The organic food industry in Canada is booming. As of 2009, more
than 3,900 certified organic farms were in operation across
Canada, accounting for just under two per cent of the country’s
total farms. This number is growing fast, too—along with
knowledge and consumer preference for organic food. Retail sales
from 2008 (the most recent year for which statistics are
available) show a market of $2 billion, including imports,
exactly double that of 2006. Canada produced more organic items
than any other country in the world in 2009. Nearly half of the
market is in fruits and vegetables, largely from organic farms
in Saskatchewan, B.C., Ontario and Quebec. All of it—every
single strawberry, carrot, and head of broccoli—is subject to
strict standards and regulations. Organic regulations give value
to everything from animal welfare, soil systems, and
biodiversity to watersheds and air quality—concepts of
sustainability focused almost exclusively on the physical
environment. Farms go to extreme lengths to close the