Category Archives: Organic Farming

China topped list of organic exporters to the EU in 2019

June 30, 2020 Ken Billings

Natural Products Global - June 30, 2020 - Jim Manson

China was the biggest exporter of organic agri-food products to the EU during 2019, followed by Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Ukraine and Turkey, according to new analysis released by the European Commission.

Colombia and Kazakhstan entered the top ten suppliers for the first time.

The Netherlands was the single biggest importer of organic imports into the EU (32%). Other important importing EU Member States of organic products include Germany (13 %), the UK (12 %) and Belgium (11 %). Organic imports in Member States which joined the EU after 2004 remain minor at slightly above 3 %.

The ten most imported product categories represented 82 % of total organic import volumes in 2019. First came tropical fruit, nuts and spices with 27% (0.9 million tonnes), followed by oilcakes (mainly for animal feed) with 12 % (0.4 million t), followed by cereals other than wheat and rice and by beet and cane sugar (both 7 %, 0.2 million t).

Overall, organic import levels remained stable in 2019, amounting to

3.24 million t of organic agri-food products. Commodities represented 54% of 2019 imports, a slight decrease compared to the previous year. The share of imports of other primary products increased to 38 %.

For some of the products categories surveyed, organic imports represent a significant share of total imports. Of olive oil imports in the EU, for example, almost 20 % are estimated to be organic. For the other product categories, organic imports represent up to a maximum of 10 % of total imports, and for the large majority less than 5 %. Overall, organic agri-food imports are estimated to represent about 2 % of total volume of agri-food imports.

SOURCE

Organic Farming, Permaculture

What is Permaculture and How Is It Relevant? -Video: 76 min - A Must Watch

May 29, 2020 Ken Billings

Deepgreenresistance.org - May 28, 2020 - Video 76 min

👍👍👍 …A must watch!.

In the first part of this lecture we will cover a wide range of 10,000 years of agricultural history. We will deal with the origins of agriculture, its expansion and problematic elements such as deforestation, monoculture and colonialism as well as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In the second part we get to know permaculture, its founder Bill Mollison and its basic principles and ethics as a viable alternative.

Boris Forkel is a radical environmentalist, social rights activist and permaculturalist located in Germany.

VIDEO LECTURE 76 Min

You can learn more about his work on his website BabylonApocalypse.org.

VISIT DEEP GREEN RESISTANCE FOR MORE RESISTANCE UPDATES: http://www.deepgreenresistance.org

Organic Farming, Seed

Canadian organic growers Seed Directory

May 4, 2020 Ken Billings

COG - May 4, 2020

Suppliers

DeDell Seeds

Supplier Homepage	http://www.dedellseeds.com
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	519-264-2676
Supplier Location	7079 Century Drive Melbourne, Ontario N0L1T0
Supplier Description	De Dell Seeds is proud to be a family owned and operated seed corn company, specializing in Non-GMO and Organic seed corn.

Golden Acres Farm

Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	519-656-3152
Supplier Location	Gadshill, Ontario, Canada
Ordering instructions/details	Contact us
Supplier Description	We sell our seed garlic at the Stratford Garlic Festival, the Toronto Garlic Festival, mail orders and farm gate. Contact us for our descriptive catalog in PDF and to ask any questions. Buckwheat is sold mainly as a cover crop for farmers and gardeners. Pick up at our farm or possible delivery.

Greta’s Organic Gardens

Supplier Homepage	http://www.seeds-organic.com
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	613-521-8648
Supplier Location	Ottawa, Ontario

Hawthorn Farm

Supplier Homepage	http://www.hawthornfarm.ca
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	519-343-3375
Supplier Location	Palmerston, ON
Ordering instructions/details	online, mail, email, phone
Supplier Description	Hawthorn Farm is a family owned Canadian company dedicated to producing high quality, open pollinated certified organic seed.

High Mowing Organic Seeds

Supplier Homepage	http://www.highmowingseeds.com/
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	802-472-6174
Supplier Location	Wolcott, VT
Ordering instructions/details	Please feel free to place an order on our website, by calling one of our friendly sales representatives, or by mailing in our order form from our catalog.
Supplier Description	High Mowing Organic Seeds is an independently-owned, farm-based seed company dedicated to supporting sustainable agriculture and providing farmers and gardeners with the highest quality certified organic seed.

Hope Seeds

Supplier Homepage	http://www.hopeseed.com/
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	902-286-4673
Supplier Location	Annapolis Royal, NS Canada
Ordering instructions/details
Supplier Description	Hope Seeds is a small but committed seed company, with a dedication to local and sustainable agriculture since our beginning in 1993. We offer certified organic and sustainably-grown, heritage and open-pollinated garden seed. We’re committed to high quality, organic growing, and local food.

Norseco

Supplier Homepage	http://www.dominion-seed-house.com
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	1-800-784-3037
Supplier Location	Canada
Ordering instructions/details	Phone: 1-800-784-3037 Fax: 1-800-282-5746 Internet: [email protected] Mail: Dominion Seed House P.O. Box 2500 Georgetown (Ontario) L7G 5L6
Supplier Description	Founded in 1928 in Montreal, initially under the name W.H. Perron, NORSECO is today one of the most important distributors of vegetable and flower seeds, as well as horticultural products, in Canada. Dominion Seed House takes care of all the needs of home gardeners for flower and vegetable seed as well as for gardening tools trough its mail and Internet catalogues. Our organic vegetable seed line is available since 2005.

Ontario Seed Company (OSC)

Supplier Homepage	http://www.oscseeds.com
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	(519) 886-0557
Supplier Location	Waterloo, Ontario
Ordering instructions/details	Please order using our secure website or give us a call.
Supplier Description	Ontario Seed Co., Limited is a family owned, Canadian seed processor. We have sold seed and gardening products for over 120 years.

Organic Meadow

Supplier Homepage	http://www.organicmeadow.com
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	519-767-9694 x 430
Supplier Location	Guelph
Ordering instructions/details
Supplier Description	Organic Meadow is a farmer owned cooperative serving organic farmers throughout Ontario. We have a full line of organic field crop seed.

Osborne Seed

Supplier Homepage	http://www.osborneseed.com
Contact email	[email protected], [email protected]
Contact phone number	604-518-6953
Supplier Location	2428 Old Hwy 99 South Road, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Ordering instructions/details	Check out our online store at the link above. You can also request a catalog and order over the phone – 360-424-SEED (7333).
Supplier Description	Osborne Seed Company is celebrating our 30th year of serving the agricultural community! Catering to the needs of our growers is what drives our whole business; impacting how we source seed, do variety trials, share resources and information, and provide customer service. Give us a call, we may be the wealth of information you need! If you want more info, check out our trial blog: http://vegtrials.blogspot.com

ProRich Seeds

Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	1-800-361-1593
Supplier Location	Mount Elgin, Ontario

RDR

Supplier Homepage	http://semencesrdr.com/

Speare Seeds

Supplier Homepage	http://www.speareseeds.ca
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	519-338-3840
Supplier Location	Harriston, Ontario, Canada

Terra Edibles

Supplier Homepage	http://www.terraedibles.ca
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	613-961-0654
Supplier Location	Foxboro, Ontario
Ordering instructions/details	Order by mail, phone or on our secure website. Payment by credit card or cheque.
Supplier Description	In business since 1992, Terra Edibles offers organically-grown (many certified organic), open pollinated seeds for heirloom tomatoes, vegetables, herbs and flowers.

TourneSol Co-operative Farm

Supplier Homepage	www.fermetournesol.qc.ca
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	416.504.1653
Supplier Location	1025 ch. St.Dominique, Les Cedres, Quebec

Urban Harvest

Supplier Homepage	http://www.uharvest.ca
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	416.504.1653
Supplier Location	Toronto, ON, Canada
Ordering instructions/details	Order through our on-line store, or down-line an order form from our web site and fax it to 416.504.7426. Or give us a call and we will happily take your order in person.
Supplier Description	Urban Harvest Organic Seeds was founded in 1997 to supply heirloom vegetable seedlings to urban gardeners. In 1999 we added 25 varieties of heirloom seeds. Since then we have expanded to over 380 varieties. We grow some of our seed ourselves in Schomberg, ON and in our greenhouses. We also contract several farms to grow seed for us. Our mission has always been to grow the highest quality open-pollinated organic seed in order to protect our food diversity.

Veseys

Supplier Homepage	http://www.veseys.com
Contact phone number	1-800-363-7333

West Coast Seeds Ltd.

Supplier Homepage https://www.westcoastseeds.com/

Contact email

[email protected]

Contact phone number 604.952.8820 or 1888.804.8820

Supplier Location Delta, British Columbia

Ordering instructions/details Order on-line 24/7, phone (open 7 days a week Jan 15 – May 15 each year) or fax 604.952.8828

Supplier Description West Coast Seeds established in 1983, with over 1,100 varieties of veggies, herbs, fruit, flowers, as well as microgreens, sprouts and new for 2019 Certified Organic cover crops. Canadian family owned with a passion to help farms and gardeners grow 12 months a year.

William Dam Seeds

Supplier Homepage	http://www.damseeds.com
Contact email	[email protected]
Contact phone number	905-628-6641
Supplier Location	Dundas, Ontario
Ordering instructions/details	on-line store, by mail/fax/phone, or visit our retail location. See website for directions.
Supplier Description	a family owned importer of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. Emphasis on professional quality seeds; better strains for market and home gardens.

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CONTACT US: 100 Gloucester Street, Suite 410 Ottawa, ON K2P 0A4 Phone: 613-216-0741 Toll-free: 1-888-375-7383 Fax: 613-236-0743 Email: [email protected] LEGAL Copyright © 2018 Canadian Organic Growers All rights reserved Terms & conditions

COG Seed Directory

Co-operatives, Organic Farming, Permaculture

Coronavirus Will Lead to a Rennissance for Decentralization, Permaculture, and Mutual Aid - video - 48 min

April 26, 2020 Ken Billings

The Conscious Resistance - Apr 25, 2020 - Video 48 min

VIDEO SOURCE

In this video John Bush talks about the opportunity we have to further the philosophies and strategies of decentralization, permaculture, and mutual aid. He will discuss the failures of a centralized economies, food production systems, and social organizations and will present a more viable alternative. An alternative we can all play a role in bringing to fruition. “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” - Buckminster Fuller

Get masks, hand sanitizer, colloidal silver, and immune boosting herbs, vitamins, and minerals here - https://bravehealthstore.com/?ref=1 (A portion of your purchase goes to support the Conscious Resistance Network!)

Organic Farming

“We don’t want to be activists” – African organic expert’s message to Biofach audience

February 22, 2020 Ken Billings

Natural Products - Feb 20, 2020 - Jim Manson

Dr. David M. Amudavi, executive director of the Nairobi, Kenya-headquartered Biovision Africa Trust, told a session on global trends in organic that while conventional agriculture remained the major focus across the continent, more interest was now being shown in organic.

“The space for organic has historically been limited, but research has demonstrated very effectively that organic farming can contribute to increased yields and lower cost of inputs of production,” Amudavi said. He added that “important new initiatives|” were also demonstrating organic “important contribution to climate change mitigation”.

Amudavi said that the amount of organic farming in Africa remains modest. Organic land in the 10 countries on the continent with the highest amount of organic farming totals around 2 million hectares, world by 789,000 producers (with Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Keyna taking the top five positions).

Amudavi says the that more research and improved data capture is needed. “We need the type of research effort that made the Green Revolution happen. We don’t want to be activists – we want to present the research evidence, the economic argument for organic. If the case is strong and supported by research we are less vulnerable to criticism. We need to get beyond the question that policy-makers so often ask, ‘can organic feed the continent?’.”

SOURCE

Government, Greenhouses, Organic Farming, Permaculture

ORC at 40: Challenging times for organic, but we can be ‘driving force’

January 29, 2020 Ken Billings

Natural Products - Jan 22nd, 2020 - Jim Manson

As it begins its 40th year, the Organic Research Centre (ORC) – the UK’s leading independent organic research body – has moved to new premises.

The relocation to Trent Lodge in Cirencester follows a rethink of the charity’s business model since the departure of long-standing CEO Nic Lampkin last year.

The decision was made to sell the ORC’s previous headquarters, Elm Farm near Newbury, with the aim that proceeds would provide long-term stability, a source of investment income for core funding, and scope to invest in the organisation for the future.

The new premises are situated next to the Royal Agricultural University (RAU), which will help boost the ORC’s industry relations and collaborative activities as well as providing a base for research.

Editorial Note from CCFSH:

Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Canada - Photo - Ken Billings

Across the country, Agriculture Canada has 20 Research farms. Two in each western province, four in Ontario, four in Quebec and one in each of the Eastern provinces.

According to Agriculture Canada, the jewel in Ottawa, 1150 acres in the middle of the city, called the Central Experimental Farm uses chemicals on 95 to 98 % of the farm.

The people of Canada have a unique opportunity to build a better, healthier business plan. These research facilities, taken over by a volunteer Board of Directors could produce ‘ Organic, Permaculture and Greenhouse Research and Education Centres to provide fiirst class organic research facilities for school children to learn first hand about the wonders of growing safe, healthy food. This is a win/win if we can out maneuver the marriage of Big Agra and the Federal Government control.

This was a big dream of Dr. Shiv Chopra. To do this, it has to be sooner than later. In places like Ottawa, they have already earmarked 70 acres for a hospital and the city developers are drooling over the rest of the Central Experimental Farm.

What do you think?

Ken Billings

Executive Director, CCFSH