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Demand for organic products is outpacing supply of organic ingredients grown in Canada, and a new initiative, the Support Organic Change Fund, aims to tackle the main barriers preventing the transition of farmlands to organic production.
Spearheading the fund are Seeds of Change, a leading producer of organic foods, and the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA), who invite others to offer support, says Tia Loftsgard, COTA’s executive director. “It is with great enthusiasm that we are launching the Support Organic Change Fund to address identified obstacles to organic’s growth in Canada,” she says. “Due to the leadership and forward thinking of our inaugural donor, Seeds of Change, we have been able to kick-start this initiative that will significantly assist the organic sector.”
Seeds of Change approached COTA with a vision that goes beyond the company’s role of sourcing and selling organic products, says Ms. Loftsgard. “They wanted to contribute towards the continued success of organic by addressing – and reducing – barriers. The fund will launch with two programs: a cost-share certification program and a farmer-training curriculum to teach organic methods of production,” she says. “We hope that the leadership shown by Seeds of Change will inspire other companies to contribute to the Support Organic Change Fund to help us grow existing and/or start new initiatives.”
Produced by Randall Anthony Communications. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved in its creation.