VANCOUVER, British Columbia, (April 20, 2022) The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) hosted its 2022 Organic Leadership awards gala evening to recognize the trailblazers and innovators of the organic industry. Located at the posh MeeT Restaurant in Vancouver, guests celebrated and connected over organic accomplishments, and vegan cuisine as champions in the organic space were recognized. This is the 6th year COTA has presented these awards to Canadian catalysts that are progressing the Canadian organic crusade to new heights.
“Each year we look forward to honoring those who have led with valuable contributions to help grow and expand organic. These leaders play an instrumental role to further the values and vision of our industry,” said Tia Loftsgard, Executive Director of the Canada Organic Trade Association.
This years’ awards were graciously sponsored by Nature’s Path Foods and Pro-Cert, both members of COTA and have a longstanding commitment to the growth of the organic industry. Koochikoo provided sugar-free candies to each guest with conversation starters attached, creating a fun and memorable evening.
The engraved glass oval-shaped award represents an acknowledgment of hard work in the organic industry and the devotion and dedication shown by innovators that forge a path of distinction to ensure organic is protected, promoted, and continues for generations.
Congratulations to the award recipients:
Organic Champion of the Year – Dag Falck
Organic Supplier of the Year – UNFI Canada
Outstanding Leadership in Organic Science – Jean Duval, Ph.D.
Organic Retailer of the Year – Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods
Organic Innovator of the Year – Nuts For Cheese
Organic Farmer of the Year – Upland Organics
The Organic Champion of the Year was proudly presented to Dag Falck, a catalyst, visionary, and true leader for revolution and development in the organic industry. For the past 18 years, Dag has worked for Nature's Path Organic Foods, overseeing the company’s organic policies and programs, and consumer and internal education about the benefits and importance of organics. Dag has been influential in ensuring that an adequate amount of cropland is converted to Certified Organic, enabling uninterrupted organic production and providing organic farmers with access to resources and growing and harvesting techniques that ensure the highest quality of organic crops. Dag is a true champion for the Organic food industry, promoting the benefits of organic food and farming he leads with a strong internal compass that balances the growth of the sector while staying committed to the highest integrity around organic principles.
“This award not only is a great honour for me to receive, it also signals how far things have come. Today organic is firmly embedded and valued in customers lives and it positively impacts everything from a microscopic soil organism to our global climate. I consider myself fortunate to have been part of the journey and excited to see the further potential organic has for shaping the future and leaving the earth better.” Dag Falck, Founder, Falck Organic Consulting
UNFI Canada was awarded recipient of the Organic Supplier of the Year award. UNFI Canada is a division of United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), North America’s largest grocery wholesale distributor. As the first national certified organic distributor in Canada, they pride themselves on taking take bold action to address and accelerate change in social and environmental issues, including climate action, waste reduction, food justice, safety and wellbeing, and diversity and inclusion.
“We are very proud to be recognized as Organic Supplier of the Year. UNFI Canada remains committed to building a brighter future by delivering greater food choice to help feed a healthy future. By embracing new, innovative, and sustainable technologies, we can continue to produce and provide more organic and healthier food options to more Canadians.” Stacey Kravitz, President, UNFI Canada
Jean Duval was honoured with the award of Outstanding Leadership in Organic Science. Jean has been a key contributor to the organic sector growth and evolution, applying his combination of practical experience and science literacy to support growth of the organic sector in many ways. Jean’s assistance for science-based improvement of organic agriculture in Quebec as well as the rest of Canada has been invaluable. He has applied his undergraduate and graduate training to enhancing organic production and reducing the environmental risks of synthetic fertilizer and pesticide use.
“I feel greatly honoured to receive OTA’s Organic Leadership Award for my commitment to Organic Science. As an agronomist dedicated to the development of organic agriculture in Canada for the past 33 years, this recognition is heartily appreciated.” Jean Duval, Ph.D, Director, Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods was awarded the Organic Retailer of the Year. Jo Anne’s has been in the natural health retail industry for 45 years, supporting local organic farms and suppliers as their first choice when educating customers of the impact on their psychical health but the health of the planet. They stay active and engaged in the organic community and lean partners like COTA, farmers, and suppliers and to keep them informed.
“Thank you, COTA, for this honor. We are proud to be members COTA. Since 1976 we have promoted the benefits of an organic lifestyle on our health and wellness as well as the wellness of our planet, we are grateful to be in communities that embrace the same values as we do and have supported us for all these years.” Sharon Walker, General Manager, Jo Anne’s Place
Nuts for Cheese (NFC) was the proud receiver of the Organic Innovator of the Year award. As one of the first artisan organic plant-based cheese producers to launch in Canada, NFC contributions have been pivotal to the creation of plant-based industry standards and the evolution of this growing organic space. Market development has been a key focus for NFC. As Canada's only artisan, organic plant-based cheese, and butter manufacturer to launch nationally in the US, they have contributed to the Canadian plant-based economy and Ontario's world-class reputation for high-quality food production.
"We are humbled to receive the Organic Innovator of the Year Award! As a small Canadian business in the midst of a rapid US expansion, it is truly rewarding to be recognized for our achievements and export development. We are grateful for the support of COTA and to be recognized as a leader in Canada's organic category." Margaret Coons, Founder & CEO, Nuts for Cheese
Cody Straza and Allison J. Squires of Upland Organics were honoured with the award of Organic Farmer of the Year. Upland Organics is a mixed cattle and certified organic grain farm near Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan owned and operated by Allison and Cody. True visionaries in organic farming, their focus is on the five soil health principles (minimize soil disturbance, keep the soil covered, increase diversity, keep a living root, and integrate livestock) to improve the soil, decrease costs and increase revenue. Upland Farms have successfully adopted farming techniques that include reduced tillage, intercropping, cover cropping, pollinator strips, and rotational grazing.
“Our ultimate goal is to pass on a thriving operation to the next generation of farmers. To do this we are focused on doing more with less while identifying opportunities to expand our market with value added and diverse enterprises. We see so many opportunities within the agriculture industry and we are very excited about what the future holds for the next generation of farmers.” Allison J Squires, Owner & Operator, Upland Organics
COTA’s Annual Organic Leadership Awards were established in 2016. Recipients of these honorary awards are nominated by their peers and chosen unanimously by the Canada Organic Trade Association. VIEW past recipients.
About the winners:
Dag Falck: Dag was educated as an agronomist in Norway. With a background in agriculture and his strong interest in health, organic farming and food he became directly involved with organic certification in 1989 when he started working as an inspector for multiple organic certification agencies in North America. For the past 18 years, Dag has worked for Nature's Path Organic Foods, North America's largest independent organic breakfast foods manufacturer and will be retiring March 31st, 2022.
Jean Duval: Jean Duval has been involved in the development of organic agriculture in Canada for over 30 years, always putting science at the core of his work. After studying agronomy at McGill University, he was active for a decade in teaching, extension and inspection. He was an organic advisor to farmers for ten years, after which he joined CETAB+ in 2011 as a researcher, and has been its director since 2016.
Jo Anne's Place: This year Jo Anne’s Place is celebrating their 45th anniversary! At Jo Anne’s Place, customers will find organic fruit and vegetables, quality frozen meat, gluten-free and local products, aromatherapy, homeopathy, and herbal products, a wide selection of supplements and vitamins, natural cosmetics and body care products, biodegradable cleaning and housekeeping products, pet-care products and so much more. Each store is staffed by professional product educators and holistic nutritionists who are available to support a customer’s unique wellness journey. From food sampling to product demonstrations, seminars, events, and a customer rewards program “JP Rewards” — there’s always something special happening at Jo Anne’s Place!
Nuts for Cheese: A proud Certified Organic producer since 2018, NFC has enjoyed explosive growth as the Canadian category leader in artisan, organic plant-based dairy manufacturing. Led by vegan chef Margaret Coons, NFC is a key contributor to the growth of Canada's plant-based cheese and butter sectors and is widely recognized as a leader in plant-based / natural product innovation. Operating from a 20,000 sq.ft manufacturing facility with 25+ full-time employees, NFC is Canada's largest and fastest growing artisan vegan dairy producer.
UNFI Canada: UNFI Canada carries and distributes 10,000+ organic, natural & specialty products to more than 5,000 customer locations across Canada and serves a wide variety of sales channels including conventional supermarket chains, natural product stores, independent retailers, eCommerce and food service. UNFI Canada is a division of United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), North America’s largest grocery wholesale distributor.
Upland Organics: Upland Organics is a family-run mixed cattle and certified organic grain farm located near Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, Canada. Owners Cody Straza and Allison Squires have the vision to create a family orientated, resilient organic farm that contributes in a positive and significant way to the community. To accomplish this, they have put the focus on how to improve the health and functionality of their soils through techniques such as reduced tillage, intercropping, cover cropping, pollinator strips, and rotational grazing. They both give their time to several provincial and national organizations with the goal of supporting and championing the organic sector in Canada.