If you grow it yourself, you can control what goes into the food. As for 'organic' labels on food in the store, I wouldn't trust it with a 10' pole. I don't believe there are any regulations on what is or is not organic. And of course, it doesn't mean it was grown without fertilizer. It just means it was grown with an organic fertilizer (can you say ****?). Its a scam to get more of your hard earned money.
Of course there are regulations. Reasearch is key when you're shopping for organic.
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/2006/20061221-x6/html/extra-e.html
Here is some info you may find enlightening. Taken from:
http://www.cog.ca/orgquickfacts.htm
QUICK FACTS ABOUT CANADA'S ORGANIC SECTOR [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]
What it is
Organic agriculture is a holistic production system designed to optimize productivity and fitness of diverse communities within the agroecosystem, including soil organisms, plants, livestock and people. The principal goal of organic production is to develop enterprises that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment.
What is isn’t
Organic agriculture does not allow the use of:
- Synthetic pesticides, including fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, defoliants, desicants and wood preservatives
- Synthetic fertilizers
- Materials and products produced from genetic engineering
- Sewage sludge
- Synthetic growth regulators (hormones)
- Synthetic veterinary drugs, including antibiotics and parasiticides
- Irradiation
- Synthetic processing substances, aids and ingredients, and additions to food including sulphates, nitrates and nitrites
- Equipment, packaging materials and storage containers, or bins that contain a synthetic fungicide, preservative or fumigant
- Genetically modified organisms
Standards and Regulations
Canada has had a national organic standard in place since 1999. Recently, in anticipation of the new federal organic regulation, the organic sector worked with the Canadian General Standards Board to update the national organic standard. Part I (Organic Production Systems General Principals and Management Standards; CAN/CGSB-32.310-2006) details the agricultural practices that are acceptable in organic agriculture production systems, while Part II (Organic Production Systems Permitted Substances Lists; CAN/CGSB-32.311-2006) lists substances that are permitted for use in organic systems.
Under the new organic regulation, passed December 2006, organic certification bodies are to be accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency based on the recommendation of approved accreditation bodies. Certification bodies are tasked with the job of ensuring that the organic farms or processing facilities that they certify as organic are in compliance with the organic standard. Verification is done by trained independent inspectors who visit the farms or processing facilities annually. The organic standard and regulation is available at
www.cog.ca/stds_regs.htm.
On December 21, 2006, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency published the final organic regulation. This regulation enshrines the new organic standard in law and allows for the creation of a new federally managed organic office.
Industry Facts
- Organics is the fastest growing sector in agriculture, with sales increasing at 20% per year.
- In 2005, the last year for which there are statistics, Canada had 3618 certified organic producers. Another 241 farmers were making the transition from conventional to organic farming.
- Saskatchewan is home to close to one-third of all certified organic producers in Canada.
- Over 1.3 million acres (530,919 ha) of land in Canada is used to grow organic food. Another 118,500 acres (47,955 ha) is in transition to certification.
- Organic farm operations reflect the bioregional diversity across the country in the same way as conventional agriculture. For example, the majority of the organic farms on the Prairies are producing grains and pulses, organic dairy producers are found primarily in Ontario and Quebec and most of the certified organic tree fruit production occurs in central British Columbia.
- Wheat is Canada’s largest organic crop with over 187,000 acres (75,816 ha).
- Organic livestock production is increasing dramatically. From 2004 to 2005, the beef herd increased by 30%, sheep numbers by 19%, layers by 20% and broilers by 56%.
- The number of certified organic processors and handlers increased by 47% between 2004 and 2005, with the largest increases observed in British Columbia and Quebec. This represents the second year of dramatic growth in the processing sector. Between 2003 and 2004, the number of processors jumped by 48% with most of the gains occurring in Ontario and Manitoba.
[/FONT]