The Rural Voice, 2000-08, Page 53sell or advertise as "Organic" in
Ontario, producers must be certified
by a certifying organization. There
are many certification organizations
with different standards for organic
products. Each organization has its
own set of standards that conform to
the Canadian General Standards
Board (CGSB) standard for organic
products. The basic requirements
commonly used by most certifying
organizations for on-farm organic
pork production are:
• Living Conditions: All facilities
used to confine livestock shall meet
animals' normal socialization,
feeding and living requirements
(enough space, regular access to
pasture, sunlight, fresh air, etc.).
• Health: Treatments of pigs with
biological, medical products are
allowed and recommended in case of
disease and health problems occurred
and treatments required. All
treatments must be recorded in detail.
Drug withdrawal time must be
double the permitted period.
• Breeding: No reproduction
hormones. Natural breeding is
preferred but AI is permitted.
• Feeds: Generally, all foodstuffs
should be from organic sources.
Products that should never be
included in animals' diet include:
hormones, antibiotics, preservation
agents, coloring agents, urea, animal
by products, dung, medicated feeds,
genetically engineered or modified
organisms (GMOs) or their products,
etc. Synthetic vitamins, trace
minerals and pure amino acids may
be used.
• Livestock Sources: Pigs should be
born and raised in organic production
units. Breeding stock may come from
non-organic operations.
• Handling: Pigs should be handled
ooth humanely and responsibly.
Castration and other surgical
treatments are permitted, but any
undue animal suffering must be
prevented.
Each certifying organization has
its own standard. If you are
considering producing organic pork,
contact one of the certifying
organizations. Contact information is
provided below.
• There are some "extremes" where
AI may not be permitted and pigs
Advice
treated with drugs must be excluded
from organic pork herd, etc.
OCPP/Pro-Cert Canada Inc.
Lindsay, Ontario
www.ocpro-certcanada.com
Tel: (705) 324-2709, Fax: 324-4829
Toll free: 877-867-4264
E-mail: ocpp@lindsaycomp.on.ca
Ecological Fartners Association of
Ontario
Wroxeter, Ontario
www.gks.com/efao
Tel: (519) 335-6566, Fax:335-3516
E-mail: Mcqufarm@hurontel.on.ca
Quality Assurance International,
Canadian Office
Collingwood, Ontario
Tel: (( 705 )-443-4444, Fax :444-0380
E-mail:organix@georgian.net
Canadian Organic Grower, Inc.
Ottawa
www.gks.com/cog/
Organic Crop Improvement
Association (Ontario) Inc.
Walkerton, Ontario
www.ocia.on.ca
Tel: (519) 881-3395, Fax:881-4331
E-mail:: ociainfo@gks.com
Remember to train
new employees on
safety with your
machinery
The farm tractor is one of the most
used pieces of equipment on today's
farm. Farm tractors killed 250
people on Ontario farms in a recent
15 -year period. Many of the deaths
involved rollovers to the side or rear,
extra passengers falling from the
tractor and bystanders being run
over.
There are a number of basics that
you must know about if you are to
keep yourself, your family and your
employees safe.
Tractor Rollovers
Rollovers account for about one-
half of all tractor fatalities on our
farms. The chief causes of these
rollovers include:
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Striking surface irregularities such
as rocks, stumps and holes
• Short turns at high speeds
• Running into ditches
• Hitching high for extra traction
• Driving on steep slopes
• Improper operation of front-end
loaders
You can avoid tractor rollovers to
the side by:
• Setting your wheels at the widest
spacing possible for the job at hand.
• Don't attempt to, cross excessively
steep slopes.
• Watch constantly for depressions
and obstacles. If stability becomes
uncertain on sloping land, turn
downhill!
• Match your speed to conditions and
MORRIS SACHS
SILO
CONSTRUCTION
SILO ACCESSORIES
SILOS DISMANTLED,
REBUILT AND REPAIRS
363-3900
R.R. #1
Elmwood, Ont.
NOG 1SO
Blyth Festival
Blyth, ON
The Drawer Boy
by Michael Healey
Rural Humour
at its best
July 25 -Aug. 6
Stolen Lives:
The Albert
Walker Story
by Peter Colley
True crime drama
Aug. 1-19
When the
Reaper Calls
by Peter Colley
Warm fuzzy thriller
Aug. 22 -Sept 9
1-877-862-5984
www.blythfestival.com
AUGUST 2000 49