The Kyoto Protocol: A Canadian Perspective

There is a growing market for organic products in Canada with the Canadian organic industry experiencing rapid growth paralleling the United States. The US supplies over 85 percent of organic food to Canada making it their main supplier (44444444). US organic exporters are encouraged to further develop this market as Canadian consumers continue to increase the demand for what is perceived to be a healthy, environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional foods (44444444444). The provinces in Canada with the strongest organic market are British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Ontario. BC has experienced the largest growth in the organic industry within Canada, with the largest number of producers adopting the organic system of production, as well as the largest percentage of total commercial area. Retail industry sources indicate that there has been a 20 per cent increase of shelf space dedicated to organic products in Ontario and Quebec grocery stores alone(44444444444). Organic products are sold in mainstream grocery stores, bakeries, and other foodservice venues, which include available produce, possessed foods, grains, meats, dairy, poultry and eggs.

Processed organic foods include frozen produce, breakfast foods, processed meat/seafood products, prepared meals, cereals, breads, baked goods, pasta and rice, beverages, snacks and baby food. This variety of foods is available to us in most grocery stores and consists of quite a selection. Canada has a small organic processing industry, however, is growing steadily with increased mainstream retail support for organic products. Majority of our required imported raw organic products are from the US and other countries. The sub-division of organic meats consists of animals raised without the use of antibiotics and growth stimulants (11111111111). According to the Canadian Organic Livestock Association, recent concerns over “Mad Cow“and “Hoof and Mouth” diseases have helped raise the demand for quality organic beef (555555555555). As a result, the Canadian organic beef industry has grown rapidly in the past few years. The organic beef industry does not produce product for export however, and the domestic sales include Canadian consumers, foodservice and processors (44444444444). Domestic organic grain products are available in a processed or unprocessed form, including anything from wheat, to corn, to soybeans. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada states that organic wheat is Canada’s largest organic crop export, with organic grains and grain products being purchased by manufacturers, processors and farmers for organic animal feed (333333333333). Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada also states that the majority of Canada’s crops are exported to other countries, with half of their produced organic wheat being exported to Europe, and a quarter being exported to both Japan and the US (33333333).

Another sub-sector of organic foods is dairy which includes milk, cheeses and other dairy products. These foods are all produced locally, for insured quality and freshness. With rising interest of organic dairy products over the years, the demand for more organic dairy farmers has increased as well. Organic dairy products are usually produced locally, for insured quality and freshness (3333333333). Poultry and Eggs are a small sub-sector of the organic food industry, which is continuously growing with popularity. There is a selective amount of available organic poultry and eggs; however, thanks to the demand for organic eggs, they are available in major retail grocery stores, as well as organic poultry. According to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, it can take a farmer five to ten years while in the “transition” period to become totally and certifiably organic to insure that the soil, insect and weed populations adjust to new systems of organic farming (6666666666 ontarioministryofAGIFOOD). According to statistics Canada, as of 2001, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec are the three main areas of organic fruit and vegetable production (77777777statscanada).

A new broadcast on CBC called “An Organic Food Primer” talked about and compared many factors conventional farming from organic farming. Organic food is produced using methods aimed at enhancing the environmental health of the farm ecosystem (11111111). Organic farmers are watched closely and routinely inspected by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and International Trade Canada, who have formed the Organic Production System Task Force (1111111111). This is to assure that farmers are not mixing conventional farmed foods with organically grown foods, and that consumers are not paying for organic foods that really contain synthetic chemicals and pesticides. Organic farmers must be certified and follow a system in order to produce organically grown foods. Inspectors can visit a farm at any time to check up and analyze the processes being used on the farm to make sure that they are regulated and in proper order. Organic farmers see organic farming as being more sustainable than conventional. Conventional farmed foods contain synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, as well as genetically engineered plants. Growth regulators and feed additives are not permitted on organically certified farms in Canada (1111111111). Water quality, soil amendments and general sanitation are other factors on a farm which must be closely monitored and verified in food production to ensure quality products.

The principal goal of organic production, according to the National Standard of Canada for Organic Agriculture, is to develop productive enterprises that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment (111111111111111). Organically grown foods have a higher nutritional value since they contain fewer chemical residues. There have also been links in the past between pesticides and cancer unlike composted animal manure. Organic animals are managed completely different from conventional animals. Cows, for example, on a conventional farm are fed grains, whereas on an organic farm, they eat grass and are taken outside daily to get fresh air and walk around under the sun. An organic farmer on the CBC broadcast called “An organic Food Primer” claimed that cows which eat grass do not carry any strains of ecoli, whereas cows that are fed grain have carried such bacteria as ecoli in their stomach. The same broadcast presented the fact that 75% of dairy cows do not go outside (22222222222), they live indoors all year around which does not seem like the healthiest atmosphere with air circulating inside of a barn full of cattle.

Organic foods do come at a higher cost