organic alberta magazine spring 2015

7/21/2019 Organic Alberta Magazine Spring 2015

1/16

alberta

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

SPRING 2015 ISSUE 01 VOLUME 06

O R G A N I C

GENERAL

PRODUCERS & PROCESS

CONSUMERS

PLANNING, RESEARCH AND DIVERSITY LEAD TO SUCCESS

Patrick and Cherylynn Bos of The Bos Farm and Rock

Ridge Dairy Ltd in Ponoka were named Albertas Out-standing Young Farmers for 2015 at a ceremony in Banff

recently. They will go on to compete at the Outstanding

Young Farmers national event in Edmonton.

So how do a farm boy and a town girl who started out

with only two beat-up old vehicles and 14 cows to their

names manage to build a herd of 1,400 dairy goats and

the largest goat milk and cheese processing business in

Western Canada, a center for the Alberta organic dairy

and goat industry? All while raising their four children

and remaining active in their community?

According to Cherylynn, Change on the farm doesnt

just happen by chance. It is a calculated move that oftenrequires further investment in capital or time and it

requires the utmost consideration. If we see or predict

a change in the market situation we gather as much in-

formation about the circumstance we are facing and then

discuss possible solutions that will be the greatest benefit

or perhaps in some cases result in the least

loss for the farm.

This information gathering that Cherylynn talks about

includes studying market statistics and trends gathered

by Organic Alberta and other agencies. As in any

successful business, farmers use statistics to see where

they fit in the overall picture by helping to measure the

percent of the market that they hold and the size of the

total market. Analyzing the trends over time, seeing what

happened in the past and making educated guesses as

to what will happen in the future, can help you decide

if it is time to diversify your operation, and if so, in what

direction. In the case of the Bos family, it led to getting

into more processed dairy products and pursuing organic

certification to keep up with consumer demands. Any big

changes to an operation are going to also trig-

ger more expenses. Whether you are applying

for a loan or a grant (or both) to help with

expansion costs, it is important to be prepared.

While instinct, guesswork and approximations

may play a role, funding agencies will want tosee data, hard facts, to support your requests.

They need to see that your business decisions

are well thought out and you have done your

homework before they will r isk investing in you.

Patrick and Cherylynn recognized that their

land base could not support enough cattle

to base a farming enterprise on, so they di-

versified into dairy goats, thinking they would

become milk producers. Soon they realized

that in order to be successful they would

need to value add the product themselves

and possibly even market it, so in 2006 theyestablished themselves as processors and

formed a good working relationship with

a B.C. company in order to supply Western Canada

with goat milk products. Demand for their products

increased to the point where they needed milk faster

than they could produce it themselves. They are now

able to provide stability and fairness to other young

farming couples by providing a place to process their

milk as well. The Bos family also realized that they could

be susceptible to changing markets as new players enter

the market and change the landscape. Their solution was

to diversify their enterprise by certifying their plant as

organic, enabling them to add organic cow milk, organiccream and butter to their line up with processed goat

milk, chevre and feta cheese. They were very grateful

for the grant from the Alberta Livestock and Meat

Agency (ALMA) to help accomplish their diversification

plans and to help secure their position in the industry.

While producing quality products, Rock Ridge Dairy

is committed to environmental practices along with

sustainable farming and animal stewardship. About 30

400 people of all ages and backgrounds tour their far

each year. Patrick and Cherylynn also take giving back

the community very seriously. In addition to serving t

local church, the boards of Crossroads Breeders Co-o

and the Alberta Organic Producers Association (AOP

they have been involved in an international youth agr

cultural-tourism and work experience program coord

nated by Polar Genetics and the University of Ecuado

for 6 years. They are expanding their practice of givin

sizable milk donations to area food banks into their fi

long term charitable endeavour with their drink milk

kids can too! program that will donate 2.5 cents for

ery litre they sell to Albertas food banks so children

nursing mothers can receive milk on a regular basis. T

also seek donations from individuals and corporation

to aid in their Adopt a school program that will ens

high risk children are given milk at school on a daily b

For more information, or to make a donation, see the

at www.rockridgedairy.com.

DEBBIE MILLER, EDITOR

We have two major commodities in life, money and

time and how we choose to use them helps lead to our

success or failure. These factors combined with the health

of our family life and expected returns for our investment

are important factors in our decision making process

Cherylynn Bos.


2/16

Are you a grain/field crop producer who

has always kind of wondered where yourproducts end up? I can officially tell you that

they end up in a billion different products.

In early March

I went down

to Natural

Products Expo

West in Anaheim,

California and I

have never been

so overwhelmed

in my life!Thousands upon

thousands of

companies are

creating products

whose base

ingredients,

at least in part,

BECKY LIPTONEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR : ORGANIC ALBERTA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORT

started as a seed in your soil. The organicmarket in the US is an explosion of colou

brands, hyper competitiveness, and, most

importantly, size. If anyone still thinks this

market is niche, have them walk Expo We

This market is growing at an astonishing

rate, and isnt slowing anytime soon. If you

were thinking of scaling up, now is the tim

I walked for 3 days and did not see all

of the businesses boasting their wares

to the natural market wor ld. Here are

a few examples of products containingingredients that could have originated

in the Canadian Prairies.

ORGANIC ALBERTA SUPPORTERSThank you to West Aqua Commodities, EcoCert Canada, Pro-Cert Organic Systems,

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and Homegrown Foods for becoming

corporate members.

Thank you to Gregory & Jacqueline Wedman, Steve Snider, Hoogland Farms Ltd and

Mandy Melnyk for making a donation.

Thank you to Norber t Kratchmer, Marie Glubish, Moira Watson & Jodie Van Nistelrooy,

Alexander Hugh Fraser, Kerry & Lisa Wilson and Marianne Alacoque for becoming

Friends of Organic.

Mission: To represent and support Albertas

entire organic industry.

Vision: A strong, sustainable and united

organic community in Alberta.

Editor/Submissions & Advertising

Editor: Debbie Miller

306-642-0216

[email protected]

Copy Editor

Brenda Frick

306-260-0663

[email protected]

Graphic Designer & Publisher

Curio Studio

780-451-2261

www.curiostudio.ca

Executive Director

Becky Lipton:

587-521-2400 |[email protected]

Board Members

Representatives elected by region:

(N) North (S) South (C) Central

(M) Member at Large

President:Ward Middleton (C):


Vice President: Sam Godwin (C):780-785-8023 | [email protected]

Treasurer: Danny Turner (M):


Secretary: Erin Paulson (M):


Lawrence Ashmead (M):

403-971-9682 | lawrence.ashmead@

freshdirectproduce.com

Heather Kerschbaumer (N):


Jake Drozda (Ab rep at the Federal Level)

780-524-3254 | [email protected]

Trevor Aleman (S)403-308-4003 | [email protected]

Tim Hoven (S):

403-302-2748 | [email protected]

Janice Shelton (N):


Summer 2015 submissions to be received

by June 5, 2015. Please send comments,

suggestions, questions, ads, and/or articles to

[email protected]

SPRING 2015 | ISSUE 01 | VOLUME 06


3/16

GENERALWWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

VEGETARIAN CHILI

Ingredients:

1 head Cauliflower

3 Carrots

1 Eggplant

2 Zucchini

1 Onion

1 bulb Garlic

1 bunch Celery2 cups Mushrooms, sliced

To taste Tomatoes & Kale

1 can Diced tomatoes

1 can Crushed tomatoes

1 can Kidney beans

1 can Black beans

1 can White beans

or

2 cans Mixed beans

As needed vegetable broth

to make liquid

Spices: (all to taste)

SaltPepper

Chili powder

Small bit chipotle chili powder

Ground cumin

Few dashes Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Saut onions, garlic and celery until

softened. Add mushrooms, saut a

bit longer. Add all other vegetables,

tomatoes and beans. Add spices to

taste. Simmer for an hour, stir ring

often. If more liquid is needed add

more vegetable broth or more

crushed tomatoes.

Those of you who attended the Organic Alberta conference in Beaumont had quite a treat as Karen and hersmall army turned the luscious local and organic ingredients into dishes that had everyone going back for

seconds and even thirds. To help you recreate the flavours at home here is her recipe for Vegetarian Chili:

By Karen Roggeveen, Soup Sisters Catering and Eatery, Nisku, Alberta


4/16

ORGANIC MARKET

OPPORTUNITIES CLASSIFIED ADS

Growers International is buying Organic Milling Wheat, Feed Grains, Spelt,

Flax and Peas for NutraSun Foods and Growers International. 8 Delivery

Locations across the Prairies. Call Mark at 306-652-4529 for prices.

Trade and Export Canada is buying all grades of organic grains.

Call 1-877-339-1959.

F.W. Cobs is buying feed grains, including HRSW on both spot and

new crop contracts. We buy FOB the farm, delivered to Loreburn, Sk

or loaded rail. Call 888-531-4888 Ext. 7 or 8.

Are you looking for a consistent supply of Organic Soybean meal?

Shafer Commodities can assist you with all of your organic needs,

we are also buying HRS, durum, ax, barley & peas 403-328-5066.

Looking for certied organic seeds for sprouting alfalfa seed, smaller

quantities of peas, lentils, oilseeds, wheat and grains. Interested in

specialty seeds. Mail samples to Mumms Sprouting Seeds, Box 80

Parkside, SK. S0J 2A0

Organic producers of hempseed or ax, contracting for 2015 crop.

Contact Bioriginal Crop Production Manager, Carl Lynn at Cell:

306-229-9976. Email: [email protected]

Roger Rivest Marketing Ltd/Nature Lane Farms is contracting

growers for 2015 organic food grade yellow peas, red lentils,

HRSW, durum wheat and chickpeas. Also supply a full line of

liquid and granular organic fer tilizers. Roger Rivest at 519-687-3522

[email protected], www.rogerrivestmarketing.com.



5/16

PRODUCERS & PROCESSORSWWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

LAURA TELFORD,MANITOBA AGRICULTURE, FOOD

AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

To the left are the highest organic grain prices (spot market prices

unless otherwise indicated) gathered recently by MAFRD. Sources

include farmers and buyers who have shared recent sales prices and

the USDA National Organic Grain & Feedstuffs Report. Prices do notinclude transportation unless otherwise indicated. Conventional prices

come from Farm Lead in SK and Rayglen Commodities. USDA prices

are in US dollars, the rest of the prices are Canadian.

For vegetable prices, check out COGs Organic Pr ice Tracker (eastern

Canadian data only). Cyber-Help for Organic Farmers lists wholesale

prices for organic fruit (fresh and frozen) and vegetables (Vancouver).

The organic grains market appears to be steadier these days - that is th

prices are less prone to extremes , yet sellers keep selling and buyers k

buying. When shopping for a buyer, consider asking US buyers to pay

(or contract) in US currency. With the Loonie depressed relative to

the US dollar, dont leave this 20% on the table.

Organic Non Organic

Food grade soybeans $28.77/bu (USDA)

Feed grade soybeans $24.11/bu (USDA)

Milling oats$6/bu (old crop and newcrop) del. to Yorkton

$3.02/bu (MB)

Feed grade oats$4.25-4.50/bu fob farmcrop)del. to Yorkton

Feed grade barley $8-8.25/bu fob farm $3.45/bu (MB)

Feed grade corn $12.58/bu (USDA) $4.40-4.79/bu

Yellow mustard $0.90/lb. (contract) conv. $0.35-0.38/lb

Brown mustard $0.80/lb. (contract) conv. $0.25-0.27/lb

Buckwheat $0.38/lb.

Soft white wheat $15/bu $5.50/bu

Feed grade wheat $12-12.50/bu fob farm $3.50/bu

Organic Premium this Month(based on highest organic and conventional prices)

Oats Milling 198% Yellow mustard 237%

Feed grade barley 239% Brown mustard 296%

Soft white wheat 272% Feed grade corn 262%

Feed grade wheat 357%

DAVID HOBSON OF ORGANIC ALBERTA QUIZZING

THE PANEL OF EXPERT GRAIN BUYERS AT

CONFERENCE IN BEAUMONT

PHOTO BYJACOB MARFO

ORGANIC MARKET PRICES

APRIL 2015


6/16

OATS

COATED GRAINS& CLUSTERS



7/16


KAREN SNETHUN,AGRICULTURE OUTREACH COORDINATOR,

ORGANIC ALBERTA

Local farmers who want to capitalize on growth

in the organic sector took part in the MARA/

Organic Alberta Transitioning to Organic

Agriculture Workshop in La Crete on February

21, 2015. The workshop was developed for

conventional and transitioning farmers looking

for more information about organic production

practices. Approximately 20 people were inattendance, including staff and event sponsors.

Workshop facilitator, Sam Godwin, presented

an introduction to organic farming along with

an overview of organic practices and standards

with respect to crop rotation, and weed & pest

management. He also explained the elements

of the Canadian Organic Regime (COR).

Wallace Hamm, organic farmer and owner of Pro-

Cert Organic Systems Ltd, provided an overview

on soil fertility and the business case for organicagriculture. Growers from

the area expressed interest in

learning more about organic

marketing, weed control

practices and fertility solutions.

A DAY OF LEARNING AT THE

TRANSITION WORKSHOP IN LA CRETE

PHOTO BYJACOB MARFO

We clean cereals,

oilseeds, and pulse

crops and bag and

tag bulk bags

Contact Glen Hartel at 403-578-3810

or [email protected]

Contact Carl Lynn

Crop Production Manager

(306) 975-9295

Bioriginal supports organic producers ofhempseed and flax as a buyer and

certified organic processor

Headquarters:

102 Melville Street

Saskatoon SK S7J 0R1

LA CRETE FARMERS EXPLORE TRANSITIONING

TO ORGANIC PRODUCTION

A series of five transition workshops were heldin Saskatchewan in April. More information can

be found at: www.saskorganic.com.

The Transition to Organic Agriculture workshop

are part of the Prairie Organic Grains Initiative

(POGI), a four-year program dedicated to

achieving resiliency and stability in the prairie

organic sector by focusing on increasing the

quantity and quality of organic grains, and

developing relationships across organic market

value chains.


8/16

KAREN SNETHUN,AGRICULTURE OUTREACH COORDINATOR,

ORGANIC ALBERTA

The key to a successful inspection dayis to be knowledgeable and prepared, and

to work in partnership with your inspector.

Teach the inspector how your records

work. It will make the process quicker and

cheaper for you. By helping the Inspector

understand each aspect of your operation,

and supply him or her with the information

they require on each topic, you can be

confident of a successful outcome!

As a certified farmer, there are numerous

Dos and Donts to having a smooth and

successful annual inspection. The Organic

Inspector is a key link between the organic

farmer and the certification body. They

provide feedback to the certification body

and play a critical role to maintaining

organic integrity within the industry.

At the 2015 Organic Alberta conference held

in Beaumont, Alberta, inspectors Stuart

McMillan and Cody Sander provideda list of tips to Ace Your Inspection:

UNDERSTAND YOUR ORGANIC PLAN.

Have a copy of your plan available on the day

of the inspection and have a clear understanding

of what you have done over the year on your

farm, as well as what your plans are for the

coming year. Also note any significant changes,

i.e., leased fields, new inputs, etc.

COMPLETE ALL AREAS OF YOUR RENEWAL

FORM. If certain areas of the form are Notapplicable, indicate that by writing N/A. Leaving

blanks on the form may lead to the application

being returned, and consequently extend the

length of the renewal process.

IF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND A FORM, ASK

YOUR CERTIFICATION BODY (CB). Your CB

is there to help guide you through the process

and answer questions. Leaving blank spaces is often

a sign of not understanding a question on a form.

Ask, dont guess is the best policy.

READ THE ORGANIC STANDARDSANNUALLY. This will ensure that you are aware

of required practices and non-approved substances.

Perhaps there are other codes of practices in place

that apply to your operation? Having records of

meeting requirements across different regulations

will help your inspection go quicker and easier.

HAVE YOUR TEAM PRESENT ON THE DAY OF

INSPECTION. For example, if your book keeper

has gone off to town on inspection day, or the sales

and expense records are at the accountants office,

this may lead to more items flagged for potential

non-compliance. The more of your team that can

be present, the better.

PLAN AN EFFECTIVE ROUTE TO TAKE THE

INSPECTOR ON THE INSPECTION DAY.

Pre-planning the optimal route will save time

and confusion. In order to avoid surprises, drive

the route ahead of time to see if there is anything

out of the ordinary that you were not aware of,

e.g., spray drift or roads washed out.

KNOW WHATS GOING ON WITH YOUR

NON-ORGANIC NEIGHBORS.Understand

what is going on adjacent to your property,

e.g., did the power company spray under

the power lines? Did you notify them ahead

of time? Do you have a copy of notification

to show the inspector? Knowing what is going

on with your non-organic neighbors will

help you identify any potentially prohibited

materials directly on or next to your farm.

HAVE YOURTRACEABILITY RECORDS

READY TO GO. Make sure

that your production, storage,

marketing, and sanitation

records are complete along

with a chronological log.

If the amount of acres in

each crop has changed since

you sent in your application,

have an accurate summary

of the acres sown to each crop or in each fieldBe sure that the acreages per crop add up to

your total farm acres before the inspection.

Dont adjust your acreages every year to refle

changes in slough size; this just causes confusio

GATHER ORGANIC CERTIFICATES from

anyone who supplied you with an organic

ingredient or product. Operators often supp

receipts for seed and hay, for example, but

fail to have copies of the supplying farmers

organic certificates.

WHERE POSSIBLE, HAVE YOUR RECORDS

IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT ON A FLASH

DRIVE, OR EVEN BETTER, EMAILED TO THE

INSPECTOR A FEW DAYS IN ADVANCE. On

you have been through a few inspections you kn

exactly the sort of documents the inspector will

ask for on an annual basis. Put those in one file t

is easy to transfer. Spare the inspector from havin

to prompt you for each piece of information.

ACE THE INSPECTION: 10 TOP TIPSTO PREPARE FOR YOUR ANNUAL INSPECTION

rganic

roducers

ssociation

Certification

with TCO Cert



9/16


BEEF WINTER MANAGEMENT FIELD DAY

More than thirty people braved the bitter cold

to participate in the beef winter management

field day that was hosted by Organic Alberta

and West-Central Forage Association. The field

day took place February 5th, 2015 in Greencourt,

AB. The first half of the day we heard from cattle

breeder Kelly Olson, and local beef producer Tom

Thompson; later in the day we bundled up to

tour Toms ranch and see his winter management

strategy in action.

Tom Thompson is passionate about raisinggrass-fed beef year round. In his presentation

he talked about the tools he uses, his grazing

management system, and some lessons learned

over the years. Thompson uses electrical fencing

that he describes as more of a mental barrier

than a physical barrier, to rotate his cows

into new pasture every two to three days.

According to Thompson, if it takes more than

twenty minutes to move cattle to a new pasture,

then you arent set up well.

Participating in a research project coordinatedby the West-Central Forage Association, he

learned that heifers can be trained to eat

Canada thistle, which contains as much protein

as alfalfa. A trained group of heifers will teach

each other how to eat thistle. Having good

grass management, Thompson says you can

lessen the undesirables.

Thompson stressed the importance of

monitoring his herd daily and learning to read

the cows dung to see its balance. This in turn

TOM THOMPSON AND FRIEND BARB SHAW

PHOTO BY MELISA ZAPISOCKY

PARTICIPANTS LINE RODS AND SET ELECTRICAL FENCE

INTO CENTRE OF BALES TO MANAGE WINTER FEEDING.


MELISA ZAPISOCKY,ORGANIC LIVESTOCK PROGRAM MANAGER,

ORGANIC ALBERTA

helps him understand the protein profile in his

forage, and better manage his grazing rotations.

In winter, once the cows get the idea, they will

graze on grass they find under loose snow up to

fourteen inches. Of course it has to be a handful

of grass under the snow, notes Thompson. Once

he cant graze them anymore, they go back to

feeding on bales. When moving electrical fence

in winter to introduce new bales, Thompson

sticks rods into the centre of the bales, which are

spaced twenty five feet apart, rather than into the

frozen ground. He then threads the electrical wire

through the rods (see photo).

Thompson sought out a year round winter

watering system called The Capsule from

Barrhead Plastics. The Capsule is a solarpowered remote watering system that can

be adjusted to the size of the herd. To help

pay for the structure, he was able to access

provincial funding through the Growing Forwa

Two initiative to cover half of his costs, and

encourages producers to look into it.

Tom Thompson notes that this type of grazing

management is a little bit of work but the

dividends pay.


10/16



11/16


GRABBING LIFE BY THE HORNSLIVESTOCK STREAM CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

The 2015 Organic Alberta conference in

Beaumont featured an organic livestock

stream with six sessions. Topics included:

the business case for organic beef; livestock

health management; finishing organic beef;

keeping up with customer expectations; and

incorporating sainfoin, a forage legume, into

grazing management. The sessions attracted

a diverse group including those who have

been certified organic for many years, as

well as new entrants wanting to learn more.

Business Room style meetings were a new

addition to the conference. Participants took

advantage of the opportunity to meet one-

on-one, or in a small group with host speakers,

including Mike Beretta, CEO of One Earth

Farms (ON) and Bryce Lobreau, owner of

Pristine Prairie Organics (MB), to talk business.

Its a good time to be in organic beef.

With current prices, we are all in a position

to grow the organic beef industry, said Tim

Hoven, of Hoven Farms, in his talk the business

case for organic beef. In the finishing organic

beef session, Kyle Iseke, owner of Darcys Meats

in St. Albert, commented that in the past six

years, growth for healthy, local meats has been

unbelievable. Ron Hamilton of Sunworks

Farm, and Bryce Lobreau echoed this theme:

both are seeing astonishing growth year-after-

year in their organic businesses; the former at

25-30% and the latter at 150% growth in 2014.

Sustainable growth for the organic beef sector.

In his presentation, Tim Hoven asked how

we can develop an organic beef industry that

is sustainable in the future. He illustrated that

shifting the current organic beef industry from

eighty head per week (4,000/year), to one

that captures some efficiencies at two hundred

head a week (10,000 head a year), would

require specialization. In-province finishing

stations - places where people have theknowledge and can deliver high quality organic

beef - as well as the commitment of larger

processors to take and distribute the beef

were conditions needed for industr y growth.

Working together to solve problems was

part of the solution.

We need to have some type of specialization

as an industry said Hoven, and there will

always be a stream for people to do it all

themselves, as direct marketers.

Knowing what you like to do in the organic

beef sector, and what your options are is

a good starting point.

I would encourage anyone new to this, says

Mike Beretta, CEO of One Earth Farms, to g

out and direct market on a small scale. I think

its a wonderful and rewarding experience. F

those ready to do something different, Berett

says selling to One Earth Farms is an option

to those who enjoy ranching, and want

to focus on the growing.

The beef Bear-pit session was a chance for

participants to ask industry questions to a

panel of four speakers: a cow-calf operator,

an organic finisher, a buyer and a marketer.

Lessons imparted by the panel included: its

never too early to develop a business plan,

appreciate that there is nothing wrong with

profit, only work with those people you trust

100% (and get it in writing), and find where

you best fit in the industry. Rapid growth,

access to working capital, organic feed, lackof communication in the industry and finding

the right scale for your business were some

of the challenges expressed by the panel.

In response to the recent announcement of

the scheduled opening of two Whole Foods

Markets in Alberta, Ron Hamilton of Sunwor

Farm felt optimistic, Whole Foods will elevat

the organic, natural food industry and will

expose us to a greater audience.

BUNK MANAGEMENT AT PRISTINE PRAIRIE ORGANICS

PHOTO BY BRYCE LOBREAU

BERT DENING, LIVESTOCK SPECIALIST

WITH ALBERTA AGRICULTURE

AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT


MELISA ZAPISOCKY,ORGANIC LIVESTOCK PROGRAM MANAGER,

ORGANIC ALBERTA


12/16

Before you approach a retailer:

Be Prepared. Be Prepared. Be Prepared

shared Christine Naidu of Amaranth

Whole Foods at the Retail Tour that

Organic Alberta held in partner ship

with Alberta Agriculture in Calgary

and Edmonton this January. Ten retailers

told us how to approach them with

product, what they were looking for,

and a few key lessons they have learned

from working with local suppliers.

Distribution is the biggest challenge says

Matt Paulson, co-owner of Blush Lane

Organic Market. A product coming from

just one hour outside Calgary or Edmonton

can cost 3 times more for distribution

than bringing it in from Vancouver. He

strongly encourages his suppliers to work

with a distr ibution company, or at the very

least cooperate on distr ibution. He also

emphasized that non-GMO is the most

important product trait his consumers

are looking for these days.

GET YOUR PRODUCT INTO RETAIL? HERES HOWWe learned what has set many of these

retailers apart. Sunnyside Natural Market

focuses on local and the environment

in their cute , packed with character s tore

a trait the consumer cant get enough

of. Community Natural Foods has as its

mission to work with and grow smaller

local companies until they get to the top

50. Then they are happy to see these

businesses move onto bigger retailers.

The Organic Box acts as a food hub in

its new location with all kinds of ways

to suppor t growth of the local organic

food system. From storage , to freezer

and cooler space, to cross docking,

to shared process ing space, its aim is

to grow the capacity of their producer

and the whole sector overall.

The steps to get your product into retail ar

1) Identify the category manager at the sto

that deals in your product type 2) Email

them your product profile (see box on ne

page). 3) Follow up by bringing in samples.

Include your product profile again and 4)

Follow up by email or with an in store visit

FRANK SARRO OF COMMUNITY NATURAL FOODS

EXPLAINING HOW TO GET YOUR PRODUCT ON RETAIL SHELVESPHOTO BY BECKY LIPTON

BECKY LIPTONEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR : ORGANIC ALBERTA



13/16

CONSUMERSWWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

WHAT ARE RETAILERS LOOKING FOR?

A MUST HAVE! YOUR PRODUCT PROFILE:

YOUR PRODUCT PROFILE SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCT:

Describe product including all ingredients and details on product

quality, shelf stability, and most importantly unique product

attributes (gluten free, allergen free, organic, vegan, non-GMO etc).

The package eg. box, bag, sealable, vacuum sealed, size/sizes/weightof packages, expiration date system, CFIA approved nutritional and

other labelling, feature details such as window on package to view

product, UPC code or sustainable packaging.

The cases eg. number of items per case, description of case

ie box, bags, expiration date on box etc. Note: your cases must

be standardized and should not weigh more than 25lbs for packaged

products or 40lbs for produce and meat.

ORDER SYSTEM:

Describe your system for receiving orders including minimum

or maximum orders, online system, forms, efficiency details (e.g. whoto contact and contact information). Note: whoever is receiving orders

should be excited and knowledgeable about the product.

PRICING

Price of product including initial sales discounts, volume order

discounts, seasonal discounts, mix & match deals. Note: know

your competitors prices, and know what the market will bear.

Shipping costs and minimum order for free shipping?

DISTRIBUTION/DELIVERY:

Frequency of distribution eg weekly, bi-weekly, monthly,

etc. Time of day of delivery.

Is it available year round or seasonally, if latter describe when.

Description of distribution Own distribution, cooperative

distribution with other businesses, and feature details such

as use of a refrigerated truck, food safety procedures etc.

If you use a distribution company, include name and description.

List your other distribution points. Shipping costs?

PRODUCTION FACILITY PROFILE:

Describe your packing facility including any food safety procedures

and certifications eg Alberta Health approved facility, organic

certification, HACCP, Canada Gap. Describe production capacity

what quantity can you process and store?

PROMOTIONAL DETAILS

Awards received, market research and how your product fulfills

a customer need, how your product is differentiated from

competitors, if you are offering exclusivity to that retailer, return

policy, system for feedback, training offered to retailers, website

or social media promoting product(s)/company, sampling programs,

promotional deals you are willing to offer, and any promotional

materials you have for your product.

PRODUCT CATEGORY

RETAILER PRODUCE, HERBS, & SPICES MEAT DAIRY & EGGS PROCESSED PRODUCTS

Community Natural Foods All meat Cheese Organic preserves

Calgary Coop Local & organic produce Fresh meat Innovative products

Sunnyside Natur al Mar ket Herbs & Sp icesOrganic fresh meat, additivefree sausages

Organic butter, organic sheepdairy

SPUD Local & organic produce Pork, sausages, turkey Local yoghurt, cheeseAll products, specifically preserbaked goods, coffee

Blush Lane Organic Market Produce (bagged and labelled) Meats Local, organic or natural

Amaranth Whole Foods Allergen free products

Planet Organic Organic meat, fresh or frozen Bread, gluten free

The Organic Box Cer tified or ganic , al l products Cer tified organic, all products Cer tified organic, all products Cer tified organic, all products


14/16

Simply FishS O I L A M E N D M E N T

[email protected]

Phone: 604-487-9200

simplyfish.ca

APPROVEDFORORGANICPRODUCTION

Box 4043, Stonewall, Manitoba, R0C 2ZO

Ph: (204) 894-4495

www.dirtngrow.com

Organic Certified FertilizersGranular and Liquid Fertilizer options available

One time application with your seeder in the spring

Servicing Alberta, Sask. and Manitoba for over 10 years

Higher Yields In Your Fields!Wheat, Barley, Oats, Flax, Vegetable Crops and more...



15/16

CONSUMERSWWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

ORGANIC ALBERTAAT BIOFACH 2015

Organic Albertas David Hobson attended

the BIOFACH 2015 in Nuremburg, Germany

in February as part of a group co-ordinated

by the Canadian Organic Trade Association.

BIOFACH is the worlds largest organic trade

show, with over 2,200 presenters, all of whom

are certified organic. Participants include buyers,

processors and traders from all over the world,

but about two thirds are from Europe.

This visit was part of a new effort to assess

potential international buyers for Prairie grain

and other ingredients produced in the region.

Of particular interests in Europe are oilseeds

(flax, hemp, borage), wheat (bread and durum),

and soybeans. European processors tend

to prefer supplies from the closer Eastern

European countries, and their prices are very

competitive. Some Canadian Prairie farmers

were also at the trade show looking for buyers

to whom they could direct market. Trade

commissioners were also on hand, and the

Canadian Organic Trade Association organized

strategic meetings and introduced key players.

Several interested buyers stopped by ourbooth with inquiries for Canadian products

like wheat, flax and durum. This trip was

our first activity in our market development

program and Organic Alberta will continue to

work closely with the Canadian Organic Trade

Association to connect growers to markets.

ORGANIC FOODPROCESSING SURVEY

The Food Development Centre and

Manitoba Agriculture, Food and RuralDevelopment in partnership with the Canada

Organic Trade Association are conducting

the first ever national survey of the specific

challenges that organic food manufacturers

face in bringing value-added organic food

products to market.

Prairie Heritage Seeds

WWW.PHSORGANICS.COM |1.306.869.2926

Proud supporter of organic agriculture.Wishing all organic growers a productive 2015 crop year.

Currently contracting Kamut and other grains.

If your business manufactures organic

processed food products to sell at Farme

Markets, retail outlets or through any oth

sales channel, we would love to hear from

you. Results of the survey will be usedto help improve the business environme

for organic food processing in Canada.

SURVEY:

WWW.SURVEYMONKEY.COM/S/YJVF7M

CLASSIFIED ADS

Wanted: nished certied organic grain andgrass fed beef. Contact Peter Lundgard at

Natures Way Farm 780-338-2934

For Sale: 50 organic feeder steers. Estimated

average weight, 750 pounds. Taking offers.

Phone 780-524-3254.


16/16

#1, 10329-61 AVE NW

EDMONTON, AB

T6H 1K9

FIRST NAME LAST NAMECOMPANY NAME

ADDRESS

CITY, PROVINCE

POSTAL CODE

organic alberta magazine spring 2015

Documents