The Ecological
Agriculture Program
In choosing to concentrate its efforts on issues that have implications for the environment and social equity, Équiterre could not ignore the questions of agriculture and food.
Équiterre wants the food, agriculture and land continuum to be conceived and experienced in an ecological manner - that is, in a manner that is organic, local and supportive. The organization would like to see this concept take on greater importance in rural Quebec as well as on our tables. The way our food is produced, processed, distributed and consumed must be recognized as being essential to a healthy rural environment, to food safety and to our own health as well as that of our children.
As with all of our projects, Équiterre's Ecological Agriculture Program works to promote individual and collective choices.
With regard to individual choices, the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) network gives citizen-consumers an opportunity to support local citizen-growers by purchasing a share of the harvest in advance. Équiterre started promoting CSA in 1995. Today, the network brings together more than 90 farms that provide organic food to over 7,500 families in 14 Quebec regions.
Between 2001 and 2003, Équiterre led a campaign called "Moi, je mange bio!" (I eat organic), whose aim was to heighten public awareness about the positive aspects of local and organic farming. In light of the success of this campaign, Equiterre plans to launch a similar project in the future.
The Organic Day Care pilot project was launched in November 2002 with the aim of creating links between daycare centers (Centres de la petite enfance) and local organic farms in order to reduce children's exposure to pesticides while developing a healthy attitude toward food and agriculture. Educational activities encourage people of all ages to take an interest in the food-producing process. This pilot project has generated somewhat of a trend, allowing over 5,000 children in more than 45 daycare centres to enjoy local organic produce while participating in Équiterre's community agri-food project. Likewise, a new pilot project launched in January 2005 aims to link collective kitchens with local organic farms, thereby contributing to promote better health within these groups. Scheduled to end in March 2007, this local, organic collective kitchen pilot project will facilitate the emergence of this new formula throughout Quebec.
Over the last three years, Équiterre has written, submitted and tabled two briefs on food and agricultural issues; the first to the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (BAPE) about pork production, the other to the agriculture committee of the National Assembly about new issues of food safety.
Finally, the Ecological Agriculture Program team is actively involved in Quebec's agri-food sector, notably as a member of the Board of Solidarité rurale du Québec, Conseil sur la faim et l'alimentation de l'Ile de Montréal . They also work together on an ad hoc basis with other organizations that are concerned about the same issues.
What is organic farming?
Organic farming relies on techniques such as crop rotation and the use of soil-enriching compost or "green fertilizers" (herbaceous crops plowed under while green) to foster the presence of useful predators that eat pests and help maintain the quality of the soil that nourishes the plants. What's more, organic farming is governed by strict standards, including a ban on pesticides, chemical fertilizers, genetically modified seeds and other chemical inputs prohibited by the certification authorities. Since the Act Respecting Reserved Designations came into effect in Quebec in 2000, certification bodies have been responsible for inspecting all farms labelled as "organic," "biological," "ecological" and "biodynamic." This means that a rigorous process ensures the authenticity of products that are certified "organic" by an organization accredited by the Conseil d'accréditation du Québec (CAAQ).
Eating organically... and locally
Did you know that some of the food you eat has travelled thousands of kilometres before reaching your plate? Local organic farming produces foods that, because they do not need to be shipped over long distances, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By purchasing such foodstuffs, you promote the development of organic farming, job creation and environmental conservation right in your own backyard. You help strengthen the normal and fundamental link that should connect urban and rural citizens in a given territory. It's a choice that takes on its full meaning when one considers the essential issue of food security.