CanadianOrganic

What province are you in? In provinces where provincial standards don't exist we do sometimes see the word organic applied to products that are not certified. It's a big issue. The Canadian Organic Standards are a national standard - so any product crossing provincial or international borders that is labelled organic must be certified. The provinces of QC, MB, BC, and NB have provincial organic regulations and we would like to see every province with one - that is part of the work we do with the government and in supporting provincial associations in their efforts to establish a provincial regulation.

As one of the underlying tenets of organic principles is to protect and build soil health and as there is no soil in hydroponic systems it just doesn't meet the bill.

Yeah well - not according to our government. So things may change once the laws around marijuana are clarified.

per the definition in the clause 3 of the standard 3.46 parallel production (production parallèle) simultaneous production or preparation of organic and non-organic crops, including transitional crops, livestock and other organic products of the same or similar, visually indistinguishable varieties.

if you have livestock then this would be part of your pasture rotation. Green manures are not mandatory requirement - they are an option. Here is the relevant part of the Canadian Organic Standards 5.4 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management 5.4.1 The main objective of the soil fertility and crop nutrient management program shall be to establish and maintain a fertile soil using practices that maintain or increase soil humus levels, that promote an optimum balance and supply of nutrients, and that stimulate biological activity within the soil. 5.4.2 Where appropriate, the soil fertility and biological activity shall be maintained or increased, through: a) crop rotations that are as varied as possible and include plough-down, legumes, catch crops and deep-rooting plants; b) incorporation of plant and animal matter in compliance with this standard and with Table 4.2 of CAN/CGSB-32.311, including the following: 1) composted animal and plant matter; 2) non-composted plant matter, specifically legumes, plough-down crops or deep-rooting plants within the framework of an appropriate multiyear rotation plan; and 3) unprocessed animal manure, including liquid manure and slurry, subject to the requirements of 5.5.1.