Hoping for greener pastures: P.E.I. organic producers hoping for stricter in-province regulation

Marc Schurmanhas been farming his entire life, or at least as long as he can remember.

In 2005, he decided to make the switch from conventional to organic farming.

• Organic industry review gives P.E.I. mixed marks

Schurmansaid that the lack of a mechanism to enforce rules surround organic certification in P.E.I. are a source of concern for those within the organic farmingindustry.

"Someone theoretically could say they were organic even though they weren't certified organic," saidSchurman.

"And currently there's nothing to stop them from doing that."

'Pretty rigorous process'

P.E.I. received mixed ratings in a report released last month by the Canada Organic Trade Association.

One area the province needs to improve, according to the report, is in regulation and enforcement. The report points to problems with the enforcement mechanism inside the province which limit what can bedone to prevent producers from claiming what they grow is organic, as long as they aren't selling it outside of P.E.I.

For those selling out of province, the rules around becoming a certified organic producer are dictated by the Canadian Organic Standard and becoming accredited isn't easy according to Karen Murchison, the research coordinator at the P.E.I. Certified Organic Producers Cooperative.

"It's a pretty rigorous process," she said.

'They look at everything'

Producers wishing to be certified have to pay a fee to an independent third-party certification body that willsend an inspector out to the farm.

"They have a checklist, all of the things that they're doing from all of the inputs that they purchase, to how they store and handle all of those inputs, how they apply things on their farms," Murchison said.

"They look at everything from how they store seeds and purchase their seeds, how they manage or handle their animals, the humane treatment of animals and livestock is part of that certification process as well."

She said that sales records are also compared to production records to make sure they match.

Schurman, the president of the P.E.I.Certified Organic Producers Cooperative, said that the inspection costs somewhere between $500 and $1500.

The inspections take place annually if a producer wants to continue to be certified.

Schurman said all of the organic producers in the cooperative follow the federal rules and are inspected.

Murchison said that there are some associate members that are not certified. They are small farms that can't afford the time and money involved in the certification process, but they do not claim organic status.

Holes in the system

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for regulating the Canadian Organic Standard for products being sold inter-provincially or internationally but when it comes to products being sold within P.E.I. it is the provincial government's responsibility to create an enforcement strategy.

Murchisonsaid that without an enforcement mechanism in the province, the certified organic producers risk "brand erosion."

"It's a very big deal and it's also personally frustrating for many of our producers they're going to all of this effort and all of this expense and someone else is riding on their coattails," she said.

"Taking advantage of organics and the reputation of organics that these other producers have built through their own investment, their own time, and their own hard work."

I like to think that 99 per cent of the people are following the rules.- Marc Schurman

Murchisonsaid the cooperative made a presentation to the standing committee on Agriculture and Fisheries in March about provincial enforcement.

"There's a fairly open line of communication, I don't wish to slam the department of Agriculture and Fisheries."

"They have heard us."

She said the hope is that the province will put regulations into the Natural Products Marketing Act which would allow for regulation of organics.

Faith in others

Schurman echoed the sentiment of Murchisonwhen it comes to the risks that holes in enforcement present to the industry.

"It certainly has the opportunity of taking away from the legitimacy of a certified organic producer," he said.

He has faith that most people abide by the rules but thinks that having a regulatory system for the province is necessary.

"I like to think that 99 per cent of the people are following the rules," he said.

"When you go down the highway everybody tries to obey the speed limit but every once in awhile you've got to have a speed trap to make sure everybody's following the rules as much as they can."

CBC reached out to P.E.I.'s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, but didn't receive a response.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |'This is extremely important': Lennox Island hosts language camp
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Sputnik, a ship wreck, and the March of the Crows: Art in the Open is Saturday