The largest organic conference in Western Canada opened today in Saskatoon.

Canada holds the title of being the fifth largest organic consumption market in the world, and global demand continues to increase. 

Production varies across the country, in Manitoba organic operations in 2020 totalled 207 including livestock and crop production with total acreage at 102,612 acres.

In Alberta, the total number of organic operations in 2020 was reported at 725, with 607,249 acres. 

Saskatchewan has 1.2 million acres in organic production which is about 29 per cent of all land under organic management in Canada.

The province also reports a total of 1025 organic operations. 

The Organic Connections Conference runs Wednesday and Thursday at Prairieland Park.

Conference Chair Marla Carlson says the event brings together leading researchers and organic producers from across the prairies and Montana.

She says there's a lot of interest in organics both from a producer and consumer perspective.

"We do have some interest in transitioning. We had a little patch there, where prices were pretty, pretty low for the sector but they picked right back up. And that's some of the motivation for some farmers to transition is the price premium that organic farmers do receive. Prices have come up a little bit and quite a bit actually from two years ago and stabilized. So that always helps."

Carlson says Organic Connections is a great place for producers considering transition with an opportunity to visit the trade show, and interact with other producers, grain buyers, equipment dealers and organizations supporting organic farmers.

She notes the two-day event will cover a wide variety of topics for all levels of organic producers.

"Regenerative organic agriculture, innovations and farm equipment, agronomic practices and inputs for organic production. We're gonna have some talks on energy, energy use emissions and the future of farming. As well, as a session on why and how to eat local. So, it's a pretty wide-ranging program. We like to cover all aspects of the sector from a producer's perspective."

To hear Glenda-Lee's conversation with Marla Carlson click on the link below.