Attachment 3
Extra comments made in Response to Question #2
“Thinking about the Following, which of these services or resources should be increased or made
available to Manitoba organic producers (processors etc)?”
A. Funding for organic Transition
Only if they are transitioning the whole farm. Conventional farmers using a small part of their
farm for organic to make more money. They should not be given funding
Good what they are doing more would always be good. OPAM needs more members to keep it
financially afloat this might help with that
Funding should not just be going to new guys. Old organic farmers who did all the work
establishing the market should also receive compensation for their hard work.
But not just for certification also need a per acre subsidy for transitioning land as you lose tons
of money on it as it transitions
It is too late for them as they've already transitioned and paid all the fees
For money lost when transitioning
more would always be helpful
Good what they have done
a-but applied to expansion for farmers already certified
Negative Responses to option A.
It is not fair that they didn't get assistance and now the new competition will be getting
assistance
Does not think there should be government funding thinks farmers should do it own their own
without hand-outs
Doesn't like this thinks too many switching over might be overload on their markets
Already organic should be putting money into more useful causes such as research
Need more markets developed before government helps more people get into production. Will
end up with too many producers and no market
This isn’t important. The fees are not the hard part about being organic it is the money lost
while transitioning the land
Need to develop the market before helping a lot of people into organic.
Not a good idea. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves
They have grown as an industry thus far on their own and don't need help now. Enticing people
with money is going to get the wrong people into the sector and without proper markets
developed first it will fail.
B. Alternative/lower cost certification options for growers marketing within Manitoba
This will lower the standards
not interested in certification of any kind too restrictive and often doesn't make sense i.e.
Availability of organic inputs
This only benefits farmers close to the city. There is way more local MB production then there is
population to consume it local should be defined as all of Canada.
Concerned about how this will be regulated
Good for small producers but they're not interested at this point,
This is not necessary. Believes in current system
C. Co-operative opportunities (marketing bodies , etc)
Cooperatives are nice idea but don't always work need more focus on developing complete
value chain
An idea would be a community co-op cow herd
Need a marketing organic beef co-op
Not if it means more middle men need direct sales
D. Direct Marketing lists/directories/resources
MAFRI just made a good one
E. Education/training opportunities/resources
Public education for people to know the difference between paddy rice being sold as CD wild
rice
But not academic on paper information. Need extension worker willing to come out to urban
farms and give hands-on demonstrations/information
Education needed for farmers in terms of weed control because bad for processors when
product is full of weed seeds
Especially for new producers helping with certification paperwork as it can be overwhelming
Farmers don't have time for education the money should be spent on hiring a marketing
specialist in government who can hold producers hand looking where the demand is and
informing producers
Education for small producers is usually geared towards large -scale operations
Public education most important need to understand how much more expensive it is for organic
producers to grow the way they do and be willing to pay double
Education required on starting up on-farm processing
Farm mentorship and MAFRI good thing
Needed for the producers about how to meet standards appropriately
Needed but it has to be affordable i.e. Conferences with fees to high to attend
F. Storage capacity/distribution services
For local products
Places to gather small amounts from different farmers to sell to the big companies who only buy
large quantities
This is my area of focus, and I feel I could use some assistance. I've been trying to increase
capacity for 5 years and need help
G. Anything else?
Government needs to play a bigger role in all of the above
More services to get the general public composting
Need public education on what organic is
Need more brokers in Manitoba
Need for help in raising public awareness and delivering public education
Lower fees in general not just for transitioning farmer
Some kind of resource to share information between Manitoba farmers i.e. Monthly newsletter
A certification process with less paperwork
Research done at universities with findings related to farmers (controlled experiments,
homeopathic remedies)
Local processing facilities i.e. growing, processing and eating within 100 miles
Access to natural medicines for livestock
Publicly funded research, mentorship programs, more influence in school curriculum for small
market production instead of only focus on agriculture for the export market, a change in
consciousness
More local facilities in general for processing food
Need more stringency with national standard as some provinces have chosen to accept and
others not. So MB producers will have to hold to standard while people in other provinces might
not. Fed. Gov. Let ball slip here
Certified organic butcher facility