Minister MacAulay announces over $2M in support for Canadian organic industry

Jun 28, 2024

Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The organic industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in Canada. Organic farming techniques can help improve soil health, promote biodiversity, and boost farm resilience in the face of climate change.

Today, to mark the 15th anniversary of the Canada Organic Regime, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced an investment of more than $2 million to 2 organizations through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The Canada Organic Trade Association is receiving up to $1,175,841 over 3 years, under the AgriMarketing Program, to facilitate the growth of an innovative and profitable organic sector by resolving market access issues, ensuring Canadian organic products are competitive, building export capacity, and developing domestic opportunities. Activities include incoming and outgoing trade missions, international trade shows, technical training, and marketing campaigns.

The Prairie Organic Development Fund is receiving up to $985,985 over 3 years, under the AgriCompetitiveness Program, to advance the organic sector in Canada by building evidence for organics through data aggregation and benchmarking, growing organic supply and leadership through education, tools, and skill-building, and strengthening public trust in Canadian organics.

Source : Canada.ca

Video: predictive weed Management saves on herbicide costs and increases yield potential

Gowan Canada is partnering with Geco Strategic Weed Management to help Canadian growers take a strategic approach to weed control through data-driven prediction and planning.

Geco’s technology uses data and AI to map where weeds have been over the past five years and predict where patches are likely to emerge next season. These insights allow farms and retailers to plan ahead and target actions in the most challenging areas.

“Our technology enables the question: if you could know where your most problematic patches are and where they are spreading to, what could you do differently? That’s what our technology makes possible,” said Greg Stewart, CEO of Geco. “Many of our farms are already using our prescriptions along with Gowan products, so this collaboration is a natural next step.”