Exploring the Cooperative Option: Strategies for Tapping into Local Markets

Event Details

Time: March 22, 2010 from 1pm to 8pm
Location: Kemptville College
Street: 830 Prescott St
City/Town: Kemptville, ON
Website or Map: http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=…
Phone: Please call 1-888-375-7383 or email office@cog.ca.
Event Type: symposium, with, reception
Organized By: Colin Lundy
Latest Activity: Feb 25, 2010

Export to Outlook or iCal (.ics)

Event Description

Description:

Canadian Organic Growers (COG) has been exploring marketing options for organic food across the country through the Growing Up Organic Project. In almost every region, including Eastern Ontario, there is a strong demand for local organic food. However, there are not enough farmers to meet the demand. Cooperative business models offer solutions. A farmer owned Cooperative could provide resources, skills development and support to farmer members to make the transition to organic production easier, allowing farmers to tap into stable long term markets for certified organic products.

In Eastern Ontario, we are holding an afternoon event to explore the possibility of establishing a farmer co-operative. Farmers will make all the decisions, but Canadian Organic Growers will provide the supports required to go organic and develop larger markets for organic products.

If you’re a conventional farmer who has ever considered going organic and growing for local market or a farmer practicing ecological farming, this event is for you.

This afternoon symposium will bring experts in co-operative development, organic certification and the organic marketplace together. If you’re unsure about whether organics and cooperatives are for you, come and ask your questions.

The afternoon will consist of three panels and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask your questions.

PANEL 1: Farmer Co-operatives – How can they benefit farmers?

PANEL 2: Organic Farming – What does it take to go organic?

PANEL 3: The Organic Marketplace – What types of markets are there for organic products? What type of price premium can you expect?

RECEPTION 5:30 - 8:00 pm: Enjoy a free beer or glass of wine on us. We hope this will be a free flowing discussion where you can socialize and ask all the questions you were afraid to bring up in the afternoon.

COST: Free for farmers

Please call 1-888-375-7383 or email office@cog.ca.

Comment Wall

Comment

RSVP for Exploring the Cooperative Option: Strategies for Tapping into Local Markets to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Attending (1)

View All

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Canadian Feedstocks Eligible Under 45Z Credit

Eligible feedstocks will include those grown in Canada under newly proposed rules for the U.S. clean fuel production credit, a development that could have significant implications for North American biofuel markets and Canadian oilseed producers. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday released proposed regulations outlining how domestic producers can qualify for and calculate the clean fuel production credit, commonly known as the 45Z credit. The guidance reflects changes made under last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill and is intended to provide greater clarity and certainty for fuel producers navigating the program. The clean fuel production credit applies to clean transportation fuels produced in the U.S. after Dec. 31, 2024, and sold by Dec. 31, 2029. To claim the credit, producers must be registered with the IRS and comply with detailed certification, emissions accounting, and reporting requirements set out in the proposal. Among the mos

Beef Industry Groups Warn on Research Cutbacks

Canada’s beef industry is warning federal research cuts could undermine competitiveness, food safety, and export growth for years to come. The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) and the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) said in a joint statement Tuesday that announced reductions at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the planned closures of research facilities in Nappan, N.S., Quebec City, and Lacombe, Alta., will have far-reaching consequences for cattle producers, consumers, and Canada’s broader agri-food economy. While acknowledging federal fiscal pressures, the groups argue the loss of specialized public research capacity is shortsighted and difficult to reverse. The groups are urging AAFC to transfer key programs and researchers to other institutions if closures proceed, and to refund industry investments where projects are cancelled mid-stream. Over the past decade, beef producers have increased their own research funding by more than 600%, viewing innovation as essential

How the County of Newell Took Over CDC South and Protected Alberta’s Irrigated Research Hub

Once at risk of being lost, the Crop Diversification Centre South is being rebuilt through a county-led cost-recovery model, new leases, and growing interest from Alberta researchers. When the Government of Alberta exited direct agricultural research in 2019, few places felt the impact more sharply than the historic Crop Diversification Centre (CDC) South near Brooks. Long regarded as a cornerstone of irrigated crop and horticulture research, the facility suddenly found itself with only seven researchers to manage hundreds of acres, a complex of aging buildings — and no roadmap for the future. “We started getting complaints about weeds four feet tall,” recalls Candace Woods, project coordinator for the CDC South revitalization project. Woods had worked at the centre from 2015 until being laid off during the government transition. When she returned years later, she found a facility at real risk of being lost. “There wasn’t a long-term plan,” she says. “The County saw that if nobody

Empire shutters e-commerce facilities in Alberta

Empire Company Limited and its subsidiary Sobeys Inc have announced the immediate closure of its Alberta e-commerce facilities due to financial underperformance of its e-commerce network. The facilities comprise a customer fulfillment centre (CFC) in the Calgary area and a smaller support facility in Edmonton. In addition, the company is pausing development of a CFC in the Vancouver area. Empire will continue to support customers in Western Canada who prefer to shop online through its third-party partnerships. "We remain highly committed to grocery e-commerce in Canada and on continuing to make online shopping more convenient for our customers, while delivering immediate bottom-line improvements to our e-commerce business," said Pierre St-Laurent, president & CEO, Empire who assumed the role in November, 2025. Empire will continue to serve customers in Ontario and Québec through its Voilà banner, supported by its existing CFCs in the Greater Toronto and Montreal areas. Those operat

Canadian farmers wanted for mental health survey

It will ask participants questions like how often they’ve felt sad, down or depressed in the last two weeks.

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service