Celebrating Organic Week

A question I always like to ask and discuss with my clients when we talk about food is: What does Organic mean to you? Over the last few years, more and more talk has been on the importance of consuming as much organic food as possible, understanding the reasoning to Organic certification and investing in our Organic agriculture industry here in Canada. As we walk through our local grocery stores, markets, and even our local farmer's markets, we see a growth in available Organic certified foods. Hearing this is exciting, as our environment and food have been deteriorating from mass farming, harsh chemicals, and poor soil.

What is Organic Certified Food

Organic Certified Foods are not just an exquisite food with a hefty price tag - they are rich in nutrients, grown without harsh pesticides and herbicides, fertilisers and are free of GMO’s!  Organic foods have a different taste ( often much more ), they're more vibrant in colour, they are high in phytonutrients, as well as protect our environment.  

Where do organic foods

Organic foods get all their nutrients from the soil rich in our essential minerals, protecting from soil degradation and erosion due to the lack of pesticides and fertilisers used in conventional farming. Old school farming measures are used in Organic farming. Traditional measures include:

• Crop rotation,
• Multi-crop agriculture,
• Natural pest control (such as planting beans and flowers in between crops ),
• Using organic matter to preserve nutrients in the soil ( compost ),
• Proper weathering; and
• Mulching of the soil

All of this help to promote a healthy ecosystem in the ground that develops strong roots and decreases the need for synthetic fertilisers and pesticides that put toxins in our food, water, and even air. They contribute to the importance of supporting that Organic Certification and supporting the movement of our local farmers to become and sustain organic certification.

What's the difference between Organic and Non-Organic foods? 

When you walk through the grocery store – make a comparison of Organic and non-organic foods. Often you can tell in even the look ( let's say a tomato ) – there is a richness in colour, a difference in shape and the tomato itself might also have more of a smell to it.  Organic foods just look better, and you can always taste the difference when you compare it to conventionally grown foods. Organic, however, doesn’t come easy – especially in our Agriculture world.  Farmers are in constant competition with other farmers for crop yields, food supply demands and the rising costs of machinery and seeds.  For a farm to become fully Organic Certified, it must go through an "Audit" through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency – this can take up to 5 years and be quite costly for farmers to receive this certification.   Organic farmers must compete for farmland, shelf space amongst a variety of other things to get their crops onto our plates.

Why do we celebrate Organic Week? 

Celebrating Canadian Organic week for us is important!  It is a celebration of our Organic Agriculture, the growth in our sustainable farming practices in Canada, the support our local farmers need to provide excellent and wholesome food, to encourage the reduction of environmental destruction due to harsh pesticides and fertilizers as well as lessening our carbon footprint. I know I always appreciate the Organic Certified label I see on the produce and products on our local store shelves as I value the impact that supporting Organic in Canada has. Organic certification is a symbol of the commitment to our health, our food, the growth of new Organic farms in Canada as well as the sustainability of Organic farming.

CONCLUSION:

Organic Certification comes with great pride to many companies, farmers, and shops that carry natural products.  Organika proudly holds certification for being an Organic Certified Facility for a variety of our products such as Organic Chlorella, Organic Spirulina, Organic Gelatinized Maca as well as Organic Maca + Cacao.  

– Chelan Wilkins, RHN – National Education Trainer