched Mackenize County Organic Success Program will see the hiring of an agronomist to help with issues relating to weeds, soil fertility, crop rotations, finances and marketing. As […] Read more
