Organic Production
Organic farming is a method of crop and livestock production that involves much more than choosing not to use synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics and growth hormones.
Organic production is a holistic system designed to optimize the productivity and fitness of diverse communities within the agro-ecosystem, 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.
The general principles of organic production, from the Canadian Organic Standards (2006) with amendments in 2008, 2009 and 2011, include the following:
- Protect the environment, minimize soil degradation and erosion, decrease pollution, optimize biological productivity and promote a sound state of health.
- Maintain long-term soil fertility by optimizing conditions for biological activity within the soil.
- Maintain biological diversity within the system.
- Recycle materials and resources to the greatest extent possible within the enterprise.
- Provide attentive care that promotes the health and meets the behavioural needs of livestock.
- Prepare organic products, emphasizing careful processing, and handling methods in order to maintain the organic integrity and vital qualities of the products at all stages of production.
- Rely on renewable resources in locally organized agricultural systems.
Organic Certification
Organic production and processing in Canada must follow the Canada Organic Standard (COS) which are required under the Organic Product Regulations (OPR) of the Canada Agricultural Products Act. The national standard outlines management practices and permitted substances available to organic farmers and processors. The Permitted Substances List (PSL) is part of the COS and outlines the approval requirements for substances used by the organic industry. Accredited certification bodies assess production and processing facilities and provide a certificate of conformity to the standard.
Transition to Organic Crop Production
The Canadian Organic Standards require that land be managed according to the organic standards for 36 months prior to harvest of the first organic crop. This period is known as the transition period. There are two aspects to conversion. One is grower skills and experience to farm and the second is transition of the land.
Specific transition requirements of the land are in section 5.1 of the General Principles and Management Standards. During transition, production must meet all of the many standards requirements, including the following:
- The land must be managed as organic for 36 months prior to the first organic harvest and during the last 12 months of this period, it must be under the supervision of an organic certification body (i.e. that the farm has been reviewed and approved as a transitional organic farm).
- The goal of the enterprise must be for a complete transition of its production. During the transition phase split production is allowed if organic and non-organic products are distinguishable. Parallel production of the same product is not allowed. Parallel production is where the same crop is produced both organically and non-organically.
- Production units must have distinctly-defined boundaries. Boundaries must be readily visible and defined on a map.
- Buffer zones between organic and non-organic production must be at least eight metres wide and this production may not be used or sold as organic. This can include permanent hedgerows, windbreaks, permanent roads or physical barriers.
- Production units cannot alternate between being organic and non-organic production. If you have a problem with a field it cannot be rotated between organic and non-organic.
Organic Cropping System
Developing a cropping system which includes crop rotations and cover crops for pest management and nutrient cycling is important in organic production.
Improving crop quality and yield on the organic farm can be done in part by selecting plant varieties that are:
- Adapted to diversified landscapes and growing regions
- Disease and/or pest resistant/tolerant
- Competitive with weeds
Soils
Creating an integrated nutrient management system through the holistic management of soils, crops, feeds, livestock, manures and composts will enhance the sustainability of the organic production system. Incorporating green manures, tillage reduction strategies and longer crop rotations can benefit soil fertility in the cropping system. Having a better understanding of soil biological activity and how to manage it beneficially (e.g. promoting arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) while assessing short and long term soil fertility issues related to the whole farm system can also benefit soil health.
More information on soil management and diagnostics can be found on the General Agronomics page.
Pest Management
Organic crop producers must use multiple approaches to manage pests, a practice known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Many times the initial reaction is that if the organic grower cannot use 'Product X', what can be used instead? Organic is not a substitution of one set of products with another. The organic farm system manages pests and crop issues with a broad spectrum of practices including the following:
- Cultural (crop rotation, planting date, row/plant spacing, etc)
- Biological (genetic resistance, biodiversity, beneficial organisms, etc)
- Mechanical (tillage, barriers/row covers, traps, mulch, etc)
- Time management (essential to be able to complete practices in a timely manner)
- Greater understanding of the biology of the pests
- Approved pest management products should be used only when other approaches are inadequate.
Weeds are the most serious pest problem on most organic farms. Most weeds must be managed early in the life of the crop. For annual grain and oilseed crops start mechanical weed control a few days after planting using rotary hoe or weeder/tine harrow at regular intervals. Vegetables require row cultivation and manual hoeing depending on the crop. Good crop rotations are essential for reducing weed infestations. Some weeds have a greater impact on crops than others and a thorough knowledge of weed identification, biology, life cycle, and control options will be of great assistance in determining appropriate weed management strategies.
Insects and diseases are often crop specific. Crop rotations help reduce many insects and diseases. Select varieties of the crops that are known to be pest resistant to reduce the impact of the pests. Where possible encourage beneficial insects or other organisms to help control pest outbreaks. Inspect crops frequently to identify pest populations. Be aware of registered biopesticides that are approved by the certification body for application to suppress pests in the crop when necessary. In some cases planting dates or plant populations can be altered to reduce the impacts of pests.
More information on pest management can be found on the Pest Management page.
More information on organic certification and transitioning to organic production can be found on OMAFRA's organic agriculture webpage: www.ontario.ca/organic
