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$8 million in federal funding for organics

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has announced a research investment of up to $8.3 million to the Organic Federation of Canada, with an additional $4.4 million in contributions from the industry.

Funded under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriScience Clusters, the goal is to help the organic sector increase productivity through better soil health and fertility management, advanced crop breeding research, improved pest management, and evaluation of the environmental impacts of organic farm practices.

An additional investment of $292,555 will be provided under the federal Canadian Agricultural Adaptation program, also to the Organic Federation of Canada. This will aid in the review process of the Canadian Organic Standards, to improve the Canadian organic industry’s competitiveness and access to international markets.

“This funding will allow researchers to continue improving the sustainability of agricultural practices, which is at the heart of organic production,” says James Robbins, president of the Organic Federation of Canada.

This funding builds upon the $250,000 announced in January to help the Canadian General Standards Board complete the 2020 review of the Canadian Organic Standards.

According to the release, retail sales of organic food products are estimated at $5.4 billion across Canada, with 4,289 farms that reported organic farming practices in 2016.

Building on Growing Forward 2, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments.

Slated to end in 2019, the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation program is a five-year $50.3 million program that aims to help the agriculture and agri-food sectors find solutions to issues and remain competitive.