COG research reports on Barriers and Solutions in Canadas Organic Food Supply Chain

Feb 01, 2023

A research report from the Canadian Organic Growers outlines Barriers and Solutions in Canada’s Organic Food Supply Chain. It was released on Sunday, the final day of the Guelph Organic Conference (January 29th, 2023).

There are industry findings with details on six commodities including blueberries, carrots, salad greens, oats, field peas and beef.

The report summarized in part discusses the challenges of transitioning from conventional to organic production involving a significant commitment of time and resources. New practices in the barn and on the field present a learning curve. Major factors including securing new customers, finances and marketing channels.

Other challenges: not much information about how to go about transitioning from conventional to organic, significant record keeping is involved and a potential double whammy -- yield drop combined with a delayed organic premium price during the transition.

There is more insight on supply chain challenges and solutions available free at the Canadian Organic Growers’ online store or stay tuned here for more.

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Source : Small Farm Canada

Video: Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes | Field Talk Friday

Field Talk Friday | Dr. John Murphy | Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes

Most of us spend our time managing what we can see above ground—plant height, leaf color, stand counts, and yield potential. But the deeper you dig into agronomy, the more you realize that some of the most important processes driving crop performance are happening just millimeters below the surface.

In this episode of Field Talk Friday, Dr. John Murphy continues the soil biology series by diving into one of the most fascinating topics in modern agronomy: root exudates and the role they play in shaping the microbial world around plant roots.

Roots are not passive structures simply pulling nutrients out of the soil. They are active participants in the underground ecosystem. Plants constantly release compounds into the soil—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and other molecules—that act as both energy sources and signals for soil microbes.