202-3002 32nd Ave, Vernon BC Canada V1T 2L7
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Each year, members of the organic community come together at our annual BC Organic Conference. The event is a chance to visit with current and future leaders in the BC organic sector, exchange ideas, eat amazing meals, learn from experts, and return home inspired by our incredible community before the growing season kicks into high gear.
The BC Organic Conference is open to anyone interested in organic agriculture, including Organic BC members, farmers looking to transition, researchers, students, like-minded organizations, and members of the general public. All are welcome!
We’re excited to announce the return of our in-person BC Organic Conference in the fall of 2023! It’s our 30th anniversary and we’re excited to be planning the biggest and best event yet. We hope you can join us from Tuesday, Nov. 7th – Thursday, Nov. 9th at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre to reconnect, exchange ideas and learn from experts. On-site accommodation will be available.
Do you have an interesting topic that you’d like to share at the largest organic sector gathering in BC? We want to hear from you! We’re looking for presenters to share best practices, expert knowledge, tips & tricks and stories within all areas of organic agriculture. Get more details at the link below!
Learn more about presentingAt every BC Organic Conference, we present awards that recognize the outstanding achievements of our members.
View past winners
Our 2022 conference was held virtually on Feb. 28th and Mar. 6th. It featured a pre-conference beer/bevvie night, a 12-episode podcast series, a soil health video series comprised of three virtual field days, two conference days and a virtual trade show.
Thanks to everyone who attended—we hope to see you in person next year!
We are thrilled to bring field days to you with the launch of our Soil Health Series. These videos include farm tours and conversations with producers from Wild Flight Farm (vegetables), Hutley Acres Farm (dairy), and Claremont Ranch Organics (tree fruit).
Organic BC gratefully acknowledges funding from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a joint funding agreement between the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
The focus for the panel was to discuss the various aspects of regenerative agriculture, and how organic agriculture is key to sustainability in all senses. We asked the question: what is needed to make organic the key to regenerative certification?
Our answers came from a variety of perspectives – what the Ministry’s goals for regenerative agriculture are, and how they see involving the organic community; what’s happening at the federal level with various organic organizations; how Regenerative Organic Certification is being put into practice already, and what effect that’s having both on farms and consumer perception; what sort of policy frameworks are needed to support regenerative (e.g., organic) agriculture.
Resources
Organics & Regenerative Ag: Tools for Climate Action
Abra Brynne, FarmFolk CityFolk. View the slide deck (PDF).
Regenerative Organic Agriculture in the prairies
Allison Squires, Upland Organics. View the slide deck (PDF).
Dr. Briana Hagen presented on mental health literacy, in combination with how mental health ties in with emergency response models (recognizing the heat dome, wildfires, and flooding in BC last year). Following Dr. Hagen’s presentation, there was space for Q & A and conversations related to mental wellness. View Dr. Hagen’s presentation here (PDF).
With gratitude to Farm Credit Canada for being our Mental Wellness Sponsor for this session.
Links shared in this session:
Emergency response model for mental health during agricultural crises (PDF)
AgSafe BC mental health resources
Au Cœur des Familles Agricoles (ACFA): Québec group that cares for farmers and families
Each 2022 BC Organic Conference ticket includes immediate access to 11 all-new podcasts, featuring practical tips, regulatory insights, farmer reflections and more. This series has something for everyone! Click here for full details on each episode.
Didn’t attend the conference? These new episodes will be released to the public in the future. Keep an eye on organicbc.org/podcast for your chance to listen.
The limited edition conference tee is now in the Organic BC store!
These 100% organic cotton t-shirts, showcasing art from Moss Dance, are a beautiful way to embrace the conference theme of Chaos & Convergence.
Each top is designed, manufactured and decorated in Canada in unionized plants.
Get yoursWe were pleased to welcome Darrin Qualman, Director of Climate Crisis Policy & Action at the National Farmers Union, as our keynote speaker. Darrin spoke about emission problems and organic agriculture solutions, and wrapped up with a Q&A session. Watch the keynote below!
BC Organic: Challenges and Opportunities for the Future
Dag Falck, Organic Program Manager at Nature’s Path Foods
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