FarmGro Organic Foods Inc. was financed by organic farmers, other investors, the Saskatchewan government and a commodity and food trading company. It opened east of Regina in early April, says Balfour. The organic food industries in North America, Europe and Asia have really taken off in the last few years. In the U.S., expansion has exceeded 20 per cent a year for the past six years and the Japanese market is growing by 35 per cent annually. Certified organic producers, distributors and food manufacturers are subject to an annual third-party inspection and a stringent set of certification standards, reinforced by an independent audit trail that traces the product from the final consumer back to the farmer and the field.
Organic foods are no longer a fad or a trend, but are being accepted into the mass market.
Balfour believes the timing is right in Saskatchewan for an opportunity to learn from the past. We have to rethink our approach to growing quality food. We must come up with a sustainable model that preserves a healthy environment and provides consumers with a safe food supply and us with a sustainable bottom line. I think the organic model will achieve all those goals. The FarmGro plant has the capacity to mill 15,500 tonnes per year and can also clean and sell about 18,000 tonnes per year of organic grains and specialty crops.