Canada's First Organic Week a Run-Away Success

    


    
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<p>SACKVILLE, <span class="xn-location">New Brunswick</span>, <span class="xn-chron">Oct. 12</span> /CNW/ -- Throughout <span class="xn-location">Canada</span>, organic growers, retailers, processors and consumers are celebrating Organic Week from October 9-16, 2010. Many retail and community-based activities started <span class="xn-chron">Thanksgiving</span> weekend and extend through to World Food Day. Canadian Organic Growers (COG) and the <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> Organic Trade Association (COTA) are spearheading the promotion across <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> of the recent organic sector successes.</p>
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<p>"We can't believe the response we're getting from people in the first year," said <span class="xn-person">Matthew Holmes</span>, executive director of COTA, "we've even had floor-level employees of major retailers calling us to see if they can get their hands on some of our posters and brochures to promote the new <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> Organic logo to their customers."</p>
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<p>Organic Week organizers couldn't be more pleased with the growing awareness of the government's new organic seal. The <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> Organic logo is the consumer's guarantee that the product complies with Canadian rules and organic standards. It is the only eco-label that is backed by yearly on-site inspections, democratically-developed standards and enforcement by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). "The Government of <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> implemented this regime at the urging of the organics sector itself," says Michel Saumur of the CFIA's <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> Organic Office.</p>
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<p>Domestic sales of organic have continued to see incredible growth: doubling to <span class="xn-money">$2 billion</span> between 2006 and 2008, according to statistics released recently by Agriculture and Agri-Food <span class="xn-location">Canada</span>. Meanwhile, the Government of <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> last week announced over <span class="xn-money">$150,000</span> to assist Canadian organic exporters.</p>
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<p>Organic Week activities continue to be held throughout <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> for the rest of this week. The community-based events include farm and orchard tours, winery and brewery visits and tastings, harvest festivals, farmers' markets, film screenings, round table discussions, and more. In addition, many retailers and restaurants will be showcasing their organic offerings throughout October.</p>
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<p>"I don't think there's an organic farmer in <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> that didn't sell out of organic turkeys this <span class="xn-chron">Thanksgiving</span>," said <span class="xn-person">Laura Telford</span>, national director of COG, "and some of the Organic Week kick-off events last week were at capacity" including an organic beer <span class="xn-chron">Oktoberfest</span> in Vankleek Hill outside of <span class="xn-location">Ottawa</span>.</p>
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<p>Organic Week is being organized by Canadian Organic Growers and the <span class="xn-location">Canada</span> Organic Trade Association, with regional partners and national sponsors, including: Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, Beretta Organics, Canadian Health Food Association, Crofter's Organic, Earthbound Farm, Grower's International Organic Sales, Mill St. Brewery, Natracare, Natur-a, Nature's Path Foods, Organic Meadow, Silk, Stonyfield Farm, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, and Whole Foods Market.</p>
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    For more information on Organic Week please visit
http://www.organicweek.ca.




    

For further information: Laura Telford, COG, [phone], [email protected]; or Matthew Holmes, COTA, [phone], [email protected]