On December 11, 2020 the Canadian General Standards Board published the Canadian Organic Standards. The revised Standards are available at this link: Canadian Organic Standards. Here are the changes since the previous edition:
Organic Production Systems: General Principles and Management Standards (CAN-CGSB-32.310-2020):
- Clarifications in Scope of document
- Additional and revised definitions
- Additions, deletions and changes in the following clauses: Organic plan; Crop production; Livestock production; Specific production requirements (particularly Apiculture; Maple products; Sprouts, shoots and microgreens production; and Crops Grown in Structures or Containers [previously known as Greenhouse crops]); Maintaining organic integrity during cleaning, preparation and transportation; and Organic product composition.
- New informative annex: Permitted Substances Decision Tree
Permitted Substances List (CAN-CGSB 32.311-2020)
- Merge of Table 4.2 and 4.3
- Additions, deletions or changes in all tables
- Change in the format of Annex A
Here is the CFIA memo regarding implementation:
Notice to the Canadian organic industry regarding the implementation of revised Canadian Organic Agriculture Standards.
The Organic Federation of Canada has prepared documents comparing the 2020 modifications to the 2015 publication. The side-by-side comparison can be found here.
In French: Mise en œuvre des normes biologiques canadiennes pour l’agriculture révisées)
