Canada boasts the largest organic industry in the world, with annual sales of nearly $1.5 billion and a growing number of businesses in every province and territory. While Canada’s organic sector has grown dramatically in recent years, there’s still room to improve regulations around organic products, research funding, and education for consumers. The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) is committed to helping Canadian farmers thrive while protecting their right to grow certified organic food without any pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.
Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA)
COTA is a membership-based business association for the organic sector in Canada. Working together with our members and partners, we advance the growth of organic trade in Canada by providing a forum for the exchange of information and ideas.
COTA represents growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmer associations and more from coast to coast to coast. We work with them to enhance their competitiveness domestically and internationally by sharing best practices on policy development as well as market access initiatives.
Annual Meeting & Conference – The Heart & Soul of Organic
Annual Meeting & Conference is the heart and soul of organic. It is the place to learn, connect and share. It’s where you will get inspired and make new friends.
Traders, farmers, producers, food processors, and workers within the organics sector gathered in Ottawa on February 16-19 to discuss the issues that are at the heart of Canadian and international organic agriculture.
The Canadian Organic Trade Association (COTA) is the membership-based business association for the organic sector in Canada, representing growers and processors. COTA is committed to providing a unified voice for this industry and promoting its growth.
COTA’s key objectives
- To promote organic agriculture, products and services at home and abroad
- To advance national policy on issues affecting the organic sector
- To increase market demand for organics through marketing programs
National Organic Week (NOW!)
What is National Organic Week (NOW!)?
National Organic Week is a celebration of organic agriculture in Canada. It’s celebrated annually during the week of October 6th, which was chosen as it falls near two of Canada’s most important food festivals: Thanksgiving and Canadian Agriculture Day. Now! is also a national initiative of the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA), an industry association that works to build business opportunities for organic farmers and processors across Canada, while promoting organic products to consumers.
Why should you celebrate NOW!?
We encourage Canadians to participate in National Organic Week because it provides an opportunity for everyone—from farmers and processors to retailers and consumers—to learn more about what it means to eat healthy foods grown without synthetic chemicals or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). By taking part in NOW!, you can support a local economy while enjoying some delicious food!
Join a new nationwide celebration of the organic movement from coast to coast.
The Organic Trade Association is a coalition of organic farmers and businesses. We represent the interests of our members in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill and at international trade negotiations such as the World Trade Organization.
COTA is the membership-based business association for the organic sector in Canada, representing growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmer associations and more.
COTA is the membership-based business association for the organic sector in Canada, representing growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmer associations and more.
COTA represents its members on public policy issues through meetings with government officials at all levels as well as other stakeholders such as industry organizations and non-governmental organizations. COTA provides a central hub for information on organic issues in Canada so that its members can remain informed about current regulations and trends in their industry.
Join The Community
COTA is a membership-based business association for the organic sector in Canada. We represent growers, shippers, processors, certifiers and farmer associations. We promote the growth of organic trade in Canada through lobbying activities at all levels of government, public education programs and by facilitating networking opportunities among our members.