A new tool for organic businesses may change the way organic farms and processors in Ontario do business.
The Ontario Organic Directory, a project of the Organic Council of Ontario (OCO), was unveiled in late January at the Guelph Organic Conference. The directory is now publicly accessible through OCO's website. The province-wide listing of organic producers, processors, and related businesses aims to strengthen links in the value chain, and make it easier for new and growing businesses to create business connections.
The directory currently lists all certified organic farms and businesses in Ontario, who are now automatically members of OCO. The organization also allows non-certified businesses to join, if they want to be listed in the directory. “We worked closely with certifying bodies in Ontario to make sure that each member’s organic status is clearly indicated in each listing,” says Carolyn Young, Executive Director of OCO. “We hope that over time, the directory will become the go-to place to connect with any business operating within the organic sphere.”
OCO began making plans to build the directory after receiving clear feedback from the organic sector that a big issue for new and growing organic businesses is the lack of information on where and how to source inputs, ingredients, and services required for organic food production and processing.
“As we launch this directory today, we are also launching a comprehensive report on how the organic sector is performing in Ontario,” says Carolyn Young. “One of the findings of the report is that parts of the sector are fragmented. Often people don’t know where to go to find what they need to make their business successful. We’re hoping that the directory will help to change that.”
In addition to a basic directory with business listings, there are also classified listings on the site, the results of which will be searchable in the directory itself. More information about how to join the directory or update a listing is available at http://organiccouncil.ca/membership.
View the directory at http://directory.organiccouncil.ca/.
Source : Organic Council of Ontario