What is Organic?
The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) defines organic agriculture as,
Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved.
Organic agriculture is based on agricultural management practices that
- Create ecosystems capable of ensuring sustained productivity
- Maintain soil fertility by maximizing biological soil activity
- Control weeds, pests, and diseases by
- encouraging a balanced host-predator relationship
- increasing beneficial insect populations
- using biological and crop controls
- Recycle plant and animal wastes
- Use crop selection and rotation
The new Canadian organic standards and regulations legally define organic agriculture. The regulation comes into force June 30, 2009.
