1pm – 1:10pm

Welcome and Introduction of Russ Christianson, keynote speaker

1:10pm – 1:45pm        Keynote Address

Russ Christianson: Russ has been working with co-operative enterprises for 25 years.  He has encouraged and supported the development of over 120 co-operatives, with a seventy percent success rate – for which his gives the founders credit.  A common theme for all of Russ’ work is co-operative sustainability:  the collective creation and sharing of wealth within an ecological framework. 

1:45pm – 2:45pm       Farmer Cooperatives: Models for Local Organic Markets

Facilitator, Lorraine Beaudette

Lenni Workman: Established Art Farm market garden 14 years ago, certified organic for 12 years. Selling at the Cobourg Farmers Market since the beginning, and is currently a board member of the Quinte Organic Farmer’s Co-op, which she joined three years ago.

Rob Wallbridge: Since 2002, Rob has provided extension services for Organic Meadow Co-op members as well as working with Co-op Board of Directors and staff to help shape the Member Relations Department of the Co-op.

Russ Christianson: See above

2:45pm – 3:45pm       What Does It Take to Be an Organic Farmer?

Facilitator, Gavin Dandy

Janine Gibson: COG’s Past President is one of Canada’s most experienced organic inspectors. She travels throughout Canada and the US to inspect farm and processing operations and has trained many of Canada’s new generation of organic inspectors.

Arnold Taylor: Arnold is the President of Canadian Organic Growers and a certified grain grower in Kenaston, Saskatchewan since 1972. His 3500 acre farm has been certified organic since 1992. Arnold sells into the domestic and international markets through grain brokers.

Sheila Hamilton: Sheila is a COG board member and, along with her husband Ron, she runs one of Alberta’s most successful organic poultry operations – Sunworks Farm. Sunworks Farm raises a variety of organic poultry and livestock which they direct market at Farmer’s Markets in Edmonton and Calgary, as well as to selected restaurants and a private school. 

Daniel Brisebois:  Dan is COG’s Vice President and he is one of five founding members of la ferme coopérative Tourne-Sol, a certified organic farm co-op in west Québec. Ferme Tourne-Sol grows and sells vegetables and seeds through direct market channels such as farmers’ markets and CSAs.

3:45pm - 4:00pm       COFFEE BREAK

4:00pm – 5:00pm       The Organic Marketplace: Certified Organic is in Demand

Facilitator, Roxanne Beavers:

Tom Manley: Tom is a former Chair of COG’s Ottawa chapter and long time director of the chapter’s successful farmer conference - Eco Farm Day. For 13 years, Tom has built up Homestead Organics to become Eastern Canada’s leading organic grain and farm supply company.

Randy Whitteker: Twenty-two years as General Manager of Ontario Natural Food Co-op (est 1976) has immersed Randy in the growth of the organic sector. The Co-op distributes organic food products to over 200 retailers across the province while running a very successful residential food buying club.

Genevieve Grossenbacher: Geneviève is a member of the COG board of directors. She recently served as an organic agricultural advisor, for Équiterre, a Quebec-based nongovernmental organization, where she coordinated a farm-to-school project which provided food boxes direct from farmers to 30 schools in Quebec.

Michael Kaplan: Michael is the co-owner of Rainbow Natural Foods (est. 1979), the region’s largest natural food store. In produce alone, Rainbow purchases approximately $5000 worth per week, all certified organic.

5:00pm – 5:30pm       Facilitating the Development of Organic Farmers’ Cooperatives: the Role of Canadian Organic Growers

Laura Telford: National Director, Canadian Organic Growers

Reception at the branch restaurant

15 Clothier St (at the top end of Prescott St), 613-258-3737

Colin Lundy
PO Box 87
North Gower, ON
613-493-0020