Freshness and Quality
By purchasing food from organic farms in Quebec, you can be sure it meets our own organic
certification standards, known to be very demanding. This ensures, by extension, a method of natural
and safe farming.
You can eat your food knowing that it contains no pesticide residues or chemical fertilizers. Moreover,
since it requires only limited transport, if you buy through Quebec farms, freshness is also on the menu.
Many studies have linked pesticides and chemical fertilizers to a number of human diseases. So it is
best to avoid contact with hazardous pesticides. The three most commonly used are neonicotinoid,
atrazine, and pyrethroid.
The Environment
Another advantage of encouraging Quebec's organic farms is that you avoid the pollution related to
transport, knowing that food travels an average of 2,500 km before getting to your plate.
1 Also,
methods of ecological agricultural methods require forty-five percent less fossil-fuel consumption than
conventional agricultural practices.
2
The good news is that Quebecers are now aware of the real cost to the planet and future generations of
what they eat now. So they are asking questions about the provenance of their food.
Quebec's organic producers respect our drinking water and our soil. The quality of the soil is very
important for Quebecers' food. That is why the working practices on organic farms aim to enrich the
microbiological composition of the soil in order to curb soil erosion and to preserve its quality.
3
Animal Welfare
Moreover, more and more Quebecers are aware of the living conditions of animals in industrial factory
farms and want their food choices to correspond to their values. Choosing organic foods guarantees a
better quality of life for the animals.
Besides being better fed, organic livestock methods guarantee more space for animals to move, in
addition to giving them access to the outdoors: so-called “free range.” It may seem obvious, but this is
significant, considering the miserable conditions that factory-farm animals are forced to suffer.
Encourage Local Farmers
Every day, a farm disappears in Quebec. Thus, supporting organic farms has a huge impact through
which we can continue to enjoy the benefits already discussed. This also helps to ensure our food
sovereignty while promoting the local economy; not only in major cities but also in many small
communities throughout Quebec.
The majority of organic farms are owned by young farmers, under forty years of age, who raise their
families with a view to making a difference by stopping the ravages of industrial agriculture.
Encouraging our local family farms protects our health and the environment while supporting our
economy.
1
http://www.fabqbio.ca/meganet/media/docs/fiche_3_pourquoi_manger_bio_quebecois.pdf
2www.equiterre.org
3
https://www.fermelecrepuscule.com/fr/guides-conseils_Ferme_Le_Crpuscule/Pourquoi_choisir_le_bio.html