West Nova Agro going organic

By Heather Killen

Spectator

NovaNewsNow,com

A new organic grain processing facility is a natural add-on to a Lawrencetown based business.

The provincial government recently announced West Nova Agro Commodities Ltd. (WNACL) is one of four groups receiving money from the Startegic Infrastructure Investment fund this year.

Jonathan McClelland, WNACL manager, said the grant will support the creation of a new organic grain and oilseed handling facilty. Organic farmers in Annapolis will soon be able to buy, sell, dry and store certified organic grains and oilseeds in their own county.

“It’s an important component of a strategic infrastructure that supports diversity within the local industry,” he said. “It creates new local markets for products, and has the potential to be very lucrative for farmers.”

Conventional farmers have been using the Lawrencetown-based grain handling facility to buy and sell- and in some cases- store their grains for the past several years. Organic farmers have been buying and shipping their grains and oilseeds from other markets.

The new parallel facility in Lawrencetown will be built in time for this crop season to serve the local demand for organic feedstock and create new niche markets for grain-growers.

It will generate new market opportunities for crops such as canola and flax, and will benefit interested farmers with unused land, according to McClelland.

“You can grow a crop knowing there’s a market,” he said. “We can dry it, grade it and sell it here.”

Organic farmers will be able to locally buy and sell high protein, organic feedstock. This facility is a logical addition to WNACL’s existing business, and will bridge a gap in the local infrastructure, he said.

The group will build a dryer and separate storage facility in order to meet the strict guidelines required for certified organic products.

McClelland said a local handling facility gives small organic farmers an opportunity to expand. And offers conventional farmers a chance to make a gradual transition into the organic sector.

“The cost of pesticides and fertilizer is increasing faster than the profits,” he said. “Up until now it hasn’t been feasible for many farmers to grow organic.”

A number of conventional farmers in the area are looking at switching over, but may have been put off by the increased cost of shipping organic feedstock from other markets. A local supplier has the potential to dramatically cut the costs of organic grain and oilseed.

McClelland estimated that transportation costs amount to about $3.50-$4 a bag, so savings could be substantial. Being able to buy local also benefits the environment, with less fuel expended in transportation.

“The demand for certified organic products is growing faster than the supply,” he said. “Here in the Valley we are better suited for organic farming practices because we have smaller farms.”

Overall, McClelland said he hopes the new facility will expand and benefit the local economy, meet a growing consumer demand for high quality certified organic products and rejuevenate the farming industry.

“It’s nice to see the province putting the money into infrastructure,” he said.