The Growing Up Organic Project
Welcome!
Background information:
Canadian Organic Growers (COG) is a national charitable organization that has been promoting organic growing for over 30 years (learn more about us).
In early 2007, COG launched the Growing Up Organic (GUO) project. The purpose of the GUO project is to build upon exisitng efforts to shift Canada towards increased organic production by exploring ways to increase the amount of organically grown food served in Canadian institutions, beginning with childcare centres (read the GUO report).
The primary motivation for starting with childcare centres relates to the fact that compared to other types of institutions, the demand for food is relatively small. Since lack of organic supply, particularly in some communities, is a key issue in Canada, we wanted to give ourselves time to gradually build the supply and distribution infrastructure required to serve larger institutions. Secondly, we wanted to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our society, young children, have access to organic food (learn more about the benefits of organic food for you, your children and your community ).
Therefore, over the course of the next three years, COG will be initiating pilot-projects in various communities across the country to learn more about how best to get food from the farmers who grow it into the insititutions that eat it. At the end of these three years, COG will compile and analyze the data from the pilot-projects and publish a set of recommendations in a report that will be available for download from this site.
Has this type of project been done before?
The purchase and consumption of organically grown food in institutions is quite common in many European countries and is a growing trend in the United States. In many cases, the organic food is purchased directly from organic farmers or from organic farmers' co-operatives. In Canada, some organic food is served in some institutions, but they are few and far between. Based on the research COG has done so far, there is an interest in and support for the development of such a project here in Canada. However, there is a lack of coordination among interested groups. COG has decided to take on this coordination role and to develop the tools necessary to help interested groups initiate GUO projects in
their communities.
How do I get involved in the GUO project?
At the moment, the GUO project is being implemented through our local Chapters. For 2007, year 1 of the GUO project, feasibility studies for the implemention of GUO pilot- projects were carried out by four of our local Chapters. Three of the four went on to develop pilot-projects, they are as follows:
Julie Fine
e-mail: guo-ofcm(at)cog(dot)ca
tel.: 204-772-4363
Krista Long
e-mail: kristalong(at)rogers(dot)comtel.: 519-885-9584
Lynda Hall
e-mail: lynda(at)cog(dot)ca
tel.: 613-244-4000
Pat Reichert
e-mail: dogwoodlane(at)saltspring(dot)com
tel.: 250-537-4282
To learn how to become a member of one of our local Chapters click here.
To learn how to start a local Chapter in your area click here.
To learn how you can support COG and the work it does, click here.
Want to know more?
This website was developed to facilitate the sharing of information, ideas and accomplishments related to the GUO project. It is a work in progress. If you need more information about the project, please contact our National Office:
- COG-National Office
Daphne Wellman
e-mail: guo(at)cog(dot)ca
tel.: 613-.216-0741 or 1-888-375-7383
Sponsors:
The GUO project gives thanks to the following national sponsors:
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