Jones: Co-Sponsors Legislation to Certify Organic Products within Ontario

(Queen’s Park) – Today Sylvia Jones, MPP Dufferin-Caledon co-sponsored with NDP MPP for Toronto Danforth, Peter Tabuns: the Organic Products Act, 2017.

“Today, I will be co-sponsoring a Private Members Bill with MPP Tabuns that would ensure confidence in organic labeling across Ontario,” said Jones.

“Many of you will be families with the federal organic standard, the Canada Organic Regime, for organic products sold across Canada. The Canada Organic Logo ensures that products with the Logo are accredited as organic,” said Jones.

“However, this standard does not apply to products sold exclusively within Ontario. Five other provinces, Manitoba, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec have addressed the inconsistent use of the word organic by adopting their own provincial standard,” said Jones.

“Consumers and producers often pay a premium for organic products, because producers have gone through an arduous accreditation process. Consumers need confidence that they are really buying organic when they pay for it. When consumers lose faith in the quality of organic products, organic farmers and businesses lose,” said Jones.

“This important legislation, advocated for by the Ontario Organic Council has found support from the three largest farm organizations. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and the National Farmers Union – Ontario all agree that Ontario needs to look at an Organic standard to ensure consumer confidence,” said Jones.

“The Organic industry is growing Ontario, and it is time for Ontario to ensure that consumer and producer confidence in organic labeling remains strong,” said Jones.

http://www.organiccouncil.ca/news/pmb-announcement