GUELPH — In a concept paper published last year on behalf of the Organic Council of Ontario, long-time organic farmer and sector advocate Ted Zettel wrote, “in Canada, the supply management boards dictate what can and can’t be done in the production of dairy and poultry. These boards are democratically drawn from their respective producer groups and so are highly representative of the mainstream. They have sweeping powers to unilaterally impose rules on all producers, with the big stick of taking away quota hanging over the heads of any who don’t comply.”

On Jan. 28, these concepts will be put forward for discussion as the OCO joins forces with the 29th annual Guelph Organic Conference to host an afternoon session entitled “Talking Turkey: Supply management and the freedom to farm progressively.”

Zettel, an OCO board member, will appear as a panelist, along with Dr. David Walter Toews — who appeared as an expert witness in a tribunal brought forward last year by the OCO on behalf of an organic turkey farmer. They will be joined by industry stakeholders, regulators, and farm organizations in a discussion moderated by food security advocate Cathleen Kneen.

Among the issues to be examined:

• The threat of disease: Is it real? Is it imminent? Is keeping our birds (or any animals) inside going to help?

• Is it appropriate that marketing boards outlaw alternative production methods? Who is investigating the role the mainstream production systems have in creating conditions for such disease outbreaks?

• Who will make the rules that govern organic standards?

• What will happen to the integrity of the standard if it is subjugated to rules made by groups with little understanding of organic technologies?

• Where do we go from here? What is the next step for the organic sector?

Information is available online at www.guelphorganicconf.ca or by contacting the OCO office at (519) 827-1221.