At Latin Organics we believe that Canada's new organic
regulations may inspire or serve as a role model for Latin American
countries such as Colombia, so that farmers may embrace the idea of
supporting further more- Organic farming . Farmers in Latin America
can see the importance and energy that is being used to create
these regulations. There is huge market potential for organic
products and farmers need to have access to these business
possibilities. Latin Organics will continue to directly create
opportunities for Latin American farmers so that their organic
products may reach important exportation levels.We will support
further more the Colombian farmers and crafters with whom we have
been directly working with for the past year.
Canada's New Organic Regulations Expected to Boost
Consumer Confidence
Canada Becomes First Country in the World to Track Organic
Imports
OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada (Jan. 4, 2007): The Organic Trade
Association (OTA) is pleased by the Canadian government's December
22 publication of the federal regulation for organic food and
livestock feeds. "Consumers will now be assured that when they
purchase food that is labeled 'Canada Organic' it means that it was
produced in compliance with a strict set of national standards for
certification," said Stephanie Wells, OTA's Canada Liaison. "The
regulation will help ease the way for organic trade between
provinces and with other countries."(Click here to see the regulation.)
"With mandatory national organic standards now coming into place,
all farmers and manufacturers of organic products will follow the
same rules," said Caren Wilcox, OTA's Executive Director. "This is
good for consumer confidence in organic labels and good for the
marketplace. In the United States, consumer awareness rose
dramatically when the organic rule was implemented.
"However," she added, "implementing the regulation will require
ironing out a few wrinkles. The new rules will affect every organic
enterprise in the country. OTA intends to be very active in shaping
the details during the implementation period," Wilcox said. For
instance, OTA believes the regulation calls for unnecessary
paperwork on certified organic imports and requires too much
confidential formulation detail in the application for organic
certification.
Since 1999 Canada has had an organic standard regulated by the
organic sector itself. This new regulation means the standards will
now be enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA).
OTA applauds another federal initiative that will have an impact
on the organic sector. Canada has become the first country in the
world to track organic products moving across its border. Although
all import and export commodities are tracked with Harmonization
System Codes (HS Codes), they only have been coded by type (for
instance, tomatoes are identified as roma or cherry), not by method
of production. As of January 2007, HS Codes in Canada also add the
certified organic designation to HS Codes to track an initial list
of 41 imported organic products ranging from dairy to fruits and
vegetables. OTA, which worked with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
to help plan this new program, anticipates that it will give
Canadian organic farmers information on products consumers now buy,
that could have been grown in Canada. Click here to see the HS Codes listing.
"These two developments are good news for farmers, businesses and
shoppers in Canada." Wilcox said. "Farms and other businesses will
have useful data thanks to the HS Codes, and consumers will know
that products labelled organic meet stringent federal
requirements."
The mission of the Organic Trade Association is to promote and
protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment,
farmers, the public and the economy. OTA envisions organic products
becoming a significant part of everyday life, enhancing people's
lives and the environment. As a membership-based business
association, the Organic Trade Association, founded in 1985 by
Americans and Canadians, focuses on the organic business community
in North America. OTA's nearly 1,550 members include farmers,
processors, importers, exporters, distributors, retailers,
certifiers, and more. For further information, visit OTA's web site
at www.ota.com.
