The report pegs the value of the organic market (not counting alcohol sales) in Canada at $4.2 billion and says it grew by an average of 8.4 per cent annually from 2012 to 2017. In Alberta, growth was even higher — 10.2 per cent annually during that period — and the market generated sales of $676 million in 2017.

“Alberta stands out as an emerging leader in Canada’s organics sector,” says the report. “Albertans are most likely to be organic buyers and its organic market growth and share exceed the national average.”

However, the number of Alberta consumers buying organic food from mainstream retailers dropped during that time, from 82 per cent to 76 per cent. (In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, that number increased to 78 per cent from 61 per cent.)

“Similar to national trends, fruits and vegetable purchases in the Prairies were the largest organic category,” the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative said.

But Canada is still a big importer of organic products, with just over half of them coming from the U.S. On the other hand, 12 per cent of organic exports from Canada headed to the U.S.

The group credited three factors for driving growth of organic food and beverages: More investment in both transition programs and infrastructure, along with consumer education campaigns. In a news release, it cited new provincial legislation, which comes into effect in April, saying it will ensure “any product making an organic claim that is grown or sold within the province of Alberta meets the national (organic) standards.”

The study is based on an online consumer research study using the Ipsos i-Say panel, as well as data from Nielsen Company and Statistics Canada.

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A reliable and effective green manure program is essential for the success of an organic farm, and the tool kit is a guide to help producers to select the best green manure for their farm conditions. It has modules on selecting a green manure, profiles of green manures, managing green manures, weed management, and a resource tool for professionals.

It can be found at pivotandgrow.com. The website offers resources on growing organically, improving production practices, and marketing produce. The Prairie Organic Grain Initiative is a partnership between Organic Alberta, SaskOrganics, and Manitoba Organic Alliance.

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On July 11, there will be a tour of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Station and Leffer’s Organic Farm. Federal researchers will talk about weed biocontrol, integrated pest management, soil health, and nutrient management. The operators of Leffer’s Organic Farm will discuss their diverse crop rotations and use of green manures for both weed control and fertility.

On July 14, there will be a number of presentations on organic grain production at Newell’s Organic Farm near Radway. Charles Newell will share innovative ways to build soil fertility and manage weeds while University of Manitoba agronomy professor, Martin Entz will discuss nutrient management. There will also be presentations on green manure management, livestock integration, and equipment demonstrations.

Both events cost $25 and include lunch. For more information or to register, contact Tierra at info@organicalberta.org or 587-521-2400.

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“I was spraying a wild oat herbicide on a field, and I got drift poisoning,” said the Edberg-area farmer and owner of Little Red Hen Mills.

“For three days, I was sick as a dog. That kind of changed my mind. I thought, if that’s doing that to me, why am I using it?”

That incident triggered the start of a nearly 30-year career in organic farming for Snider, who grows certified organic wheat, barley, oats, and rye for milling.

“Where we started and where we are today is an incredible journey,” said Snider.

And it hasn’t been an easy road to travel.

“When we got into organics, it was 10 years before the market was actually profitable,” said Snider.

“There were 12 of us, and we met in a basement in Vauxhall. We did it on principle. We didn’t do it for monetary gain.”

Since then, interest in organics has exploded — at least for consumers, said Becky Lipton, executive director of Organic Alberta.

“In Canada, we see 58 per cent of all consumers buy organic on a weekly basis. It shows the strong demand for organic products,” said Lipton, adding demand for organics is actually higher in Alberta than other regions in Canada.

“In Alberta, we have 13 per cent of the total share of organic sales in Canada, but we only have 11 per cent of the population.”

The growing success of the organics market is driven by the consumer, said Snider.

“The first rule of business is the customer’s always right,” he said. “What we’re providing is a product that consumers asked for and are willing to pay a premium for. It’s a specialized product for a niche market, and it has demand.”

• More from the Alberta Farmer: The money’s good. But is organic for you?

Can’t keep up

But supply just hasn’t been able to keep up with demand, said Lipton.

“We’ve had a lot of our companies, both in Canada and the United States, come to us and say, ‘We’re concerned that we’re not going to be able to continue to grow in order to meet this demand,’” she said.

In 2013, Alberta had over 350 organic operations, including producers and processors. And that number has risen by more than 10 per cent annually since then, she said.

But that’s not enough, especially on the primary production side.

“There is such huge demand, and the demand is growing so fast,” she said. “If we’re not able to supply enough food ingredients in order for companies to be able to expand, we will potentially lose part of our market share.”

Ottawa recently pledged $1.2 million for a Prairie-wide project aimed at strengthening the organic sector, with organic food processors and others chipping in another $1 million.

That money for the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative, which will be housed at Organic Alberta, will “increase quality and quantity of organic production, as well as profitability” for all of the Prairie provinces, said Lipton.

“What we’re trying to do through this program is show the world that we can supply amazing grains and food ingredients on the Canadian Prairies and that we’re able to scale up to meet the demand,” she said. “As the market continues to grow, we want to be the go-to place to get your highest-quality organic grains.”

Dispelling myths

Ottawa’s funding pledge is an important step forward for the entire organics industry, said Snider.

“It’s exciting to see that the organic industry is growing and to get recognition from the federal government at that level.”

The funding is divided into three streams — one to attract new growers; one to improve quality and quantity of existing organic production; and one for market development.

A key part of attracting new growers will be dispelling the myths surrounding organic production, said Lipton.

“There’s this perception that it might be unmanageable or that it’s too labour intensive or that you may lose money if you go into organics. I would say all three of those things are misconceptions.”

But there is a learning curve, said Snider.

“There’s always a challenge with information transfer and training and getting the proper connection to someone who knows what they’re talking about,” he said.

“That’s where I think this grant is key to trying to grow the industry and provide funding for research and training new producers.”

So is getting the word out “that there is money to be made in organics and that we have the resources to be able to support them through the process,” said Lipton.

It’s a message that will be listened to by many young farmers because they see a business opportunity, predicted Manitoba organic producer Darcy Hickson.

“I think that’s where we’re going to see the greatest push for organic farm production,” he said. “Young producers are going back home to farm and the farm families aren’t saying, ‘Oh good, let’s turn the farm organic.’

“But they are saying, ‘Here’s a couple of fields to try this and implement some of the things you’ve learned.’

“They’re going to be the ones who are going to piece the organic puzzle together and show us all how to do it,” he said.

jennifer.blair@fbcpublishing.com
lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

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The Minnesota-based multinational is increasing its focus on health-conscious consumers. It wants to double natural and organic sales to $1 billion by 2020, so it’s backing efforts to get more grain farmers to go organic.

• More on the Alberta Farmer: Organic is booming – and the push is on for more growers

“The organic food market has been growing rapidly, which has made sourcing certified organic ingredients increasingly difficult,” General Mills said in a press release announcing its $50,000 contribution to POGI.

“We are focused on doubling the amount of organic farming acreage in North America by 2020,” said Beth Robertson-Martin, senior manager of natural and organic sourcing.

“POGI is one way we’re ensuring the long-term sustainable supply of these ingredients.”

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“While the Canadian organic food market has tripled since 2006 from $1 billion to $3 billion, organic production has not kept pace,” Organic Alberta executive director Becky Lipton said in a press release.

“This project will support expansion of Canadian organic grain and field crops while simultaneously building resiliency and stability in the sector. By achieving increased quantity and quality we will not only meet the demand but be leaders in continued market expansion.”

The money will go towards the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative, a four-year program being led by Organic Alberta, along with its western Canadian counterparts and several other groups.

The initiative will offer several programs to “entice conventional growers to transition, as well as developing and transferring the knowledge producers need to produce competitive crop yields and build profitability.”

Industry partners — including the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, Grain Millers, Nature’s Path, General Mills, Dave’s Killer Bread, Cliff Bar and others — are contributing just under $1 million to the project.

The federal funding is coming from Western Economic Diversification. Some of the money will go towards supporting organic groups in marketing efforts through participation in trade shows and international missions.

The government described the organic food industry as “the most dynamic and rapidly growing sector of the global food industry, and is estimated to be a $63-billion (U.S.) global industry.”

Certified organic farms now account for 1.8 per cent of all farms in Canada and 400 western Canadian small- and medium-size enterprises add value to the organic grains sector for further processing, the government said.

“By helping to increase the capacity of western organic growers to compete in the global organic food market, we are ensuring that the western Canadian economy can continue to grow and prosper,” said Michelle Rempel, minister of state for Western Economic Diversification.

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