Food > Organic Production System Task Force 

OTF ENTERS NEXT PHASE IN DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL ORGANIC CERTIFICATION AND INSPECTION REGIME

June/July 2005
Volume 1, Issue 4
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Following several months of intensive consultations, research and analysis, the Government of Canada’s Organic Production System Task Force (OTF) has completed the requisite documentation and delivered numerous presentations in anticipation of drafting regulations for Canada’s organic food industry.

In a meeting with the organic industry's Organic Regulatory Committee in April, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Andy Mitchell indicated his agreement in principal for an organic regulatory regime and stated his department is prepared to work as quickly as possible on its development and implementation. The Minister noted that normal regulatory process must be followed and that industry consensus was of great importance for the success of the initiative.

Further confirmation of government support came on July 8, 2005, at the annual Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Agriculture Conference in Kananaskis, Alberta. The ministers acknowledged the importance of creating a Canadian organic certification system, which will maintain access to the European market, and have instructed officials to continue their work towards the publication of regulations.

“Due to the work of a committed team, the co-operation of a united organic industry and the interest of the provincial and territorial governments, we’re now able to take our mission to the next phase,” says OTF Project Director, Joe Southall.

The proposed organic regime will be designed such that the Government of Canada will assume oversight as the competent authority while existing domestic accreditation and certification bodies will continue to deliver their services as appropriate. As confirmed in a cost-benefit analysis, this “third-party delivery” system is the most economically advantageous approach of the regulatory options examined and is also the one preferred by the industry. Legal examination and verification of legislative authority and other aspects of the proposed system will precede the drafting of the regulations.

An organic inspector training subcommittee, comprised of members of the OTF and 11 industry experts from across Canada, met in early June to discuss national, consistent organic inspector (or verification officer) minimum qualifications and training requirements. The meeting resulted in consensus on guiding principles for an effective organic inspector training scheme including educational and practical prerequisites, course development, curriculum essentials and program delivery methods.

For e-mail inquiries: OrganicTF@inspection.gc.ca

OTF Update is a monthly bulletin prepared and edited by Vivienne Laxdal. Suggestions for content and improvements to this publication are welcome: laxdalv@inspection.gc.ca

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