Inspected and Verified!
Inspected and Verified!
Two weeks ago on Feb 23 we had the inperson portion of our annual organic inspection. We have been certified organic since 1995 and although the process has evolved with technology the basics have stayed the same. The inspector thoroughly inspects the land, animals, buildings and our records to ensure we are following the Canadian Organic Standards. This year the inspection had two parts. An online inspection through video conference that focuses on record keeping and the physical inspection where she came out to the farm to look at the animals and our processing facility. This inspection by an independent third-party auditor is a critical component to being certified organic. This verification that the farmers are following the Canadian Organic Standards means that you can be assured that what you are buying was truly grown or raised to the Organic Standard.
But what does the Canadian Organic Standard encompass, what was the inspector verifying?
-No Antibiotics, or growth hormones:
From the very inception of the organic program the use of antibiotics and hormones have been prohibited and their prohibition was a founding principle of organics. It is the only program that covers both simultaneously. It assures you that the meat that you consume has never been treated with any hormones and has never been treated with any antibiotics.
-Vegetarian Feed:
No animal byproducts are allowed to be fed to animals in organic production. Animal byproducts that are not allowed in organic production but commonly fed to conventional animals include (blood meal, feather meal, bone meal, meat meal or fish meal). These are not fed in organic agriculture and any feed that animals are given are made up of grains, legumes, seeds and grasses.
-No Pesticides, Herbicides, Fungicides or GMO’s:
No chemical herbicides, pesticides, fungicides are allowed to be applied to any certified organic land or certified organic crops. GMO’s are also prohibited and are not allowed to be grown on any certified organic land. For animals it means that all the feed that any certified organic animal receives and the land that they are raised on has never been sprayed with any chemical pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. They also are not allowed to contain any GMO’s. This has always been part of the organic standard and is a very important part. It has important health benefits for the animals and the consumer but also has a greater environmental impact, benefiting wildlife, pollinators, water and the air
-Animal Welfare:
Organic standards were some of the first standards to include animal welfare standard. This standard mandates that animals including birds are to have plenty of space, access to pasture and the outdoors. They also mandate no farrowing crates for sows, no cages for laying hens and access to pasture for cattle. In addition to following the organic animal welfare standard we are also Certified Humane.
-No Sewage Sludge or Irradiation:
The use of sewage sludge as a fertilizer on fields is prohibited. This is important as it protects both the land from its pollution but also helps prevent the spread of food borne illness. Irradiation is the application of low level radioactive waves to food in order to kill bacteria. This practice is becoming more and more common in the conventional food system. This practice is not allowed on any certified organic product.
-No Artificial food colorings, flavourings, sweeteners and chemical preservatives:
These artificial and chemical processing products are not allowed in organic food products. By buying organic you know that you are not consuming these chemicals.
Organic inspections are extremely important for both the producer and the consumer, and every year we are happy to show the inspector the farm and the way we raise our animals. We are committed to providing clean, pure, certified organic and humanely raised food for you and your family.
Your Organic Farmers
Ron, Sheila
- Sunworks Farm
