Welcome to Canada's Organic Science Cluster

A part of the Canadian Agri-Science Clusters Initiative of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Growing Forward Policy Framework.

Map indicating the locations of Organic Science Cluster Research Activities across Canada. Please click on the map to open a PDF file with an enlarged map and additional information about the Organic Science Cluster.

Learn More About the Organic Science Cluster:

• About the Organic Science Cluster
• News and Events
• Project Information
• Organic Science Cluster Partners and Sponsors
• Participating Researchers

About the Organic Science Cluster

Canada’s Organic Science Cluster (OSC) is a collaborative effort led jointly by the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada (OACC) at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and the Organic Federation of Canada (OFC). The Organic Science Cluster is part of the Canadian Agri-Science Clusters Initiative of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Growing Forward Policy Framework and is supported by contributions from industry partners. The goals of the Organic Science Cluster are to facilitate a national strategic approach to organic science in Canada, link scientists across the country and disseminate the knowledge generated to organic stakeholders. The Organic Science Cluster has identified 10 sub-projects including 30 research activities that will be conducted by over 50 researchers plus 30 collaborators in approximately 45 research institutions. Activities of the Organic Science Cluster will include work in fruit horticulture, agronomy, cereal crop breeding, soil fertility management, vegetable production, greenhouse production, dairy production systems, parasite control in ruminants, environmental sustainability, and food processing. This research comes at a time when there is renewed emphasis on innovation, efficiency (energy, labour, economics), and capturing value-added markets. Most of this research directed toward organic agriculture can also be applied to conventional production systems, drawing interest to this cluster from producers across Canada.

• See the Organic Science Cluster Proposal
• See the video of the Announcement of the Organic Science Cluster.
• View a map of Organic Science Cluster Research Activities Across Canada

News and Events

News	Events
Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada Announces Canada’s First Organic Science Conference For the first time in Canadian history, Canadian researchers and practitioners will come together to share research results at a scientific conference dedicated to organic agriculture.  The Canadian Organic Science Conference (COSC) will be held February 21 – 23, 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada at the University of Manitoba.  For more information, please see the press release.
"Organic is a Science" is a short film about the Organic Science Cluster, a $8.5 million research project on organic agriculture managed by OACC. The film, produced by the Organic Federation of Canada (OFC), presents how OACC conceived the project, and the OACC staff that manage the OSC.  It shows how OACC accomplishes its mandate, that is “linking organic knowledge”. See the video...
SOWING THE SEEDS FOR NEW RESEARCH IN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN CANADA Canada's Organic Sector receives $6.5 million for research in announcement of Canada's Organic Science Cluster OACC is pleased to announce the official launch of Canada's Organic Science Cluster.  With $8.8 million in funding through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Growing Forward Program and industry partners, the Organic Science Cluster spans the country and will strengthen the science behind organic agriculture in Canada. For more information, please see the press release.

Organic Science Cluster Project Information

Subproject A: Biologically-Based Fertility Management
Subproject B: Integrated Grain-Based Cropping Systems
Subproject C: Organic Greenhouse Production
Subproject D: Integrated Management of Horticultural Field Crops
Subproject E: Environmental Stewardship and Product Branding
Subproject F: High Value Fruit Production
Subproject G: Benchmarking the Organic Dairy Production System
Subproject H: Organic Food Processing
Subproject I: Sheep Parasite Control
Subproject J: Communication

Organic Science Cluster Partners & Sponsors

Researchers Participating in the Organic Science Cluster

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