Celebrating 15 years of Canada Organic
The Canada Organic logo on your favourite foods did not appear until June 2009. Until then, producers and farmers did not have a federal standard to indicate how organic their products were. There were no harmonized national guidelines along the organic supply chain, no national criteria for audits, and limited access to international markets.
Canada’s mandatory national standards for organic came into force on June 30, 2009, along with clear rules around organic production, certification, labelling, and government enforcement. The Canada Organic logo was introduced to help consumers recognize products that were at least 95 percent organic and produced without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or GMOs. This paved the way for consumer clarity, increased trust in organic products, and continued growth in the sector.
Canada followed quickly with equivalency arrangements, signing the first one with the United States one week later. Equivalency arrangements facilitate the trade of organic products internationally by allowing easier access to different markets without the need to obtain different certifications. This has allowed a broader range of products on store shelves and opened opportunities for Canadian organic businesses abroad.
Looking ahead
The Canadian Organic Standards continue to be updated every five years to reflect the latest best practices, innovations, and research. In the next 15 years, we hope to see more locally produced organic products available and a greater range of products across all categories. This will not only satisfy the growing consumer demand for sustainable food products, but also ensure the full economic, environmental, and social benefits of organic for Canadians.
We encourage you to look for the Canada Organic logo and celebrate its existence!