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Canadian organic standard



For those of you following the development of organic standards
in Canada, here is a recent press story on the official
announcment of the new National Standard.

The article was brought to my attention by Hart Haidn
(hart.haidn@home.com) in Saskatchewan. By the way, Hart is
organizing another organic conference to be held this fall
(November 14-16) in Saskatoon. You can find more information on
the conference, at http://agricola.homepage.com/

I would be remiss if I did not add the interpretive note that
despite the impression presented in the article, there is
still a ways to go before the standard will be effective.

------------------------------------------

Canada Introduces National Standard for Organic Agriculture}
OTTAWA, June 29 //CNW//

The Government of Canada unveiled a new National Standard of
Canada for Organic Agriculture - a step that will clarify just
what the  organic  in organic agriculture means. The Government
of Canada made the announcement through the Canadian General
Standards Board (CGSB) of Public Works and Government Services
Canada, and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), a federal
Crown Corporation.

The standard outlines principles for organic agriculture that
endorse production and management practices that contribute to
the quality and sustainability of the environment and ensure the
ethical treatment of livestock. The joint announcement was made
today by the Honourable John Manley, Minister of Industry and
Minister responsible for the Standards Council of Canada, the
Honourable Alfonso Gagliano, Minister of Public Works and
Government Services, and the Honourable Lyle Vanclief, Minister
of Agriculture and Agri-Food. We now have a national standard
that can be recognized and applied in markets around the globe,
said Minister Manley.

For Canadian producers of organic agri-foods produce this will
translate to greater and easier access to international markets
that demand these kinds of standards. Mr. Manley added that he
was pleased to see the SCC actively promoting efficient and
effective standardization in accordance with its mandate. I am
very proud of the consensus-building work done by the Canadian
General Standards Board in managing the development of this
important new standard,  said Minister Gagliano.  It was
developed through the CGSB Standards Committee on Organic
Agriculture, which comprises various technical experts who
provided broad-based input. Once again, the CGSB has demonstrated
its unique expertise and valuable leadership as the Government of
Canada s leading standardization organization. The Canadian Food
Inspection Agency, which delivers all federally mandated food
inspection activities, supported the Canadian organic industry in
its efforts to establish the national standard.

This new National Standard of Canada will provide consumers with
a consistent meaning for  organic , helping them to make more
informed choices,  said Minister Vanclief.  All food produced in
Canada, whether organic or not, must meet the same stringent
requirements for safety and quality.

Among its provisions, the standard:
- prohibits use of ionizing radiation in the preservation of food
- prohibits use of genetically engineered or modified organisms
- encourages maximum use of recycling
- encourages maximum rotation of crops and promotion of biodiversity.

The document is available for purchase by the general public, and
an abstract of the Standard will be available on the Web site of
the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB):
http:////www.pwgsc.gc.ca//cgsb

To order copies of the National Standard of Canada for Organic
Agriculture, which will be listed as CAN//CGSB-32.310, contact:

CGSB Sales Centre
Ottawa, Canada
K1A 1G6
Phone: (819) 956-0425
or 1-800-665-2472 (Canada only)
Fax: (819) 956-5644
Email address:
For English materials: ncr.cgsb-ongc@pwgsc.gc.ca

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