Organic Alberta Magazine Summer 2015

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alberta
ORGANIC

SUMMER 2015

ISSUE 02

VOLUME 06

$1.2 MILLION FROM
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT KICKS OFF
PRAIRIE WIDE ORGANIC PROGRAM
DEBBIE MILLER, EDITOR

On May 29, 2015 the federal government
announced their contribution of $1.2 million
under the Western Diversification Program
(WDP) to a $2.2 million, 4 year program
targeted at achieving growth, resiliency
and stability in the prairie organic sector.
The initiative will focus on increasing both
the quantity and quality of organic field crops
while building stronger market relationships.
The Prairie Organic Grain Initiative (POGI
is housed at Organic Alberta, however, it
is a partnership across the entire prairie
organic sector including the Provincial organic
associations. Organic Alberta will be working
closely with Sask Organics, Manitoba Organic
Alliance, Certified Organic Association of
BC, the Canadian Organic Trade Association,
The Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
and USC Canada through The Bauta Family
Initiative on Canadian Seed Security as well
as with producers, grain buyers, processors,
certification bodies and major organic
brands to develop and deliver programming.
POGI addresses the shortage of organic
grain growers by initiating several programs

ATTENDING THE ANNOUNCEMENT WERE BOB KAMP, USC CANADA, WARD
MIDDLETON, ORGANIC ALBERTA PRESIDENT, BECKY LIPTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
MICHELLE REMPEL, WESTERN DEVELOPMENT MINISTER, DARREN MAHAFFY, NATURE’S
PATH, RON MILIO, DAVE’S KILLER BREAD AND EARL DREESHEN, MP FOR RED DEER
PHOTO BY DEBBIE MILLER

that will entice conventional growers
to transition, as well as developing and
transferring the knowledge producers need
to produce competitive crop yields and
build profitability. The project also contains
measures to build the profile of the Prairie
organic grain sector and brand it as the
destination for quality organic grains.
Industry partners, including The Bauta
Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security,
Grain Millers, Nature’s Path, General Mills,
Dave’s Killer Bread, Cliff Bar and others
are contributing just under $1 million to

the project. “At Grain Millers, within our
vision of providing our customers with
safe, nutritious food, while exceeding their
expectations for quality, service and value,
we are also committed to providing them
with an organic choice. We recognize the
Prairie Organic Grain Initiative as a vital
strategic step in helping keep pace with
ever-increasing consumer demand, and we
are pleased to invest in a strong future for
the Western Canadian organic sector.” Rick
L. Schwein, President, Grain Millers Canada
Corp/Vice President, Grain Millers, Inc.

GENERAL
WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

PRODUCERS & PROCESSORS
CONSUMERS

SUMMER 2015 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 06

Mission: To represent and support Alberta’s
entire organic industry.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Vision: A strong, sustainable and united
organic community in Alberta.

Editor/Submissions & Advertising
Editor: Debbie Miller
306-642-0216
[email protected]
Copy Editor
Brenda Frick
306-260-0663
[email protected]
Graphic Designer & Publisher
Curio Studio
780-451-2261
www.curiostudio.ca

Executive Director
Becky Lipton:
587-521-2400 | [email protected]
Board Members
Representatives elected by region:
(N) North (S) South (C) Central
(M) Member at Large

BECKY LIPTON,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR : ORGANIC ALBERTA

The Canadian Seed Trade Association
(CSTA) recently contacted us looking
for organic sector representatives
to get involved in a co-existence plan
for GE Alfalfa in Western Canada.
From our perspective there is no
debate, co-existence with organic
production is not possible as
contamination is inevitable.

Organic Alber ta led the charge
to bring the sector together to develop
a strategy for how to prevent GE
Alfalfa from being sold in Western
Canada. With par ticipation from BC,
Alber ta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and
national groups, we have decided
to par ticipate in the co-existence
strategy development with the hope
of influencing the end result to say –
“co-existence is not possible.” We have
also decided to build on effor ts that
occurred in the east and build
a coalition of groups who are willing
to work towards stopping GE Alfalfa.
If you would like to get involved,
please contact us at 587-521-2400
or info@organicalber ta.org

President: Ward Middleton (C):
780-939-7459 | [email protected]
Vice President: Heather Kerschbaumer (N):
780-835-4508 | [email protected]
Treasurer: Danny Turner (M):
780-469-1900 | [email protected]
Secretary: Erin Paulson (M):
403-710-8117 | [email protected]
Lawrence Ashmead (M):
403-971-9682 | lawrence.ashmead@
freshdirectproduce.com
Sam Godwin (C)
780-785-8023 | [email protected]
Jake Drozda (Ab rep at the Federal Level)
780-524-3254 | [email protected]
Trevor Aleman (S)
403-308-4003 | [email protected]
Tim Hoven (S):
403-302-2748 | [email protected]
Janice Shelton (N):
780-623-7664 | [email protected]

Summer 2015 submissions to be received
by June 5, 2015. Please send comments,
suggestions, questions, ads, and/or articles
to [email protected]

ORGANIC ALBERTA SUPPORTERS
Thank you to Michael Dorian, Robert Jensen, Shafer Commodities, Grain Millers,
Prairie Point Holdings, Richardson Milling, AOPA, Best Cooking Pulses, Community
Natural Foods, Simply Fish, Blush Lane, Sunrise Foods, Growers International, PHS
Organics, FW Cobs, Sunnyside Natural Market, Lackwanna Products Corp, Green
Earth Organics, Centre for Systems Integration, Canadian Organic Trade Association,
Earth’s General Store, The Urban Homesteading Store, Progressive Foods, Signature
Truck Lines, Fresh Direct Produce, James Bozarth, Nature’s Path, Associated Grocers,
Pure Earth Organics, Rural Roots and Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery (SPUD)
for becoming corporate members.
Thank you to Homegrown Foods, Leah Koski, Peter & Levke Eggers, Elizabeth
Chrapko, and John & Dorothy Marshall for making a donation.
Thank you to Morinville Seed Cleaners, Frontlink Inc, Charles Newell, Grain Millers,
EcoCert, TCO Cert, OCIA International, AOPA, ProCert and Blush Lane for
sponsoring our events.
Thank you to Marc Blouin, Lisa Kennedy, Serben Free Range, Andrew Rosychuk,
Harmonic Herbs, Rick Stam and Myles Bell for becoming Friends of Organic

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

GENERAL

3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ORGANIC ALBERTA!

PHOTO BY DEBBIE MILLER

THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
DONATIONS
Every certified business in Alberta receives
a complimentary membership to Organic
Alberta. Please consider showing your
appreciation and support for the work
we do on behalf of the organic community
by making a donation today. Cheques payable
to Organic Alberta can be sent to: #1, 10329
61st Ave NW, Edmonton, AB. T6H 1K9. OR
contribute online at organicalberta.org/
join-us. Thank you!

April 28, 2015 marked 10 years since
Organic Alberta’s official incorporation
as a non-profit organization serving
the Alberta organic community. A lot has
changed in the last 10 years - we have gone
from 1 part time staff person working from
her basement to an office that holds 6 staff

people plus a summer student, managing
multiple projects and priorities. However,
a lot has stayed the same too. Our focus
is still to represent and support Alberta’s
entire organic industry as we work towards
our common vision of “a strong, sustainable
and united organic community in Alberta”.

QUINOA TABOULI
BY ERIN PAULSON AND DANA MERONIUK, 2 CLEVER COOKS

A gluten-free (and healthier version) of a classic. You can also use millet
instead of quinoa if you prefer. We make this salad in the deli at Blush
Lane Organic Market in Calgary, and it’s very popular.
1 CUP QUINOA

DIRECTIONS:

½ CUP WATER
2 MEDIUM TOMATOES, DICED
1 LARGE BUNCH FRESH PARSLEY,
LEAVES ONLY, FINELY CHOPPED
2 TBS FRESH LEMON JUICE
1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
1 CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED
1 TSP SALT

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in
a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Turn the heat down to low, cover, and
simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until
all the water has been absorbed. Mix
the rest of the ingredients together
in a medium bowl. Add the cooked
quinoa and stir until combined.
SERVES 4.

½ TSP PEPPER

Organic Alberta board member Erin Paulson and her
co-author Dana Meroniuk have turned a friendly competition
to see who could cook the tastiest gluten and allergy free
dishes into a series of must-have cookbooks. The first
two are available at all Blush Lane and Sunworks locations,
or online at 2clevercooks.com. Watch for the third scheduled
to be out in time for Christmas.

SUMMER 2015 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 06

We clean cereals,
oilseeds, and
pulse crops.
Contact Glen Hartel at 403-578-3810
or [email protected]

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

PRODUCERS & PROCESSORS

5

ORGANIC MARKET PRICES
ORGANIC MARKET
OPPORTUNITIES
CLASSIFIED ADS
Growers International is buying Organic Milling Wheat,
Feed Grains, Spelt, Flax and Peas for NutraSun Foods
and Growers International. 8 Delivery Locations across
the Prairies. Call Mark at 306-652-4529 for prices.
Trade and Export Canada is buying all grades of organic
grains. Call 1-877-339-1959.
F.W. Cobs is buying feed grains, including HRSW on both
spot and new crop contracts. We buy FOB the farm,
delivered to Loreburn, Sk or loaded rail. Call 888-531-4888
Ext. 7 or 8.
Are you looking for a consistent supply of Organic Soybean
meal? Shafer Commodities can assist you with all of your
organic needs, we are also buying HRS, durum, flax, barley
& peas 403-328-5066.
Looking for certified organic seeds for sprouting – alfalfa
seed, smaller quantities of peas, lentils, oilseeds, wheat and
grains. Interested in specialty seeds. Mail samples to Mumm’s
Sprouting Seeds, Box 80 Parkside, SK. S0J 2A0
Organic producers of hempseed or flax, contracting for
2015 crop. Contact Bioriginal Crop Production Manager,
Carl Lynn at Cell: 306-229-9976. Email: [email protected]
Roger Rivest Marketing Ltd/Nature Lane Farms is contracting
growers for 2015 organic food grade yellow peas, red
lentils, HRSW, durum wheat and chickpeas. Also supply
a full line of liquid and granular organic fertilizers. Roger
Rivest at 519-687-3522 [email protected],
www.rogerrivestmarketing.com.

LAURA TELFORD,
MANITOBA AGRICULTURE, FOOD
AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

JULY 2015 - ORGANIC GRAIN PRICES (FROM MAFRD)

Demand and prices for organic wheat - both feed and food continue
to be down. The dry weather in the Canadian Prairie and in the US midwest is dampening expectations of a bumper crop. It’s hard to predict how
crops will do this early in the year, but if things continue as they are now,
we can expect some good prices for organic pulses and oil seeds in the
fall. Dry conditions in Alberta are also creating greater demand for organic
feed grains such as barley. Alberta has been hit particularly hard, with some
organic livestock producers downsizing herds in the face of hay shortages.
Here in Manitoba, we’re seeing some decent organic crops although some
producers are complaining that the weeds have overtaken the crops.
Organic alfalfa producers hoping to capitalize on high hay prices should
consider adding composted manure to compensate for the removal
of phosphorous from the soil.
Organic

Non Organic

Oats - milling

$6/bu (old and new crop
Western Canada)

Corn - feed grade

$11.63/bu (USDA)

Wheat - feed grade

$10.94/bu (USDA), $13.60/bu
del to Eastern Ontario $9/bu
(contract USDA)

conv.
$3.50-$4.65/bu

Rye - food grade

$11.20/bu (USDA)

conv. $6/bu

Flax - brown

$37/bu fob farm old crop, new
crop $36/bu or $40/bu cleaned

conv.
$10-13.75/bu

Barley - feed grade

$7-8/bu west. Can, $10.88/bu
del to e. ON

conv. $2.80$5.50/bu

Hemp Seed

cleaned $1.47/lb.

Peas - feed grade

$17.60/bu del. to e. ON

Organic Premium this Month
(based on highest organic and conventional prices)
Lentils - large green
Flax - brown
Peas - food
Corn - feed
Wheat - milling HRS
Wheat - feed

217%
302%
216%
285%
366%
338%

SUMMER 2015 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 06

MEET THE ORGANIC ALBERTA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
WARD MIDDLETON,
PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR
CENTRAL REGION REPRESENTATIVE
Ward Middleton
President and Director, Central Region Representative

Heather Kerschbaumer
Vice-President and Director Northern Region Representative

Ward and his wife Jo-Anne operate Midmore
Farms, 750 acres just North of Morinville. After
purchasing the family farm from Ward’s father
in 1994, they became certified organic in 1999
as part of a business strategy to make agriculture
the primary source of income for their family. Ward
worked off the farm in oilfield and forestry until
2009. Regular crops at Midmore Farms include
wheat, barley, rye, peas, canola, flax and sweet
clover seed, with some less traditional crops such
as borage, and milk thistle seed.Their farm also
includes a 1/4 section custom grazing silvi-pasture,
and an 80 acre managed woodlot.

HEATHER KERSCHBAUMER,
VICE-PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR
NORTHERN REGION
REPRESENTATIVE

Danny Turner
Treasurer and Director, Member-At-Large Representative

Erin Paulson
Secretary and Director, Member at Large Representative

Heather is Mom to two sons and two daughters,
and a Grandma to six. She and her husband, John,
operate a family farm and grass/legume cleaning
plant near Fairview, Ab with their oldest son and
youngest daughter, making it a fourth generation
farm. In 1982 they started their seed plant, Golden
Acre Seeds.The plant has been certified organic
since 2005 and their farm since 2010.They produce
organic oats, wheat, barley, peas, alfalfa, and clovers.
A few years ago they expanded the operation to
include leafcutter bees to pollinate their alfalfa fields.
Heather has 20 years of leadership experience
with agricultural organizations, including serving
as treasurer of the Peace Region Forage Seed
Association and current President of Forage Seed
Canada, a national forage seed producer board
representing all forage seed producers in Canada.

DANNY TURNER,
TREASURER AND DIRECTOR
MEMBER-AT-LARGE REPRESENTATIVE

Janice Shelton
Director Northern Region Representative

Danny and his wife Miranda own and operate
The Organic Box in Edmonton, a local organic food
home delivery service. Danny has had a long-time
passion for real food and is delighted that so many

families in the Capital Region have decided to make
a long term commitment to eating sustainable,
local organic food. He is passionate about changing
our food economy one family at a time. Danny
was born and raised in Calgary, and earned his BSc
at the University of Calgary. He spent 10 years
living and working in Ontario, California and the
United Kingdom. He has a business degree from
the University of Oxford and firmly believes in
grassroots-level business development for the
Alberta organics industry. Organic Alberta is a key
part of promoting and developing this market. His
early success with The Organic Box has proven that
the sky is the limit for Alberta organic products!

ERIN PAULSON,
SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR
MEMBER AT LARGE REPRESENTATIVE
Erin Paulson is the mother of three beautiful little
boys and has been involved in the organic industry
since she was 10, raising Organic poultry and other
livestock with her parents, Ron and Sheila Hamilton,
on their farm near Camrose. She grew up selling
at local farmers markets and building relationships
with the consumer. At 17 Erin and her future
husband started a 3 acre organic strawberry farm.
This experience provided the foundation on which
their retail operation, Blush Lane is built. From 2010
– 2011, Erin ran her own business, Blush Food for
Fitness which involved making nutritionally balanced
meals using as many locally sourced organic
ingredients possible. Erin also wrote and published,
in collaboration with a friend, a series of allergy
free cookbooks. (Check out page 3 for a sample
recipe!) Erin believes that eating clean whole food
is an important component of being healthy. She
is an organic consumer with a direct line into the
retail world who dreams of farming again someday.

JANICE SHELTON,
DIRECTOR NORTHERN REGION
REPRESENTATIVE
Janice and Ty Shelton own Sand Springs Ranch,
which uses a blend of Certified Organic,
Biodynamic, and Holistic farm practices in the
management of 5000+ acres.They run a Certified
Organic Market Garden, a Grass-fed Cow/ Calf

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

PRODUCERS & PROCESSORS

MEET THE ORGANIC ALBERTA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Beef operation, and a Free-Range Chicken and Pork
operation; all of which incorporate their own grain
and vegetable seed production.They are currently
implementing a CSA Farm Share Program and are
involved in two Food Hubs.They also attend the
local Farmers Market.There are four generations
involved in various aspects of their farm.

TREVOR ALEMAN,
DIRECTOR SOUTHERN ALBERTA
REPRESENTATIVE
Trevor has been farming organically since 1989
when he worked on his dad’s market garden near
Coaldale, Alberta. His mom’s name is Bea so they
called the business “Busy Bea’s Market Garden”.
In 1999 Trevor took over the business a
and continues to farm near Fort Macleod. He
mainly grows potatoes, onions and garlic on 10
acres for wholesale markets in Calgary, and has
recently returned to the Exhibition Park Farmers’
Market Saturday mornings with a variety of
vegetables. He and his wife Cindy have six children
aged 7-19.Trevor’s ‘real’ job is teaching full time at a
Calvin Christian School

LAWRENCE ASHMEAD,
DIRECTOR MEMBER-AT-LARGE
REPRESENTATIVE
Lawrence started his career with food at the age
of 13 working in the produce department of the
local market in his hometown of Drayton Valley.
His career path has come full circle. For the last
15 years Lawrence has been working in wholesale
produce distribution in both food service and retail
produce sectors in Calgary. His career has seen
him involved in all aspects of distribution working
from procurement, logistics, quality control, sales
and marketing and organic program development.
Lawrence’s vision is to create a positive distribution
network for smaller producers.

JAKE DROZDA,
DIRECTOR ALBERTA REPRESENTATIVE
AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL (ORGANIC
FEDERATION OF CANADA)

Jake has farmed all his life near Valleyview, AB. He
and his family produce mostly cattle but do grow
some grain for feed and some grass seed. Jake has
a BA in History and Political Science and a Masters
degree in Economics, both from the U of A.

Trevor Aleman
Director Southern Alberta representative

TIM HOVEN,
DIRECTOR SOUTHERN REGION REP
Tim Hoven is a fourth generation Alberta Farmer
who raises some of the best organic beef around.
From the Hoven Farm, near Eckville,Tim, Lori and
their 8 children grow certified organic beef.They
sell it directly to consumers through their little
butcher shop at the Kingsland Farmers Market.

SAM GODWIN,
DIRECTOR CENTRAL
REGION REPRESENTATIVE
Sam has been farming since 1979, and became
certified organic in 1997. He is Past President
of the Alberta Organic Producers Association
(AOPA) and has been on the AOPA board for
several years. Sam has also served on the Organic
Alberta board for many years and is currently the
chair of the oat committee and the beef committee.

Jake Drozda
Director Alberta Representative at the National Level
(Organic Federation of Canada)

Tim Hoven
Director Southern Region Rep

KERI SHARPE,
ORGANIC BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
SPECIALIST, AGRICULTURE & FORESTRY
Keri has worked in organic agriculture for 12
amazing years. She worked and farmed in Alberta
prior to spending 5 years in Great Britain where
she worked on Rural Diversification and studied
Foot and Mouth Disease. It’s here that she was
introduced to organics. When she moved back
to Canada she looked for organic food for her
young family and was happy to be able to combine
that with work in agriculture. Keri has a degree
in Agriculture Business and a MSc in Rural
Sociology from the University of Alberta. Keri lives
in Didsbury and works out of the Olds office.
She and her two boys are involved with the Ag
Society and the Community Gardens along with
Scouts and 4H.

Sam Godwin
Director Central Region Representative

Keri Sharpe
Organic Business Development Specialist,
Agriculture and Forestry

7

SUMMER 2015 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 06

ORGANIC POULTRY FACILITY OPENS NEAR ARMENA
A PROMISING DEVELOPMENT FOR ALBERTA’S ORGANIC INDUSTRY.
“Right now we are
operating four days
a week with a thousand
birds a day. Our goal is
to run three days a week,
with fifteen hundred birds
a day,” says Hamilton.
MELISA ZAPISOCKY,
ORGANIC LIVESTOCK PROGRAM MANAGER,
ORGANIC ALBERTA

Canada’s first dedicated organic poultry
facility officially opened mid-May, on
Sunworks Farm, near Armena.
“This is a massive, massive, project,” says
Ron Hamilton, who operates Sunworks
Farm alongside his wife Sheila. The new
facility will complement their existing shop
in Camrose where they process red meat,
and make chicken sausages.
Planning for this new build has been
extensive; the vision has taken many years
to unfold. Ron visited twenty poultry
facilities across North America. He used
this information to create a design. It then
took a few more years to turn these plans
into a building.
“November 2013 we first started
moving dirt and March 2014 we started
construction.” The facility is designed to
harvest 800 birds per hour. Given the steep
learning curve, the team is moving closer
to 500 birds an hour.
Three main areas, each filled with equal
amounts of impressive stainless steel
equipment, are involved in the harvesting,
chilling, and packing of the birds. New
staff are quickly learning how to work the
various stations for deboning, mechanical
separating, shrink wrapping, and heat-sealed
vacuum packing (with a machine called
a Multivac Roll Stock).

The building itself is
spacious and no corners
have been cut. The
modern facility has male
and female locker rooms,
a spacious staff kitchen,
a board room, private
washroom and office for
a provincial inspector
(who is on site each
harvest day), a 600 square
foot cooler, large freezer,
and shipping docks.

PHOTO BY
MELISA ZAPISOCKY

“It’s a big step for sure,”
says Hamilton. “We now
have about 75 staff, with
20 to 25 working in the
new processing facility.”
More quota has been
leased to keep in stride
with the expansion.
At present, the new
facility will only process
poultry supplied through
Sunworks Farm.
“The goal right now is just
getting our feet under
our legs, to get
operational and start
moving production up.
We need to increase
efficiency and make sure
we are making money. ”

PHOTO BY
MELISA ZAPISOCKY

rganic
roducers
ssociation
Certification
with TCO Cert

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

PRODUCERS & PROCESSORS

9

A FARMER’S GUIDE TO SOCIAL LICENSE
BY DANA PENRICE,
MARKETING PROGRAM COORDINATOR

In recent years, the term ‘social license’
has been crossing the lips of leaders in food
company boardrooms, directors of agricultural
associations, speakers at conferences and
‘ag-vocates’ on social media.
But what is a social license? Which government
office do you have to go to get one? And how
much does it cost for a farmer to renew every year?
A social license in agriculture is an agreement
between consumers and the people who
produce their food. Unlike a driver’s license,
where an agreement is made between a driver
and the government that they will obey the rules
of the road, social license in agriculture is much
harder to pin down.
While it may not be top of mind with everything
else that holds a farmer’s thoughts in a day, social

license is something to pause and think about.
Whether you know it or not, you are part of
an agreement with consumers about how their
food is being produced.

organic producers make their farming practices
fully transparent by following standards that
guarantee consumers they are purchasing
products grown with organic practices.

Every time a consumer purchases something
they are saying, “I am sufficiently satisfied with
the way this was produced and I trust in it
enough to take it home to feed myself and
my family.” As a farmer, you are also a
consumer. Put yourself in the shoes of average
consumers working through this for all the
different products they buy in a week. It is
overwhelming.

Consumers can quickly check for the Canadian
Organic logo and know that they are signing
on to a social license they can feel good about
for themselves, their family, the community and
the environment.

The majority of food producers hold an
unwritten social license agreement with
the consumer. With increasing chatter in
boardrooms and agricultural meetings on
the topic, there seems to be concern about
how to maintain and strengthen social license.
When it comes to social license, certified
organic producers have the unique opportunity
of putting pen to paper. Through certification,

While organic farming may be attractive
because of emerging markets and increasing
demand, it should also be attractive because
maintaining and strengthening social license
is already built in to the system. With the
thorough annual inspection demanded by
the organic regulation, farmers and consumers
can feel good about their agreement with
each other.
With all that’s on a farmer’s mind, its good
to know that it’s one less thing you need
to worry about and you can go on producing
the good food you produce for another day.

ORGANIC

SUMMER 2015 | ISSUE 02 | VOLUME 06

Becky Lipton
Executive director : Organic Alberta

Debbie Miller
Executive office manager

David Hobson
Prairie Grains and Seeds Program Manager

Karen Snethun
Agriculture Outreach Coordinator

MEET THE ORGANIC ALBERTA STAFF
BECKY LIPTON,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Becky has worked with the organic industry
in Alberta since 2008. Originally brought on
to coordinate the Alberta Organic
Harmonization Project, she is now the
Executive Director of Organic Alberta. Becky
brings her experience in organizing, strategic
planning, facilitation, and program coordination
to the position. She also brings her expertise
from past work including from her Masters’
degree (women and agriculture), her work
with the New Rural Economy research group,
and her experience on farms, with farmers’
markets, and agriculture education. Becky is a
high energy person who is full of determination
and passion for a form of agriculture that she
believes has the potential to transform and
cultivate a healthy food system – a system that
is sustainable for our farmers, our eaters, and
everyone in between.

DEBBIE MILLER,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE MANAGER
Debbie joined Organic Alberta in January
2015, bringing with her many years of organic
involvement at the Prairie, National and
International levels. Her experience spans
everything from working in organic certification
at the local, national and international
levels, to the development of the Canadian
organic standard and regulation, past board
member of the Organic Agriculture Centre
of Canada (OACC) and many other boards
and committees. She is a founding member
and Past President of Organic Connections,
and also serves on the IOAS (International
Organic Accreditation Services) accreditation

committee. Debbie and her late husband,
Ian, converted their farm in the rolling hills
of southern Saskatchewan to organic
production in 1990, and never looked back.
Although Debbie has served as editor of the
Organic Alberta magazine for several years, she
is very excited to be in Edmonton working full
time with the amazing team at Organic Alberta.

DAVID HOBSON, PRAIRIE GRAINS
AND SEEDS PROGRAM MANAGER
David has worked extensively on organic and
conventional farms across Canada, New Zealand
and Italy. He spent three years at the Organic
Agriculture Centre of Canada (OACC), where
he coordinated research trials at organic farms
throughout the Maritimes, as well as earning a
Master’s of Science in Agriculture from Dalhousie
University. An active member in the local, organic
food movement, David is very excited to call
Edmonton his home and be a part of building
seed security in the Prairies.

WHAT IS DAVID WORKING
ON AT THE MOMENT?
Prairie Organic Grain Initiative (POGI)
Optimization. He is working closely with
key stakeholders to define priority areas
and identify potential activities. The first activity
is an Environmental Scan of research related
to organic field crop production on the Prairies.
This will be a valuable tool for farmers who are
looking to quickly find information on organic
field crop production. The next project will be
to build a manual on green manure management
for Prairie organic field crop producers using the
latest scientific and farmer knowledge.

KAREN SNETHUN, AGRICULTURE
OUTREACH COORDINATOR
Long before Karen experienced her professional
success in agriculture, she was a farm girl.
At the age of 10 she had her first job, helping
her dad load cattle on the farm. Like many
children of rural Alberta, she was involved
in 4-H and public speaking. Karen won many
award trips and scholarships, which inspired her
to obtain a degree in Agricultural Economics
from the University of Alberta. Karen has spent
time working in various roles in agriculture:
Alberta Program and Policy Manager with
Western Canadian Wheat Growers, Member
Relations with United Grain Growers, and
Marketing and Trade Officer with Agriculture
Canada. Karen and her husband also operated a
grain farm and 3600-head hog finishing operation
in eastern Alberta for a number of years. For the
past seven years, Karen has been working with
Parks and Recreation in various capacities. Karen
is very excited to not only re-enter agriculture
but enter into a role where she can add value
to a sector that is feeding and fuelling the world.
Karen and her husband, Glen, live in Edmonton
and have two children, Carter and Georgia.

WHAT IS KAREN WORKING
ON AT THE MOMENT?
Karen manages the New Grower Transition
Stream of the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative.
This four-year program is focused on increasing
the quantity and quality of organic grains, and
developing relationships across organic market
value chains. Karen’s work involves promoting
organic field crop production in the Prairies with
the aim of helping to transition new growers
into organics. This included organizing our recent
Transition Workshops and Field Days.

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

Melisa Zapisocky
Organic Livestock Program Manager

PRODUCERS & PROCESSORS

Dana Penrice
Marketing Program Coordinator

Lindon Carter
Food Outreach Coordinator (Summer Student)

11

Brenda Frick
Contractor

MEET THE ORGANIC ALBERTA STAFF
MELISA ZAPISOCKY, ORGANIC
LIVESTOCK PROGRAM MANAGER

DANA PENRICE, MARKETING
PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Melisa has always been interested in and
passionate about the local food movement.
She has worked in a variety of positions
in Alberta, Yukon, Montana, and Washington
State that have covered a wide spectrum
of learning and living... from experiencing
and contributing hard labour in fields and
greenhouses, to building collaborative initiatives
for farm direct businesses and market
managers. She received a master’s degree in
Sustainable Food and Agriculture Development
in 2010 from the University of Montana and
she continues to immerse herself in the study
and promotion of the local food movement.

Dana strives to support inspired thinking and
action in agriculture and rural communities.
By thinking broadly and deeply about the
systems upon which our society depends, Dana
sees us better positioning the industry and our
communities for the future. Dana’s work with
the University of Alberta’s There’s a Heifer in
Your Tank and with Leadership Edmonton has
been foundational in developing her passion
for creating resourceful, resilient, responsible
and adaptive people. Dana’s formal education
was in Animal Science, earning a B. Sc. from
the U of A but her much-valued informal
learning came from hanging out in chicken
barns, working with horses and teaching kids
(and teachers, parents, etc.) about agriculture.
She and her partner also run C & E Meats at
Lacombe, Alberta. They believe that grazing
livestock and poultry can heal our planet.

WHAT IS MELISA WORKING
ON AT THE MOMENT?
Melisa is working on initiatives for the organic
livestock program. This includes coordinating
the development of four consumer focused
beef videos that feature Organic Alberta
producers, assisting with two events
(an Organic Transition Workshop and Soils
Health Field Day), connecting mentors with
new and transitioning producers and arranging
a distribution and productivity improvement
program that pairs a producer with a business
coach. She has also been spending time getting
to know Alberta’s organic livestock producers
and learning more about the industry from
their perspective. She has been fortunate to
visit a few organic beef farms and has had
many informative phone calls with our existing
members and new people looking to learn
more about organics.

WHAT IS DANA WORKING
ON AT THE MOMENT?
Dana manages the Alberta Organic Food
campaign which promotes Alberta’s amazing
products and producers throughout the
province. This involves working with retailers
to plan in-store promotional events like sampling
sessions to help create awareness and educate
consumers on the Alberta Organic industry.
This campaign also involves the development of
promotional videos and an online map directory
of where to buy organic products.

LINDON CARTER, FOOD
OUTREACH COORDINATOR
(SUMMER STUDENT)
Lindon is currently a Music Composition
student at MacEwan University in Edmonton
He is originally from Victoria, BC, where he
was first introduced to the importance of local
and sustainable farming practices. Although
Lindon’s main focus has been music and the arts,
environmental initiatives and agriculture have
always been of importance to him. He has been
a volunteer at both Pacific Mobile Depot soft
plastic recycling and Madrona Farm in Victoria.

WHAT IS LINDON WORKING
ON AT THE MOMENT?
While Lindon has proved to be extremely
versatile, filling in wherever we need an extra pair
of hands, his main focus is to work with Dana
on the Alberta Organic Food initiative “Summer
Tasting Sessions.”This project gives our producers
the opportunity to have their products featured
in various retail locations and have the public
sample some delicious organic food.

BRENDA FRICK, CONTRACTOR
Brenda is a freelance organic specialist, an
organic inspector, an avid community gardener,
a K-12 substitute teacher, a Western Producer
columnist and a partner in Resilient Solutions
Consulting. She has a PhD in weed ecology
and teaches an online organic weed
management course. Brenda has worked with
the organic community for 25 years, acting as
a liaison between scientists and farmers. She
copy edits every issue of our magazine, and is
always on call if we need assistance with other
projects, both large and small.

SUMMER 2015 | ISSUE 03 | VOLUME 06

MEET ONE OF OUR PARTNERS
Agriculture for Life (Ag for Life) is a
not-for-profit organization committed
to building a greater understanding
and appreciation of agriculture and
its fundamental connection to life.
It is our mission to help Albertans
understand the incredible depth and
opportunity that agriculture affords.
Bringing together some of Alberta’s

strongest corporations from various
sectors along with farmers, ranchers,
government and community leaders,
Ag for Life is dedicated to delivering
educational programming that will
serve to improve rural and farm safety
and build a genuine understanding
and appreciation of the importance
agriculture has to lives.

Through close collaboration with
stakeholders, Ag for Life develops,
expands and offers hands-on
educational programming to children,
youth and adults across the province.
“We do this by providing committed
funding and support that enables the
delivery of great programs, removing
financial pressure and allowing

OATS

COATED GRAINS
& CLUSTERS

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

full concentration on delivery and
successful outcomes,” comments
Ag for Life CEO Luree Williamson.
“Together we can increase the reach
of these programs and enhance
their long term sustainability,”
adds Williamson.
This past year Ag for Life committed
over 1.2 million dollars to the
expansion and development of
educational programming. The goal
is to continue to invest and
to reach 100,000 rural and urban
Alber tans in the next two years
through school curriculum and
community events. Ag for Life
suppor ted programs include: the
Classroom Agriculture Program,
Little Green Thumbs, Alberta Open
Farm Days, City Slickers On-Farm
Education, Growing Minds (Neubauer
Farms), Alberta Women’s Institute

CONSUMERS

13

LEARN MORE AT
agricultureforlife.ca
facebook.com/agricultureforlife
twitter.com/4AgForLife

Food and Farmers Project, Rural
and Farm Safety Days, Progressive
Agriculture Foundation, the Rollover
Simulator Project and the Barnyard
and Boots Program.

Ag for Life is made possible through
the funding and commitment of
companies that employ almost 20,000
people in more than 350 Alberta
communities. Founding Members
include Agrium Inc., ATB Financial,
ATCO Group, Penn West, Rocky
Mountain Equipment, TransCanada
Corporation and UFA
Co-operative Limited.
Contributing Members
CLASSIFIED ADS
include AdFarm and
Glacier FarmMedia with
Organic meat needed for retail. Frozen or fresh.
the Support of Bayer
Contact Blush Lane [email protected].
CropScience and The
Co-operators Group.

Simply Fish
SOIL AMENDMENT

APPR
FOR O OVED
PROD RGANIC
UCTI
ON

[email protected]

simplyfish.ca

SUMMER 2015 | ISSUE 03 | VOLUME 06

WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG

CONSUMERS

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About CSI
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Proud supporter of organic agriculture.
Wishing all organic growers a productive 2015 crop year.
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15

#1, 10329-61 AVE NW
EDMONTON, AB
T6H 1K9

FIRST NAME LAST NAME
COMPANY NAME
ADDRESS
CITY, PROVINCE
POSTAL CODE

Organic Grain Marketing
Feed Grains
Food Grade
Oilseeds
Pulses
Screenings

Contact:
Jake, Kelly, Tom or Glen@ 306-931-4576
[email protected]
Sunrise Foods International Inc. - Saskatoon, SK
Licensed and Bonded by the Canadian Grain Commission

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