by Sarah Clark
Organic farming practices based on biodiversity, sustainability, and conservation-oriented land use practices have a long history in the Similkameen Valley, stretching back to the 1960s. Twenty years later, in 1986, the Similkameen-Okanagan Organic Producers Association (SOOPA) began certifying farms to organic standards. Since then, South Okanagan-Similkameen growers have been leaders, in BC and beyond, in the advancement of organic principles and in recognition of the values of land conservancy. Currently, the Okanagan-Similkameen region is home to 20% of the certified organic enterprises in BC, with 40% of the farms in the region certified organic. The region also boasts the “Organic Farming Capital of Canada” in the community of Cawston.
In 2003 the extensive knowledge and experience of organic farmers in the region was identified as an opportunity to advance organic farming beyond the practices of individual farmers and the region. The vision was to develop an institute through which the region's knowledge could be shared.
What is the Organic Farming Institute of BC?
The Organic Farming Institute of BC (OFIBC) was launched in 2005. A founding board of regional representatives, including organic farmers worked with the Regional District of Similkameen-Okanagan's economic development function to develop a business plan and solidify a mission to support the vision for the institute. The mission: to share the collective organic farming knowledge through on line courses and field training to expand and improve the use of organic food production methods.
Organic farming is based on a number of principles that revolve around producing food in a manner that minimizes the impact of agriculture on the environment. Organic methods include:
Soil health
Soil health is one of the fundamental factors in a healthy and sustainable ecosystem; it is also a foundation of organic farming, and hence a primary focus for the Organic Farming Institute of BC. Through support from the Real Estate Foundation of BC (financial and consultative), the OFIBC developed the first three courses concentrating on organic soil management. A $35,500 grant from the Real Estate Foundation of BC in 2006 helped OFIBC develop is current soil health curriculum.
Good management practices ensure the soil can provide a full range of functions, such as nutrient cycling, and have the ability to maintain this capacity into the future (i.e. sustainability). When considered from a land use perspective, soil health is a necessity to enable farming operations to function effectively long term, to continue to be productive and profitable for farmers and minimize negative off farm impacts.
The interrelationships between farming operations, well-being of local communities, and the ecology of a region are complex. There are often multiple relationships and steps between cause and effect. Focusing on the health of the soil is a point of leverage, which can have a positive influence on these interrelationships and their effects. Reduced off-farm costs, lessening of negative impact through runoff and erosion control, and improved viability of farming operations and rural communities are some of the short and long term benefits as a result of improving soil health.
Training at OFIBC
Courses are open for registration on a monthly basis. For more information, please contact the Organic Farming Institute of BC at www.ofibc.org or call 250 938-7634. We are based in Keremos in the South Okanagan.
The support of the Real Estate Foundation of BC has been very important to the development of OFIBC and our goals of advancing the practices of organic farming. We believe this approach to agriculture is a sustainable form of land use. By promoting biodiversity on the farm and reducing negative off-farm effects it contributes to the health of rural communities and supports conservation activities.
About the author...
Sarah Clark (BSc, Botany and Microbiology) is the administrator for the Organic Farming Institute of BC (and the Certified Organic Associations of BC.). Her involvement in the organic agriculture sector is relatively recent but she has been involved in agriculture and environmental issues for many years, with periods of work in the wine industry in Australia and Canada and in quality management. The need for quality practical training options aimed at expanding organic food production is what drew Sarah to the OFIBC.
The Organic Farming Institute of BC (OFIBC) was launched in 2005. A founding board of regional representatives, including organic farmers worked with the Regional District of Similkameen-Okanagan's economic development function to develop a business plan and solidify a mission to support the vision for the institute. The mission: to share the collective organic farming knowledge through on line courses and field training to expand and improve the use of organic food production methods.
Organic farming is based on a number of principles that revolve around producing food in a manner that minimizes the impact of agriculture on the environment. Organic methods include:
- reducing pollution and soil degradation;
- recycling and using renewable resources where possible;
- and using methods that promote and maintain the health of soil, plants, animals whilst optimizing productivity.
Organic farming practices take a long-term approach to using the land base. It recognizes and balances two factors:
- the value of the land as a finite resource,
- the need for food production and the impact of farming on the environment.
Soil health
Soil health is one of the fundamental factors in a healthy and sustainable ecosystem; it is also a foundation of organic farming, and hence a primary focus for the Organic Farming Institute of BC. Through support from the Real Estate Foundation of BC (financial and consultative), the OFIBC developed the first three courses concentrating on organic soil management. A $35,500 grant from the Real Estate Foundation of BC in 2006 helped OFIBC develop is current soil health curriculum.
Good management practices ensure the soil can provide a full range of functions, such as nutrient cycling, and have the ability to maintain this capacity into the future (i.e. sustainability). When considered from a land use perspective, soil health is a necessity to enable farming operations to function effectively long term, to continue to be productive and profitable for farmers and minimize negative off farm impacts.
The interrelationships between farming operations, well-being of local communities, and the ecology of a region are complex. There are often multiple relationships and steps between cause and effect. Focusing on the health of the soil is a point of leverage, which can have a positive influence on these interrelationships and their effects. Reduced off-farm costs, lessening of negative impact through runoff and erosion control, and improved viability of farming operations and rural communities are some of the short and long term benefits as a result of improving soil health.
Training at OFIBC
Farmers are a pragmatic lot. During the development of the OFIBC soil courses we recognized that it was very important for the Institute to develop courses that were practical in nature. Online courses had to have an interactive, practical element to hold our target audience. This became the focus for OFIBC work made possible through Real Estate Foundation of BC funding. Using video, narrated presentations, interactive quizzes and games, in addition to readings and assignments, the students actively participate in the learning process, making it more useful and effective in the practical lives of farmers. To further support online learning, the Organic Farming Institute developed a field-training course that reinforces online knowledge through learning-by-doing. The field-training, while accessible to new or prospective farmers, is also aimed at those already actively farming with knowledge in the subject matter.
Generous support from the Real Estate Foundation of BC has enabled the OFIBC to develop its first three courses and open its doors to students in the summer of 2009. Since that time, students from across BC and one from Chile have studied with the OFIBC. In May 2010 OFIBC Certificates for ORG 101 Introduction to Organic Soil Management and Nutrient Cycles were personally awarded to two local Okanagan students on completion of their first courses at OFIBC. To date the OFIBC has awarded 10 certificates of completion to students.
Interested in studying at OFIBC?
We welcome students from around the world. Currently OFIBC offers three core courses:
We welcome students from around the world. Currently OFIBC offers three core courses:
- ORG 101 – Introduction to Organic Soil Management and Nutrient cycles
- ORG 102 – Organic Soil Management Practices and Transitioning to organics
- ORG 101F – Organic Soil Management Field Training (weekend course)
Courses are open for registration on a monthly basis. For more information, please contact the Organic Farming Institute of BC at www.ofibc.org or call 250 938-7634. We are based in Keremos in the South Okanagan.
The support of the Real Estate Foundation of BC has been very important to the development of OFIBC and our goals of advancing the practices of organic farming. We believe this approach to agriculture is a sustainable form of land use. By promoting biodiversity on the farm and reducing negative off-farm effects it contributes to the health of rural communities and supports conservation activities.
About the author...
©Real Estate Foundation of BC / 2010. We encourage the reproduction of articles on this website non-profit educational purposes. Please notify the Foundation and the author of all reproductions, including in-house uses.
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