Manitoba is the first province to implement a check-off for organic farmers.
Karen Klassen is program manager for the Manitoba Organic Alliance (MOA).
"In 2019, Manitoba Organic Alliance, with the support of its producer and organic members, put in an application for the check-off regulation," she said. "We've had consultations with growers to find out where they want the money spent, how they they want it spent and have been doing a lot of work in the run-up to it actually being made a regulation in the last month."
The regulation, registered under the Agricultural Producers Association Funding Act, enables MOA to collect a 0.5% check-off on designated organic cereals, oilseeds and pulses grown in Manitoba.
The check-off became law on August 12th.
Klassen says producers have the option to opt-out, by filling out a refund form.
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