Organic certification
Last updated on October 13, 2022Organic food and beverages production requirements can be found in the national standards as approved by the Standards Council of Canada.
- Find more information about organic standards (Organic BC)
In 2020, there were an estimated 525 primary producers operating on over 1.3 million acres, and 325 processors and handlers.
Recent organic policy changes
As of September 1, 2018, the term “organic” is now a protected label within BC for agricultural products that have been produced or processed in BC, and for which certified organic programs exist.
Available certifications
Food and beverages that are produced or processed using organic methods can be certified organic. The certified organic marks show consumers that the product meets defined national standards. You can confirm that a product is certified organic by looking for a symbol of certification. You can also ask the company for a copy of their certification.
If you suspect that a product is falsely labelled as organic, contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
British Columbia
Since September 2018, B.C. organic food and beverage products that are marketed exclusively within B.C. require organic certification.
If your product is certified under the provincial program, you may be entitled to use the B.C. Certified Organic phrase and checkmark logo.
Canada
B.C. organic food and beverage products that are marketed outside of B.C. require federal or ISO certification under the Organic Products Regulations.
If your product is certified under the federal Canada Organic Regime, you may be entitled to use the Canada Organic logo.
Any B.C. grown or processed organic food and beverage products that are going to be exported to other provinces or internationally must be certified organic under the federal government’s Organic Products Regulations (OPR).
How do I certify?
There are many certification bodies. These organizations certify food and beverage products to the Canada Organic Standard.
Learn more through:
Marketing
Once you become certified, there are promotional materials available to you including the use of the B.C. checkmark or Canada Organic logos. Materials can be given to your customers to help educate them about what it means when a food and beverage product is marketed organic and how to identify organic food and beverage products in the marketplace. This program helps to build trust in the organic certification system.
Are you a new entrant or a non-certified organic producer or processor?
Resources
Industry links
Contact information
Phone:
1 888 221-7141
Email:
AgriServiceBC@gov.bc.ca