Organic Producers Round Table

Small Food Producers’ General Discussion:
The Future of Organic Agriculture in New Brunswick and the World

To see a summary report, click here.

On September 14th and 15th, Falls Brook Centre hosted the first of what we hope will be many general discussions between stakeholders involved in New Brunswick organic agriculture. In attendance was a wide range of individuals involved with organic production both locally and internationally. The result was a great opportunity for sharing ideas and experiences of organic certification, marketing and networking from Canada, Mexico and Cuba.

Discussions on the first day focused on the successes and challenges of organic certification in New Brunswick and Canada. Claude Bertheleme, Organic Production Specialist at the New Brunswick Department of Fisheries and Agriculture (NBDFA), started the morning off by briefing the group on the new Canadian Organic Production Regulations and its impact on the organic trade within the province, inter-provincially and in terms of exporting certified organic foods.  Following Claude, we heard from Jean Arnold, Falls Brook Centre’s Executive Director, about FBC’s years of experience with organic certification through Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) and from Rocio Garcia and Giselle Buchan, two coordinators from the Mexican Network of Organic Markets about their experience with participatory guarantee systems and the successes they have had over the last three years in using participatory certification in their local organic markets. Tim Livingston from Jolly Farmer and the appeals officer for ACO (Atlantic Canada Organic) gave us insight into the recent achievements and challenges faced by the Atlantic farmer own certifying body ACO under the recently implemented Canadian Organic Regulation.

Following a fabulous organic lunch prepared by the ladies in the Fall Brook Centre kitchen we began our afternoon session by hearing from Orlidia Hecheverria, the coordinator of a forest restoration project in Cuba, whom shared with the group the state of organic agriculture and distribution in Cuba and finally, Louise Hanavan, a graduate student at Dalhousie University, told the group about her participatory research project with the Rural Research Centre, which will involve farmers, fishers and other food producers in influencing policy to ensure economic and social sustainability in the Maritimes.

On the second day of the meeting, we focused our attention on the current barriers and limitations of distributing and marketing organic products within the province.  Guest speaker; Larry Slipp, a seventh generation farmer at Slipp Farms in Hampstead New Brusnwick shared his views of group marketing. We heard from Claude Bertheleme regarding NB organic agriculture programmes and the financial resources they provide for new and transitioning organic growers.  By sharing their knowledge and experiences, Santiago Martinez, a market coordinator in the Mexican Organic Markets initiative and Juan Madrid, one of the many Mexican organic growers involved in that project, allowed the group to discuss the disparities and similarities between Canadian and Mexican organic certification and marketing systems. 

Perhaps the highlight of the meeting was an inspiring and entertaining discussion initiated by Larry Slipp and the resulting dialogue regarding the potential avenues for group marketing and cooperative distribution of organic products.  He described the players in the organic community in New Brunswick as functioning in parallel, but independently of each other and he acknowledged the need for integration and networking between these individuals and organizations.  Encouraging the group to envision a, yet fictitious, space called The Spot, (a name created for the sake of the days’ discussions) Larry explained the need for both an information centre and a centre for collecting, marketing and distributing organic goods by New Brunswick producers and consumers, for New Brunswick organic producers and consumers.  Conversation surrounding “The Spot” became a rallying point for the group engaging all participants in the dialogue and inspiring a positive and forward-thinking view for future opportunities and collaboration between organic producers and members of the wider community.

This initial roundtable allowed players from a variety of sectors and levels of experience and influence within the organic sector an opportunity to ask questions, voice opinions and meet fellow producers and other individuals and organizations.  It inspired dialogue and debate around a number issues and challenges recognized by the organic community and sparked ideas and innovations to be carried forward to future meetings.