Certifiable

In recent years, there has been an effort by agri-business interests to portray opposition to genetically modified crops as “anti-science” – and worse yet, as an obstruction to feeding the world’s population in this era of climate change. Both characterizations are disingenuous. It may be true that anti-GMO sentiment among some consumers is based on feelings more than facts – but when concerns about GMOs are expressed by farmers who are scientifically literate and deeply committed to global food security, we should listen.

On Sept. 28 the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) issued a statement calling on the federal government to reverse its decision to allow voluntary disclosure of gene-edited seeds entering the marketplace. Organic standards prohibit the use of genetically engineered seeds and feeds – which means certified-organic farmers need to know for certain that these products have not entered or contaminated their production systems.

The longstanding prohibition is not derived from some nebulous notion of certain technologies being “unnatural.” Rather, it reflects “concerns around biodiversity, food sovereignty, and preservation of genetic resources,” as described in the recent COTA statement. It has a lot to do with who controls our future food systems, as well as the freedom to choose what we grow and what we eat.

For years, agri-business has argued that genetically modified food does not need to be labelled as such because it is not “materially different” from conventionally bred crops. But organic growers have made the case that production systems, including plant genetics, are fundamental to our relationship with food – and many consumers share this perspective. The people who flock to farmers’ markets are not merely seeking nutrients to metabolize; they want to be more knowledgeable about agriculture and more connected to the local agricultural economy.

As gene editing technology developed, COTA merely asked that the resulting seeds be identified. “This request to uphold transparency and traceability should not be overlooked once again as the organic sector seeks a way to co-exist with non-organic farming systems in Canada,” reads the group’s recent statement. “This is not only essential for the choices of farmers and consumers to be respected, but is the foundation for trust in the safety and quality of Canada’s food system.”

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As these regulatory issues play out nationally, there are also issues to be addressed at the provincial level, which is why a handful of Nova Scotia farmers came together in 2019 and got to work establishing a new organization which would be known as Organic Nova Scotia (ONS). Danny Bruce, a veteran organic farmer in Bridgetown, N.S., is one of the board members who is well acquainted with the challenges of organizing this relatively small sector.

“When the federal government got involved with regulations, NSOGA (Nova Scotia Organic Growers Association) couldn’t operate with the paperwork that was involved, so we joined with MCOG (Maritime Certified Organic Growers) and formed ACO (the Atlantic Certified Organic Co-operative), which did certification for a number of years, and then it was even too much paperwork for that, so we had to join another group to have our certification done.”

The system in place today involves third-party certification bodies that are essentially just service providers – which is as it should be. “They are not a lobby group or anything else, and you have to pay a lot of money to be certified,” says Bruce. “They’re independent businesses, and they’re not interested.”

For the delivery of other programs and advocacy work, there was a need for a new group. Many Nova Scotia farmers are involved with ACORN (the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network), which operates at the regional level, but provincial governments generally prefer to talk to a provincial organization – which is partly why ONS came into existence. Another key objective is public outreach. “Education, to me, is a primary thing,” says Bruce. “People still don’t understand what organic means.”

The group’s chair is Wayne Edgar from North of Nuttby Farm, a certified organic lowbush blueberry operation in the Tatamagouche area. By his count, about half of the 50 certified organic producers and processors in the province have joined ONS thus far, and he believes momentum is building.

“Good food can be produced in many different ways, and we certainly don’t denigrate conventional growers, but we think that there are real advantages to growing organically – certainly advantages for the environment, for the ecosystem. And given the climate emergency that we’re in, I think organic production is really needed more than ever before,” says Edgar.

“There’s great opportunity for the sector to grow, while contributing to building healthy soils, encouraging more biodiversity on our farms, and so forth, so there are lots of pluses. I’m guessing that the province is seeing both the economic potential and the environmental potential.”

One of the group’s initiatives is the Institutional Procurement Pilot Project, which is being led by Karina Shnaiderman. For now, the project is focusing on post-secondary institutions – engaging their food-service providers and making connections with Nova Scotia organic producers and processors that could become suppliers. The challenges are not only logistical, but also bureaucratic, says Shnaiderman, because institutions may be bound by contracts with multinational companies. “There are a lot of legalities there that can’t be breached, so it is quite tricky.”

There is also a need for wider public awareness. “The Maritimes in general, we’re really behind in terms of supporting organic farmers and organic food,” Shnaiderman says. “If you look at the States, they have an entire agricultural department devoted to organics. We don’t have anything close to that.”

An early success for Organic Nova Scotia is the new provincial rebate program to help cover the cost of certification fees – to a maximum of $750, at an assistance level of 50 percent (application deadline: Feb. 14, 2024). Colleen Freake, a director from the Hants Shore, understands the need for this kind of support, because her small operation, Tidal Wild Farm, is still on the path to certification.

“My role has really been about the future of the organic sector, and making sure that we have a hopeful, welcoming, growth-focused, future-focused attitude,” she says. “I’m in what I call an extended start-up phase, which is the only way one starts a farm in this day and age, because capital costs are intense.”

Despite the costs, Freake believes strongly in the value of certification, as a means of validating exemplary organic practices. “In Canada we have a certain amount of integrity on the international stage – about what our definition means and how we enforce our organic standards and how our equivalency agreements align with those of other countries, in terms of imports and exports,” she says.

“We have very high standards for animal welfare, which is something to be so proud of.... And one of the other really important differences is that in the U.S. standard they certify hydroponics. A water-and-nutrient-based system which has no soil would never pass in Canada, because the definition of organic in Canada has to do with the soil – the lifecycle of the soil. Those are two examples of key differences.”

But according to Freake, Canada’s current approach to gene-edited seeds is a significant setback for the industry. “We are in a really awkward position right now,” she says. “It’s extremely upsetting.... I think it deserves extra scrutiny and extra support, to really clarify the integrity of Canadian organic standards.” DL