Organic Farmers and Marketing Boards - Update: February 12, 2005

A lot has happened since our last Chicken and Egg Dance and fortunately we have good news to share this year. The huge effort of the organic producers, retailers and consumers through the letter writing and post card campaigns has resulted in a move by the provincial government to bring some fairness into the marketing board system with regard to organic producers. The provincial government ordered another review of marketing boards. George Leroux presented his report “Recommendations for Managing Specialty Agri-Food Products in B.C.’s Supply Managed System” to the Minister of Agriculture on December 20th, 2004. This report can be obtained off the Ministry of Agriculture website.

Although I believe that exemption of organic from the controls of conventional marketing boards is the best and most reasonable option this report has presented a framework that may be workable with in the system. An organic implementation committee has been struck to work with George Leroux to implement his proposal by the end of June 2005. We are optimistic that this process will bring to an end the current harassment of marketing boards of organic farmers. However as long as we are under the control of the conventional agricultural framework we will have to remain vigilant. The Honorable John van Dongen must be commended for his courageous effort in trying to mend this issue at this time. We must work hard to the end of June to see that it is carried through to the end.

I can not emphasis enough my gratitude to the entire organic community for their efforts in regard to putting political pressure on the government to have this issue resolved fairly.

Regarding harassment of the boards it must be pointed out that they are resisting the proposed changes. The egg board has continued to try to force implementation of its inequitable TRLQ program onto the producers remaining outside the system. They continue to try to block Olera Farms from going back into organic egg production even when the market is short of organic eggs.

The Class Action lawsuit launched by those producers damaged by the actions of the Egg Marketing Board remains active. We have won all appeals of the Egg Marketing Board to have it thrown out of court. The current tactic of the Egg Board is to have the trial delayed. The court has set aside two weeks for the trial beginning May 30th, 2005. The Egg Board is trying to have it delayed until November or December 2005.

Fred Reid