The Organic Council of Ontario has received funding to conduct a sector-wide assessment of barriers to growing Ontario’s organic sector.
As part of the assessment, they are reaching out to any and all producers, processors and businesses across the province with online surveys, in an effort to gather insight on the attitudes and opinions towards organic.
The five separate surveys, which include two for conventional farmers, aim to help guide the future of organics in Ontario and are designed for:
1) Non-organic producers
2) Non-organic processors/handlers
3) Organic producers
4) Organic processors/handlers
5) Retailers with some organic products
The non-organic surveys consider questions such as: have you ever considered growing organic? What stops you from growing organic?
“Ontario boasts over $1 billion in sales of organic foods and yet only 2% of all agriculture in the province is organic,” shares the Organic Council of Ontario. “Why is the organic sector in Ontario growing so slowly in relation to demand? How can government and the industry help Ontario businesses capture this growth opportunity?”
OCO’s assessment hopes to answer these questions.
Those who fill out a survey will be entered to win the following prizes:
- 50% off your next EcoCert inspection; to a maximum value of $600
- A broad fork from Les Équipements Thivierge for Dubois Ag courtesy of Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, valued at $200.00
- A VIP entry pass to the 2017 Guelph Organic Conference, with free access to the Friday night dinner, forum and Saturday and Sunday workshops; valued at $315.00
- Two bottles of Southbrook Organic wine, valued at over $50
- A subscription to The Canadian Organic Grower magazine, valued at $20.45
- A copy of COG’s Organic Livestock book, COG’s Record Keeping or Crop Planning for Organic Vegetables, all valued at $25.00 each