Canada's
Organic Products Regulations Go Into Effect
Leading Organic Food Producers
in Canada Like Winnipeg-Based Manitoba
Harvest are Eager for the Opportunity to Increase Public Awareness
of
Organic Agriculture & the Many Benefits of Organic Food
(Winnipeg, Manitoba -July 2, 2009) - Canada
Day is not the only festive event worth celebrating today. The
long-awaited Canadian Organic Products Regulations take effect
on July 1 across Canada. Manitoba Harvest is a pioneering organic
hemp foods company that will be celebrating this important occasion
at their certified organic processing facility in Winnipeg.
Organic certification is the public's guarantee that products
meet robust standards, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
is charged with enforcing the regulations.
Eating organic foods such as Manitoba Harvest's organic shelled
hemp seed, organic protein powder, organic hemp oil and their
award-winning Hemp Bliss organic hempmilk is important because
it reduces exposure to toxic and persistent pesticides, herbicides,
fungicides and fertilizers that are used in most conventional
food production. Organic farming protects the environment, is
more energy-efficient, and mounting scientific evidence shows
greater levels of nutrients in organically grown produce and
grains, when compared to conventionally grown products.
Even in today's challenging financial climate, sales of organic
products, including organic hemp foods, continue to grow. "More
people than ever are concerned about the health of their loved
ones, the health of the planet, and the health of small farms
where much of the organic farming growth is taking place,"
says Mike Fata, President and co-founder of Manitoba Harvest.
"They are aware that 'organic' is a healthier lifestyle
for everyone and is worth their commitment and investment. In
particular, parents of young children are trying to start their
kids off right and give them the best chance to be healthy and
thrive, and organic agriculture offers that opportunity to minimize
exposure to chemicals," adds Fata, whom's company is an
active member of Organic Trade Association .
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils (www.manitobaharvest.com)
is one of the fastest growing private companies in Canada. Their
line of organic hemp foods will be emblazoned with the new Canada
Organic Seal that was released today. Products that are 95%
organic or more can use the new seal. Products that contain
70-95% organic ingredients can only identify organic content
and the percentage in the ingredients panel. Canada and the
U.S. have signed the world's first organic equivalency agreement,
accepting each other's standards and enforcement systems as
equal. There are only minor differences, and farmers and food
companies won't have to certify twice to sell in both markets.
"The most significant 'organic' challenge we face is the
stabilization of supply and demand for organic hemp seed,"
says Fata. "We think that the new Canadian Organic Products
Regulations will help solidify the marketplace, and with the
government support, it will help elevate the awareness and profile
of organic foods in the eyes of consumers, retailers, farmers
and other businesses," adds Fata. "Our company helped
to get hemp farming going again in Canada in 1998, and we have
seen that it has been a challenge for the agricultural infrastructure
to stabilize and establish a steady balance between supply and
demand. We try to neutralize this factor by working very closely
with our farmers - so close that many of the farmers that supply
us are shareholders in our company, and that bond helps us address
supply challenges, and helps them too," says Fata. "Over
the past decade we have supported many Manitoba farmers by purchasing
organic hemp seed from them," adds Fata.
Since 1998, dedication to sustainable agriculture has been a
key part of Manitoba Harvest's success and the company is thrilled
that demand for organic hemp seed is taking off. "Hemp
farming is sustainable agriculture at its best," says Fata.
Hemp is naturally pest-resistant so pesticides are not used,
and because hemp plants grow rapidly and close together, they
crowd out weeds and don't need herbicides. Hemp is also a soil-building
plant that is excellent for crop rotation. Its strong roots
anchor the soil to prevent erosion and cultivation generates
virtually no waste and its byproducts are commercially useful.
Manitoba Harvest was honored with the 2006 Socially
Responsible Business Award at the Natural Products
Expo East trade show in Baltimore, Maryland for their work pioneering
sustainable organic hemp agriculture in North America. "It
is the support from, and leadership demonstrated by dynamic
companies like Manitoba Harvest that help propel the organic
industry forward," says Matthew Holmes, Managing Director
of the Organic Trade Association Canada (http://www.ota.com/otacanada.html).
Hemp is hot, and part of the allure for consumers is the eco-friendly
aspect of sustainable hemp agriculture. According to the data
from marketplace data leader SPINs, hemp grocery sales grew
in the sampled stores by 42% in 2008, and the Hemp Industries
Association estimates the total 2008 retail value of North American
hemp food, vitamin and body care product sales to be between
$100 million and $120 million. Foods such as hemp that provide
Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are hot because medical
evidence demonstrating their health benefits continues to grow.
Health-savvy consumers are also finding that in addition to
being a nutritional powerhouse, hemp foods have a great flavor
and gourmet appeal.
Nutrition experts tout hemp due to its balanced concentration
of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids, strong digestible
protein profile, plentiful fiber, and abundance of vitamins
and minerals. Hemp foods are the richest vegetable source of
Omega 3 & 6. Hemp also contains all of the essential amino
acids and has an overall protein content that is comparable
to soy beans and higher than that found in nuts, other seeds,
meats, dairy products, fish and poultry. Hemp foods offer potential
benefits associated with the prevention or attenuation of many
of the leading health conditions that challenge people in North
America including diabetes, cancer, lupus, asthma, rheumatoid
arthritis, hormone imbalance, depression and hypertension. The
role of essential fatty acids in human growth and development,
as well as their role in diseases like coronary heart disease,
are hot research areas.
About
Manitoba Harvest
Founded in 1998, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils is the
largest vertically integrated hemp food manufacturer in the
world. The company mission is to create the healthiest hemp
foods, to educate the public about healthy lifestyle choices
and to support sustainable and organic agriculture. Manitoba
Harvest produces cold-pressed Hemp Oil, Shelled Hemp Seed, Hemp
Seed Butter and a line of Hemp Protein Powders at their new,
certified organic state-of-the-art facility. They also produce
Hemp Bliss(r) - the award-winning and first-ever line of organic
non-dairy hempmilks. In addition to their own popular brand
of hemp foods, Manitoba Harvest supplies many other leading
consumer brands with nutraceutical and functional hemp food
ingredients.
In February 2009, Manitoba Harvest partnered with Renewable
Choice Energy to offset 100% of their facility's electricity
with wind power offsets, and all of their facility's natural
gas usage through carbon offsets. The program demonstrates Manitoba
Harvest's strong commitment to sustainability, their support
for wind power and renewable energy, and their dedication toward
the fight against global climate change. To learn more, please
visit www.manitobaharvest.com.