Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia

Annual Report for 2007

2

1. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

2. MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE

3. THE ORGANIZATION

• Members (CBs and Directors)

• Associate Members

• Committees and Members

• Administration

4. BC CERTIFIED ORGANIC PROGRAM

• Accreditation Report

5. COMMUNICATION, PROMOTION AND EDUCATION

• Office

• Web site

• BC Grower

• Events

• Regional Seminars

6. ADVOCACY

• Growing Forward w Organics

• Growing Forward w Organics Presentation to the Minister

7. VERIFICATION OFFICERS

8. RESEARCH & MARKETING

9. DEVELOPMENT

• Activities

Canada Organic Regime

Canada Organic Standard

Organic Agricultural Center of Canada

Brand Names List

• Projects

OSDP

EFP

Extension Agent Report

10. FINANCIAL REPORT & STATEMENTS

3

President’s Message Submitted by Deb Foote, President

2007 marked my third year as the President of the COABC, it is also the final year of my term

in office (I sat as treasurer in my first year on the board). It has truly been a pleasure to work

with a group of people who are so dedicated to a common cause. Food is such an important

part of life, to have good healthy organically grown food available is such a blessing. That is

why I do what I do.

The COABC is fortunate to have strong ties with both levels of Government. I see great value

in continuing cultivating strong relationships with both Government and Non-Governmental

organizations where they serve the interests of burgeoning Organic Sector.

It is clear by their actions that both BCMAL and Agriculture Canada see the value that organic

interests bring to the table when it comes to creativity and innovations in the realm of

Agriculture, coupled with the fact that we (the organic community) are the fastest growing and

most financially successful sector within Agricultural (outside of supply management) means

that we have done an excellent job in delivering our message.

During the early months of 2007 while we awaited a response from the Canadian Organic

Office to our Application for status as a recognized Accreditation Body under the Canadian

Organic Regime, Kristy, Anne and Kirsten were busy preparing for the Audit. It was during this

time that Kirsten served notice that she would be leaving the COABC. It turned out to be a

busy few months for myself, the Executive Committee and the Personnel Committee.

As always in organizations where funds are limited we struggle over how best to do the work.

With Kirsten, who filled a number of positions (Executive Director as well as OSDP & EFP

Coordinator), leaving we had some serious decisions to make. Clearly we had to hire for the

OSDP & EFP Coordinator positions. While Kristy is very capable she has more than enough

work and could not take on the added responsibility. The board decided to hire for those

positions while looking at restructuring the administrative role within the office. We received a

fair number of applications for the OSDP & EFP positions, in the end the most qualified

applicant was Paddy Doherty. I am very pleased to say that Paddy has been successful in

attracting a large number of new grant applications for the OSDP Program, so much so that we

are now strategizing on how we can attract new grant monies.

In April, the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands made a special funding announcement at the

Canadian Health Food Associations Spring Tradeshow and Conference. This was in follow-up to

a request for financial support that COABC made in January. Our specific request centered on

building capacity in the BC Organic Sector. We received a cheque in the amount of

$100,000.00. The majority of this money was ear marked for the development of an Organic

Extension position for COABC. So the Personnel Committee was back to the table again. This

time we received 27 applicants, with very diverse qualifications and levels of experience. As

most of you are no aware, the successful candidate for the position was Rochelle Eisen.

Rochelle hit the ground running in September, and truly hasn’t had much time to stop for

breath.

4

Finally, after about six weeks of operating the Office with only one staff person, it became

clear to the Board that COABC could not continue to rely on the President and Executive to

manage the organization. We were however in a position where funding was limited, and we

could not hire a full time Administrator. Before we created the job description, we closely

examined the budget to determine what we were able to support. We created a part time

Administrator position. The posting created a huge wave of applicants. So many that Kristy

and I had to setup a rating system to manage the huge number of emails we received. In the

end we short-listed to about 12 candidates who we interviewed over a 2 day period. Karen

Fenske’s resume resonated with both Kristy and I immediately, and her interview sealed the

deal. We were happy to recommend to the Personnel Committee that Karen be hired for the

Position of COABC Administrator.

Karen started in August, and has been busy since then learning about the BC Organic Sector,

and working with the Board and Committees to identify priorities for the organization.

During the very busy summer, the COABC Accreditation Board underwent an Accreditation

review with the Canadian Organic Office. This was a two day process that took place at the

office in Vernon. While there were a few areas that required attention I am very pleased to say

that we have met all of the criteria and will be recognized as one of the 4 Accreditors that will

operate under the Canadian Organic Regime.

The work continues, even into 2008 to prepare for the transition to the National program

which is scheduled to be in full force on December 14th 2008. It will be a very busy year for

everyone involved. Paddy will continue to represent the interest of BC’s Organic Sector at the

Organic Federation of Canada; he will also serve as Chair of the Organic Value Chain

Roundtable. Linda Edwards and Anne Macey are also involved in the process of refining the

Standards and Permitted Substances lists, and many others are working behind the scenes

ensuring that the interests of BC’s producers and processors continue to make their way to the

table.

I am confident that the coming year and the changes that it will bring will support the

continued growth in the Organic Sector. While change does bring along with it many

challenges, we are an innovative bunch – we can adapt and thrive as long as we keep a

positive attitude along the way.

In closing – I want to say that it has been a pleasure to work with you all over the last four

years. I am sure our paths will continue to cross into the future. Happy growing!

5

Message from the Administrator

Submitted by Karen Fenske

From the first week I set foot in the Vernon office I knew that COABC was part of a

dynamic and diverse sector. As I familiarized myself with COABC and the organic sector it

became obvious that we are the leaders for organics in Western Canada. You, members and

licensees, are stewards of development and resources for our fellow British Columbians and

our fellow Canadians. It is a privilege to be a part of COABC.

Throughout 2007 COABC continued to reinforce the relevance and importance of the BC

Organic Sector on local, provincial and national levels, increasing communication and co-

operation with BCMAL, as well as increasing visibility in the BC Agricultural community.

Though the COABC office remains the primary contact between organic operators and the

COABC, we are also the place where consumers and potential producers go when looking for

support in their quests for product or certification. My past 6 months have zipped by,

supporting board work, implementing projects, managing contractors, preparing reports and

increasing communication, planning and preparing a new operational plan, implementing

administrative systems and working towards a strong organizational framework. Our Office

Manager, Kristy Wipperman, spends most of her time answering phone and mail inquiries,

working on accreditation, bookkeeping and sourcing economical solutions to administrative

needs. One of greatest achievements has been the new financial statement format that

displays an accurate picture of COABC. We continue to work diligently to serve the 11 certified

bodies, 600 licensees and 16 directors.

The following annual report will provide some interesting statistics that display how valuable

COABC is to internal and external stakeholders. In the fall of 2007 it became obvious that

change is once again imperative. With this in mind, I look forward to being part of COABC as it

evolves to meet its objectives, assisting all its members in their desire to do good for

themselves and for their neighbours.

6

THE ORGANIZATION IN 2007

The COABC Board of Directors

1. British Columbia Association of Regenerative Agriculture (BCARA) – Brad Reid* (Vice President), John Switzer (alternate)

2. Bio-Dynamic Agriculture Society of British Columbia (Bio-D) – Lauren Sellars, Mary Forstbauer (alternate)

3. Boundary Organic Producers Association (BOPA) – Danna O’Donnell, Owen Broad (alternate)

4. Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association (FVOPA) – Susan Snow, Doug Luder (alternate)

5. Islands Organic Producers Association – Peter Johnston* (Treasurer), Ron Pither (alternate)

6. Kootenay Organic Growers Society (KOGS) – Oscar Somasco, Jeremy Lack (alternate) 7. Living Earth Organic Growers Association (LEOGA) – Clive Johnson, Joe Klein (alternate) 8. North Okanagan Organic Association (NOOA) – Peter Stockdale, Matt Thurston

(alternate) 9. Pacific Agricultural Certification Society (PACS) - Deb Foote* (COABC President), Linda

Fogarty, Gay Hahn, Ken Oliver, Linda Edwards, Donna Bartlett (alternate), Tony Cetinski (alternate), Rebecca Kneen (alternate), Charles Ruechel (alternate), Charlie Lasser (alternate)

10. Shuswap Thompson Organic Producers Association – William Hayward* (Secretary), Ron Coglan (alternate)

11. Similkameen Okanagan Organic Producers Association (SOOPA) – vacant, Elaine Stewart (alternate)

12. BC Food Systems Network (BCFSN) - Lee Fuge *Members of the Executive

Associate Members

13. BC Society for Protection of Animals (BCSPCA) – Geoff Urton (non-voting), Alyssa Bell Stoneman

14. BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (BCMAFF) – Robert Prins (ex-officio)

Insurance

The COABC maintains liability insurance for the Board of Directors. As a service to its

membership, the COABC has arranged for the liability insurance to include member CBs (for a

minimal fee).

Administration and Human Resource Support

The COABC operates a staffed office in Vernon. Office staff members: • Karen Fenske - Administrator • Kristy Wipperman - Office Manager

COABC has also contracted with the following individuals in order to perform the variety of tasks under our umbrella:

• Paddy Doherty - OSDP Coordinator & EFP Coordinator • Rochelle Eisen – Organic Extension Agent • Rob Korbynn - Information Technology Technician • Anne Macey – Accreditation Board Director • Jeffery Newman – Cyber-help Technician • Cassandra Redding – Organic Grower Editor

7

COABC COMMITTEES The COABC Board of Directors convened the following committees: COABC Executive Deb Foote, President

Brad Reid, Vice-President William Hayward, Secretary Peter Johnston, Treasurer

Finance Peter Johnston Deb Foote Karen Fenske Kristy Wipperman

Human Resources/ Personnel Committee Deb Foote, Chair Brad Reid

Peter Johnston Clive Johnson

Accreditation Board Anne Macey, Director Bob McCoubrey, COABC producer member; Cindy Hartford, Pacific Western Brewing Co., processor rep: Rose Morrison, Agriculture Department, University College of the Fraser Valley Navneet Gill, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Web-site Committee

Rob Korbynn Deb Foote Kristy Wipperman Rochelle Eisen

BC Organic Grower Editorial Board Herman Bruns Paddy Doherty Linda Edwards Rochelle Eisen Rebecca Kneen

Events

COABC Organic Conference & AGM Committee Deb Foote Kirsten Kane Kristy Wipperman Barb Sheppard

Rebecca Kneen Robert Hettler Bev Wiens Mary Forstbauer Oscar Somasco Paul Richman Marla Limousin Roz Cripps

Patrick Steiner Cara Nunn Lee Fuge

Organic Extension Agent Committee

Susan Snow Terri Giacomazzi Peter Stockdale Robert Prins Art Bomke Susan Smith Deb Foote Matthias Haaben

Standards Review Not currently active

8

THE 9 PURPOSES OF COABC Reprinted from CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE CERTIFIED ORGANIC ASSOCIATIONS OF

BRITISH COLUMBIA

The purposes of the society are:

1. To promote organic agriculture and to provide public education

on organic agriculture;

2. To represent members in matters relating to the Agri-Food

Choice and Quality Act of British Columbia;

3. To develop and administer an organic certification accreditation

program for members;

4. To grant permission for use of the phrase "British Columbia

Certified Organic" on agricultural product labels by agri-food

enterprises certified by members;

5. To develop and implement a verification officer training program;

6. To facilitate research and marketing activities on behalf of

members;

7. To provide information to the public on behalf of members;

8. To develop and maintain an approved list of materials for use in

the production of organic agricultural products by agri-food

enterprises certified by members; and

9. To be responsible for incidental matters related to the above-

referenced activities.

9

BC CERTIFIED ORGANIC PROGRAM The BC Certified Organic program is recognised by:

1. Conseil des appellations agroalimentaires du Québec (CAAQ)

2. US National Organic Program (US NOP)

3. Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA, UK)

4. Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA)

The continued recognition of the BC Certified Organic Program by local and international

jurisdictions points to the success of the BC's organic sector partnership with government.

COABC Accreditation Board Report Submitted by: Anne Macey, COABC Director of Accreditation

2007 marked the beginning of a new era for the COABC Accreditation Board. In January 2007

COABC applied for recognition as an approved accreditor under the new Canadian Organic

Regime (COR). The Canada Organic Office (COO) reviewed our documentation and conducted

an on–site audit in July. We received notification from CFIA that our system was deemed

compliant with ISO 17011 but to date there has been no formal announcement from COR of

recognition as an approved accreditor.

The COABC Accreditation Board is empowered by the British Columbia Organic Agriculture

Products Certification Regulation under the Agri-Food Choice and Quality Act to accredit

COABC member certification bodies.

In 2007 COABC renewed accreditation for 9 certification bodies in the Regional Program

certifying a total of 261 enterprises (according to the website listings) and 2 in the ISO

Compliant Program certifying 303 enterprises. These numbers include producers, transitional

growers, processors and handlers. There are also two CBs (PACS and IOPA) approved for

operating a low risk/reduced inspection program. Currently there are 40 producers

participating in this unique BC program.

Navneet Gill of BCMAL carried out the 2007 audits for the Regional Program: the Biodynamic

Society in April, BCARA in August and IOPA in October. These three CBs were also subject to

a complete document review against Appendix 1 criteria. None of the CBs in the ISO

compliant program were scheduled for audit in 2007. During 2007 the Accreditation Board

dealt with 4 complaints and the issues were resolved. There were no appeals of decisions

made and no withdrawals of accreditation status.

The Accreditation Board consists of five members. Peter Johnston resigned from the board to

take up the position of Treasurer of COABC and Bob McCoubrey from NOOA took his place on

the board after the 2007 AGM. Current members are listed with the on the Committees page.

Kristy Wipperman, the COABC office manager continues to provide administrative support.

Meetings were held by conference call in April to review all annual reports and to make

accreditation decisions for 2007-2008; and in May and August to follow up on conditions and

deal with complaints. An in-person meeting was held November 27 and 28 in Vancouver to

review the audit reports and any outstanding issues and to prepare recommendations to put

10

forward to the COABC Board of Directors concerning the BC program. These included

recommendations concerning the use of certificates for transitional status.

An internal audit was carried out in February and throughout the year we have continued to

make improvements to operating procedures to ensure an easy transition to the new regime.

The Director participated in consultation sessions on the COO quality manual and we believe

the October 2007 version of Book 1 to be consistent with the most recently published version.

In 2008 we are anticipating a busy year as we prepare for the implementation of the new

Canadian regime as well as continuing with our schedule of reviewing and auditing three CBs

in the Regional Program.

COMMUNICATION, PROMOTION & EDUCATION

Office

The office is the communication hub of COABC. The following statistics show why

people call COABC. We started tracking our phone traffic in late 2006 and now have

one whole year of activity to report on. In 2007 we received close to 800 calls of which:

31% were general inquiries

10% were callers wanting to become certified

13% are from directors or staff/ contractors

8% were requests for promotional items or the Grower

7% were people wanting to talk with the Executive Director/ Administrator

2 % or 18 calls were from media seeking a representative to speak on behalf of COABC

The remaining calls came in regarding events questions 6%, from members with misc

questions 5%, from CB administrators 4%, questions regarding standards and orders

3%, finance 2%, accreditation 1%, OSDP 1%, and 6% were wrong numbers.

Web site

The COABC website is a critical link between COABC members, licensees,

administration and consumers. It has continued to provide production and program

information as well as member information and COABC News. In 2007 we had

5,421,456 hits to our site which is 194% increase since 2004.

BC Organic Grower Now in its ninth year of publication, the BC Organic Grower continues to be a valuable

resource for members and others in the organic sector. This publication is not only an

educational tool but keeps you up to date about the politics of the organic sector and

what is happening within COABC. 2007 was a year of transition with bringing on our

new editor, Cassandra Redding. We succeeded in sending out 4 issues to all our

members, approximately 600, as well to advertisers, interested subscribers, BCMAL,

COG, and other organizations we trade publications with, making up a distribution total

of 700 per issue. Many thanks go out to the many writers and experts who contribute.

11

Events

COABC Organic Conference & AGM Committee

The Annual Conference and AGM were held in Armstrong at the Armstrong –

Spallumcheen Fairgrounds. The conference liaison and the committee as a whole should

be commended for putting together a great program which was key to attracting

delegate numbers.

Cara Nunn did a wonderful job preparing the menus and food for the various occasions

including the banquet. The banquet was host to 147 guests and the Salmon Armenians

entertained us into the night. Attendance included 144 paid registrations, 26 exhibitor

delegates, 15 speakers, and 13 sponsored delegates for a grand total of 198 attendees.

Nine delegates participated in the tour which visited the Shuswap Coffee Company,

Crannog Ales, Stellar Seeds, and Gort's Gouda Cheese.

There were so many volunteers that made this event a possibility. A big thank-you

goes out to you all!

Pacific Agricultural Show

The COABC continues to participate in the largest agricultural show in BC. The COABC

will continue to focus on the Pacific Agricultural Show as a unique venue to provide

organic information to non-organic farmers.

Education

Cyber-help (OSDP Cyber-help) Chart below indicates Cyber-help traffic for 2007.

Cyber-help was developed in to encourage organic and alternative food production in

Canada by improving accessibility to quality organic farming content online, while

upgrading farmers' capacities to access that information. It has become one of the best

online farming resources.

You will find

organic farming

production

(livestock,

vegetable, fruit,

specialty crop, and

greenhouse)

information as well

as connections to

great resources on

soil, marketing,

farm equipment,

organic farm

12

certification, on-farm food safety, small scale food processing, and how to use your

computer and the internet, etc. Web site visitors will also find timely market

information including prices, organic farming news, organic seed sources, Canadian

farming announcements, useful farming links and a "business of farming" page.

OSDP started this project in 2002 as Learning Technologies in the Workplace project. It

evolved into the fantastic site you will find linked to the COABC web-site

www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca/rcbtoa/. We are currently seeking regular funding to

maintain this valuable educational tool.

Regional Seminar Series (OSDP C-13)

Submitted by Rochelle Eisen COABC’s Organic Extension Agent

Since inception in August of 2005, there have been 12 completed production seminars

around the province covering a variety of topics, with 10 more in the planning stage for

2008. The key to the success of these seminars is the partnership between the COABC

(via Rochelle Eisen the Organic Extension Agent) and the local organisations who

actually host the events. The regional organisations do the legwork to organise and

market the event, while Rochelle provides advice and technical guidance. Admission

fees provide the industry cash, volunteer organising is added as in-kind, and this

contribution is matched with OSDP dollars. Altogether this project provides the kind of

support to the BC organic community that was envisaged when the OSDP was first

developed.

13

ADVOCACY

Growing Forward Submitted by: Paddy Doherty

On behalf of the BC organic sector, Paddy Doherty has been sitting on a provincial committee

that is providing input into the next generation of agricultural policy framework

(Federal/Provincial 5-year agreement, called “Growing Forward”). The committee has had a

number of meetings with the Minister of Agriculture and Lands and with the Deputy Minister

and senior staff. Consultations on Growing Forward will continue through 2008.

Growing Forward with Organics Presentation to the Minister Submitted by: Paddy Doherty

On October 11 2007, the COABC hosted an organic luncheon for the Minister of Agriculture

and members of the BC Organic Community. The organic lunch was held at the Savory Coast

Restaurant on Robson St. in Vancouver where chef Romy Prasad donated his establishment

and his services to the event.

In early 2007, the Minister Bell had asked the COABC to tell him what his ministry can do to

assist the growth of organics in the province. This organic luncheon gave the organic sector a

chance to answer that question directly. Every person who attended got a chance to speak

directly with Minister Bell—to tell him what would help his or her organic business grow. The

COABC then presented Minister Bell with a proposal for support for organics in BC. Titled

“Growing Forward with Organics”, the paper suggested that support for organics would help

reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide quality local food for BC consumers. In the

paper, the COABC specifically requested:

1. Continued support for the Organic Extension Agent

2. Continued support for BC’s participation in the Organic Federation of Canada

3. The development of an organic advisory board—a partnership committee including

sector members and representatives from various ministries.

4. A request that the Organic Products Regulation should be amended to ensure there is a

law for use of the organic claim within BC.

5. A request for funding support for organic research.

The paper was graciously received by the Minister, who directed the COABC to work with his

staff to achieve our goals. This event was a simple production (thanks to Karl Hann for doing

most of the organising) but was a successful way for the COABC to connect with the Minister

and with other members of the organic sector.

14

VERIFICATION OFFICERS

Verification Officers are a critical aspect of organic development. Planning for Verification

Officer Training started in the fall of 2007. For those who qualify, the Independent Organic

Inspectors Association (IOIA) and Certified Organic Associations of BC (COABC) will be

cosponsoring a 4.5 day Basic Organic Crop Inspection Training using the proposed Canadian

National Standard (version CGSB-2006) as the reference. USDA National Organic Standards

variations will be identified. The course will be held at Kwantlen University College in Langley

BC, Canada from May 26-30, 2008. For more information please contact COABC Administrator,

Karen Fenske at Ph: 205-260-4429 Fax: 250-260-4436 e-mail: admin@certifiedorganic.bc.ca

www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca.

RESEARCH & MARKETING

It was the desire of COABC directors to facilitate research in the organic sector. Starting in

2005 we have been setting aside funds to be used for projects. Setting criteria and

implementing the proposal process is the next step to this initiative.

Packaging and Promotional Materials

The COABC provides promotional, packaging, and educational materials to the membership at

just above cost:

• Produce bags

• Twist ties

• Stickers

• Two styles of hats

• T-shirts

• Various organic production guides

Free membership privileges:

• Promotional and educational pamphlets, fridge magnets and rack cards for use at

agricultural and consumer events

• Professional display booths, complete with banners, photographs and posters

15

COABC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Canada Organic Regime Submitted by: Paddy Doherty

Thanks to the efforts of the COABC to unite the Canadian organic community towards a

common purpose, the new law for organic in Canada (Organic Products Regulation) comes into

effect on December 14 2008. Primarily for consumer protection, the law will ensure that all

organic products that are imported or exported from any province in the country will need to

comply with the Canada organic standard.

Being the leader in the process, the COABC is well prepared for December 14 deadline. The

BC Certified Organic ISO 65 Compliant program was assessed by the

Canada Organic Office (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) and found to

comply with the requirements of the Canada Organic Regime. The

COABC has adopted that Canada Organic Standard as of December 2008

and has participated with the Organic Federation of Canada in

determining a transition protocol (Stream of Commerce provisions) for

the implementation of the Canada Organic Regime. This means there

should be few problems for COABC licensees when the Canada Organic

Regime comes into effect and the new Canada logo begins to appear in

the marketplace.

Canada Organic Standard Submitted by: Paddy Doherty

Amending the Canada Organic Standard is always a laborious process as we are attempting to

achieve consensus throughout the country and comply with the bureaucratic requirements of

the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB).

The BC members of the CGSB Technical Committee:

Linda Edwards Anne Macey

Paddy Doherty Hans Buchler

Dag Falck

The BC contingent has worked diligently (two meetings in 2007 and numerous working group

meetings) to fix any errors in the standard to ensure it is ready for the December 2008

implementation of the Canada Organic Regime. This revision process will continue through

2008.

Brand Names List

Changes have occurred with the BNL in 2007. COABC is transitioning to using the National

Directory of Inputs and the Permitted Substance List. References need to be to the National

Standard after Dec 14th, 2008. Please see the COABC web site for further information.

16

Organic Agricultural Center of Canada Submitted by: Deb Foote Deb Foote represents the interests of BC organic farmers on the OACC

In 2006 Kirsten Kane was appointed to the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada’s Advisory

Board. When she left the COABC, she put my name forward as her replacement. This suggestion

was welcomed by the Advisory Board as well as the OACC Director, Dr. Ralph Martin.

1. The Vision Statement for the OACC is: Strengthening the science and practice of organic

agriculture in Canada. The Mission Statement: OACC facilitates research and education for

organic producers and consumers to build sustainable communities.

2. To this end the focus of the OACC is in the area of research with a focus on research

responsive to organic sector growth and prosperity, consumer interests and government

policy development. Further to this, to facilitate communication and research prioritization

among those in need of research, granting agencies and researchers. In late 2008 the

OACC Advisory Board formed a committee to assist in identifying research priorities for the

sector. We are in the early stages of this work and welcome input from across the country.

Clearly there are opportunities for BC researchers to work in collaboration with the OACC.

One of the strengths of OACC is its ability to link with other organizations and partners across

Canada. The OACC has partnered with the Government of Canada, the Governments of BC,

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward

Island. They have relationships with major universities across Canada, including the Nova

Scotia Agricultural College, University of Guelph, University of Saskatchewan and the University

of Manitoba. They regularly partner with corporate industry including Organic Meadows, the

Canadian Wheat Board, Resource Recovery Fund Board, and many others. OACC reports to each

funding agency for project updates and financial reporting within the schedule provided by the

funding agreement. OACC audits major grant contributions as per NSAC policy.

OACC has diverse funding sources. They consistently apply for project funds from government

agencies and supplement this with funding requests to corporations. This year they have

initiated the process of charitable registration. The application is currently in the approval

process of the Canada Revenue Agency. In light of this, the OACC has suspended fundraising

activities for private funding until this approval is complete. The greatest prospects are those

with charitable programs, but they require a charitable number in order to donate funds.

Companies without this focus are often unable to give, as corporate responsibility not been

identified as a goal of their organization. 153 corporations with charitable programs have been

identified as potential donors, once the charitable number is in place. There is a weekly

follow-up on the application and are poised to begin again once we have this tool. A

communications plan is being developed to ensure that all potential and appropriate funding

sources are identified and contacted once the Charitable Status is established.

I am pleased to note that Anne Macey and Rochelle Eisen are considered “staff” of the OACC

and as a result are fully apprised of the activities and initiatives of the organization. I will

continue to serve as a member of the Advisory Board for the balance of the 3 year term.

17

COABC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Organic Sector Development Program Submitted by: Paddy Doherty

The OSDP had a successful year in 2007, with 22 funding applications being received and

reviewed by the OSDP Advisory Committee and 15 applications approved for funding. The

total allocation to projects during 2007 was $233,992. This total allocation may not end up

being completely spent, as some of the projects are still seeking matching funds.

The OSDP Advisory Committee has had a turnover in it membership, with Hans Buchler,

Herman Bruns, and Cathleen Kneen leaving and being replaced by Linda Fogarty, Jen Cody,

and Cindy Hartford. Tracey Innes (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) has gone on maternity

leave and is replaced by Emily Mackenzie. Paddy Doherty replaced Kirsten Kane as OSDP co-

ordinator in May.

The 2007 committee:

Linda Edwards – COABC producer (tree-fruits)

Linda Fogarty – COABC producer (ground and greenhouse crops)

Cindy Hartford – COABC processor (Pacific Western Brewing)

Ben Brandsema – COABC producer (dairy)

Jen Cody – BC Food Systems Network (food activist)

Emily MacNair (Investment Agriculture Foundation)

Emily MacKenzie (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Paddy Doherty (OSDP co-ordinator)

It is anticipated that the OSDP will expend all of its original allotment from the Agri-food

Futures Fund (1 million) during 2008. Consequently, the COABC has applied to the

Investment Agriculture Foundation for funding to develop a Strategic Plan for the BC organic

sector (the last strategic plan was in 2002) as an initial step towards extending the OSDP with

a new infusion of funds from the IAF.

Organic Environmental Farm Planning Submitted by: Paddy Doherty

The COABC is a delivery group for Environmental Farm Planning through an agreement with

the British Columbia Agricultural Council. During 2007, the COABC EFP delivered 26

completed farm plans. Though this is a good effort, not enough organic farmers are seeing

the benefit of an organic environmental farm plan. Efforts to encourage more interest in this

program are needed.

The organic planning advisors:

Rochelle Eisen – Okanagan

Derek Masselink - Vancouver Island

Rosy Smit - Lower mainland & southern interior

Elaine Spearing - Northern interior

18

EFP continued

Paddy Doherty co-ordinates the Organic EFP along with an Advisory Committee:

1. Cindy Levington – organic farmer, Savona

2. Dave McCandless – organic farmer, Abbotsford

3. Sheri Berkowitz – organic farmer, Saltspring Island

4. Niels Holbeck – EFP director, British Columbia Agricultural Council

5. Kevin Murphy – Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Vernon

The Extension Report 2007 Submitted by: Rochelle Eisen

Since September 1, 2007 till the end of January 2008 the COABC Organic Extension Agent,

Rochelle Eisen, has handled over 260 farm, processor, distributor and livestock operator

enquiries and approximately 220 requests for assistance from various suppliers, industry

representatives, resource people and students. Three quarters of these enquiries came from

people already involved in Organics in some capacity. The remainder were new to the sector

and expressed interest about becoming involved. If the last few months are any indication of

what is to come, 2008 will be an extremely busy year!

Rochelle has worked extensively on the programming of the 2008 "Shades of Green" COABC

Conference, the "Fresh Voices" contest, preparing articles for the BC Organic Grower and

other publications, giving presentations to interested groups about a diverse range of organic

topics. She is also working with producers to design on-farm research projects to apply

for Organic Sector Development Program funding. Rochelle has teamed up with the University

of British Columbia, and Kwantlen University College to develop pertinent Organic Factsheets.

Working with the BC Poultry community, Rochelle is in the process of determining if there is a

demand for organic poultry training in the province and, if so, what and how do people want to

learn. She continues to represent BC on the Processing Working Group and the Greenhouse

Working Group of the Canadian General Standards Board Committee on Organic

Agriculture for revising the current National Standard CAN/CGSB 32.310-2006 AND 32.311-

2006 on Organic Production Systems. She also participates in regular, Canada wide, Organic

Extension Agent conference call dialogues, interacts with the staff of the Organic Agriculture

Center of Canada, in Truro, Nova Scotia, and coordinates the COABC’s Regional Seminar

Series.

FINANCIAL REPORT & STATEMENTS CAN BE VIEWED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES