Research Priorities in 2006
Expert Committee on Organic Agriculture

The Expert Committee on Organic Agriculture (ECOA) has developed research priorities for each of 8 categories. The categories are 1) animals, 2) plants, 3) soils, 4) ecological systems, 5) health and food quality, 6) marketing and 7) policy and 8) sustainable agriculture and rural communities. The priorities for 2006 build on those developed in 2005 and are listed as succinct statements with some areas of concentration noted.

As a General Research Priority, ECOA recommends establishing funds and an application procedure to facilitate research in organic agriculture and food, to address the goals of carrying out research for the public good, including long term research, making research results publicly available and reducing requirements for matching funding from industry.

1) Animals

Design animal production systems that are most conducive to normal animal behaviour and animal health, while enhancing food safety.

A suggested area of concentration is:
- parasite control in livestock (especially sheep)

2) Plants

Conduct research focused on preventative pest management. Select and breed for plant varieties that adapt to diversified landscapes and regions, are disease and pest resistant/tolerant and competitive with weeds, and improve food quality and yield adequately, under organic management.

Suggested areas of concentration are:

to develop and design plant/crop production systems with emphasis on preventative pest management.
to select and breed for plant varieties that adapt to diversified landscapes and regions, diseases and pest resistant/tolerant cultivars and competitive with weeds and for water and nutrients and that have high food quality and yield.
Blight in potatoes, ragweed, yellow mustard, Canada thistle, quackgrass, kochia, tarnish plant bug, carrot maggot, cucumber beetle, wireworm, apple maggot, apple scab, cutworm

3) Soils

Assess short and long term soil fertility issues (for example the availability and/or buildup of organic matter, phosphorus, nitrate, zinc, copper, calcium and sulphur)

4) Ecological Systems

Determine how to optimize energy use on organic farms

5) Health and Food Quality

Identify links between healthy soils and healthy food

6) Marketing

Identify emerging consumer trends, serviced by imports, and the opportunities and barriers to investment and development in domestic production that could respond to emerging markets.

7) Policy

Assess the impact of new Genetically Engineered (GE) crops (e.g. alfalfa) on organic systems, while considering regulatory and liability issues. Conduct research to inform policy makers on the issues surrounding GE crops related to their ecological, social and economic impacts on agriculture, including organic agriculture.