Organic Farming

Organic farming brings farming back to the basics. Organic farming relies on crop rotation, composting, and biological pest control to sustain the land. Organic farming eliminates pesticides, restores soil quality, and prevents erosion which has many benefits to the consumers and the environment.

Eliminating pesticides has many health benefits. Many pesticides have been linked to various forms of cancer and other illnesses. In order to eliminate pesticides other methods need to be enforced to protect crops from pests. For example manually removing pests from plants or introducing different species of insects are organic options for pest control.

Maintaining soil quality is also important as it protects the environment and allows for many years of growth. Methods such as crop rotation and composting allow organic farmers to maintain the quality of their soil which contributes to the quality of their crops.

Refer to "The 10 Reasons to Eat Organic Produce."

References:
Ministry of Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs.

What is Certified Organic?

As of December 2008 all products containing the title "organic? must follow strict guidelines and inspections. Certified organic products are regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

In order to label products as certified organic the product must contain a minimum of 95% organic matter. The farm must use organic practices for a minimum of three years prior to certification. These practices include no use of pesticides or herbicides and no use of commercial fertilizers. However, there is a list of substances that are permitted to be used on and around certified organic crops. To ensure that regulations are being met Cherryvale must keep detailed records of procedures around the farm including: planting procedures, watering and feeding crops, harvesting crops, and washing and handling the crops.

The Cherryvale team is proud to say that we are certified organic! To promote ourselves as certified organic we must have maintained strict records of the growing, handling, and packaging of our products. Our land also needed to be maintained using organic principles for a minimum of three years before certification.

Our certification is done annually by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd.  2012/13 Organic Certificate.

You can get detailed information on the accreditation process by visiting www.ocpro.ca.