For those interested in comparing ecological agriculture initiatives in Canada and China, this list may be of interest – we provide web links for Canadian organizations working on issues of food system sustainability and organic agriculture.
National organizations
- - National non-governmental voice to oversee revisions and maintenance of the national organic standards.
- Organic Value Chain Roundtable - government sponsored roundtable established to create consensus on how to improve Canada’s organic sector. Its members represent a wide cross section of the Canadian organic sector including producers, processors, distributors, retailers and exporters.
- - National, volunteer-based organization. Members cross the organic food sector and include: consumers, producers, processors, retailers etc. Their mission is to lead local and national communities towards sustainable organic stewardship of land, food and fibre while respecting nature, upholding social justice and protecting natural resources. They sell numerous manuals and books on a wide range of organic issues, and their website includes key links to the organic standards and other national groups.
- - National research organization dedicated to enhancing the environment and social integrity of agriculture through scientific analyses of sustainable farming. They offer web-based courses and have a good electronic newsletter.
- - Trade association whose mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.
- - Begun in 1994, this was the first web site on the Internet to publish information about urban farming. It has hundreds of pages of links.
- – A gateway and guide for everyone who eats, gardens, or wants to make a healthy living from food. It includes links to permaculture, biodynamics, sustainable living, learning centres, ecovillages,. Books & magazines, learning centres etc etc.
- – Canadian charitable organization dedicated to the conservation, documentation and use of public-domain, non-hybrid plants and seeds of Canadian significance. They work with a network of seed savers across the country to preserve heritage varieties.
- – Promotes food sovereignty and democratic decision-making on science and technology issues in order to protect the integrity of the environment, health, food, and the livelihoods of people in Canada and around the world by facilitating, informing and organizing civil society action, researching, and providing information to government for policy development.
- – national voice for the food security and food sovereignty movement in Canada. The organization is based in three interlocking commitments to: Zero Hunger; Healthy and Safe Food; A Sustainable Food System
- – national organization promoting socially responsible livestock production in Canada
Provincial producer associations
Government departments
- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency operates the . Here you will find lists of accredited certification bodies in Canada, details on the Canadian Organic Regulation, the Organic Standard, and permitted substances lists.
- – has a team of staff who support the organic sector in the province with a newsletter, outreach, marketing consulting and research support. The ministry also has an internet site relating to with links to many other sites.
Examples of local organizations and educational farms
- – a networking and policy-making group of representatives from diverse interests working on building a strong voice for a healthy food system in À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Region.
- – a teaching farm that provides hands-on, solution-based food and farming education pertaining to organic agriculture.
- – a not for profit organization in British Columbia that works to build a local, sustainable food system through projects to protect foodlands, engage communities and support local growers.
- – a province-wide, cross- sectoral alliance that promotes healthy food and farming.
- FoodNet Ontario – a province-wide network of organizations and individuals working together to create sustainable local food systems.
- – a non profit organization dedicated to cultivating awareness and initiating action around food, health and urban sustainability in the Greater Victoria region of BC.
- – government sponsored council which connects diverse people from the food, farming and community sector to develop innovative policies and projects that support a health-focused food system.
- – advisory group to Vancouver City Council, comprised of people from various sectors of the local food system.