Canadian Organic Alliance Launches National Action Plan

Oct 30, 2025
By Farms.com

New Strategy Aims to Boost Canada’s Organic Agriculture

The Canadian Organic Alliance; a coalition of the Canada Organic Trade Association, Canadian Organic Growers, and the Organic Federation of Canada has unveiled an Organic Action Plan for Canada.

The initiative urges federal and provincial governments to implement a unified national strategy that strengthens the organic sector’s competitiveness, boosts investment, and enhances domestic supply chains to meet increasing consumer demand.

Developed collaboratively with extensive sectoral input, the plan lays out a roadmap for positioning organic agriculture as a key pillar of Canada’s agri-food economy. It proposes a public–private partnership model to drive coordinated growth, investment, and innovation across jurisdictions.

“Organic agriculture represents one of Canada’s most underused economic opportunities,” said Karen Murchison, Executive Director, Canadian Organic Growers. “This plan gives the government a clear roadmap to unlock billions in net farm income and help Canadian farmers and processors compete globally while driving growth here at home.”

Despite Canada’s growing organic market-valued at $9.75 billion in 2024 - domestic production has stagnated, forcing processors to rely on imports.

In contrast, the U.S. and EU have significantly outpaced Canada in organic investment, with the EU spending roughly 200 times more per acre, according to the Organic Task Force.

“With shifting global trade dynamics and strong consumer demand, organic policy must shift from an enforcement-based approach to a strategic driver of economic growth,” said Tia Loftsgard, Executive Director, Canada Organic Trade Association.

“Canada has the standards, certification system and international credibility to lead. With the right policy framework, Canada can build supply, attract investment, and strengthen the organic value chain–while delivering the environmental and social benefits that consumers increasingly seek.”

The plan is structured around three pillars: accelerating organic innovation and production, expanding domestic and export markets, and strengthening policy, regulation, and data infrastructure.

“Canada already has the regulatory foundation for organic agriculture,” said Nicole Boudreau, Executive Director, Organic Federation of Canada.

“The next step is coordinated leadership and investment to turn that foundation into growth—for farmers, processors and rural communities.”

Photo Credit: Canada Organic Trade Association

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.