Understanding Organic:
A Research-Based Exploration of Organic Agriculture

Welcome to our new blog series, a collaborative research project between the Organic Council of Ontario (OCO) and the University of Guelph, as part of the capstone work of the School of Environmental Science students. This series will dive into the key differences between organic and conventional agriculture, providing research-based insights into how our food is grown and produced right here in Ontario.  

Over the coming weeks, we will explore a selection of Ontario-grown crops and animal products, including apples, honey, spinach, strawberries, eggs, and dairy. Each article will present scientific findings and practical insights to help well-informed consumers better understand the impact of organic farming on health, the environment, and the local economy.  

By focusing on credible data and real-world examples, we aim to foster greater trust in organic agriculture and provide clarity on the choices available to Ontario consumers. Stay tuned as we break down the facts and uncover the stories behind the food on your plate!

Strawberries in the Spotlight: Navigating Consumer Choices Surrounding Organic and Conventional Produce

By Avery Mende-Gibson

Consumers often have many questions when deciding whether to buy organic produce.

• What makes organic a better choice?
• Are there real health benefits?
• How does organic farming compare to conventional agriculture in terms of environmental impact?

Strawberries highlight this debate, as conventional varieties are infamous for high pesticide contamination (EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, 2024).

What does strawberry production look like in Ontario?

When it comes to strawberry farming, Ontario delivers a significant supply. According to the 2024 Ontario Market Report, there are around 675 farms across Ontario producing 6,000 to 7,000 tonnes of strawberries each year. The province harvests approximately 1600 hectares of strawberries annually, with most of Ontario’s strawberry production coming from small farms, spanning less than 4 hectares. On a national scale, over 22,000 tonnes of strawberries were produced in 2023.

What does pesticide contamination mean for your strawberries?

Pesticide contamination on produce is a growing concern for consumers, especially with the increasing awareness of their potential health risks, further attracting consumers to buy organic. The EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, Dirty Dozen list, highlights the fruits and vegetables that contain high levels of pesticide residues. Strawberries were ranked number one on the Dirty DozenTM list, followed by spinach, kale, collard, and mustard greens.

Some of the pesticides found on strawberries have been linked to health problems, including cancer, reproductive and developmental damage, hormone disruption, and neurological problems (EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, 2024). The EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce reports that carbendazim, for example, has been found on strawberries and is a fungicide that has been linked to male reproductive damage and cancer (2024).

For those concerned about pesticide exposure, consumers might opt for organic strawberries to mitigate their intake of harmful chemicals.

What does organic strawberry management look like?

Choosing organic strawberries means avoiding synthetic pesticides, which can have benefits for both the environment and consumer health. Organic farmers may still use pesticides, but they must be derived from natural sources and meet strict regulatory standards. Managing pests and weeds without synthetic chemicals presents challenges, but organic strawberry farmers use a variety of sustainable techniques to keep their crops healthy. Let’s take a closer look at how they do it.

Weed Control
Organic farming isn’t just about replacing synthetic pesticides with natural ones—it emphasizes healthy soil management, which plays a key role in weed control. By building soil health through crop rotation, mulching, and cover cropping, organic farmers create conditions that naturally suppress weeds while supporting plant resilience. Aside from pesticides, there are many methods organic strawberry farmers can use to control weeds. This includes:

• Hand weeding is one technique that farmers can use to remove unwanted plant growth in their crop fields. This technique is often necessary to some extent, but it can require a great amount of manual labour, and high labour costs to the farmers.
• Organic mulches are also used on strawberry plants as a form of weed control. Straw mulches are often used in the winter to minimize cold damage on the strawberry plants, and can be used to control weeds in the springtime. Farmers should exercise caution as mulches have the potential to act as a habitat for harmful pests such as snails and slugs. However, they can also provide habitat for spiders which have been found to reduce diseases. For small strawberry farming operations, plain, uncoloured newspapers can also act as a good mulch.
• Thermal controls such as steamers, hot water, and hot foam, can be used to successfully control weeds in strawberry crops. Timing is crucial when using thermal controls, as younger weeds are easier to manage with thermal technology.
• Organic herbicides are also an effective weed control tool within an organic strawberry farming operation. This is especially useful when weeds are small and environmental conditions are favourable for herbicide applications.

Pest Control
Organic strawberry plants are vulnerable to pests like insects and mites, which can damage crops and reduce yields.

White Grubs, Strawberry Clippers, and Strawberry Rootworm are examples of pests that can affect strawberry plants. Effective pest control depends on the specific pest but often involves sustainable management techniques such as manually removing eggs, larvae, and infected leaves, as well as introducing or enticing natural predators to keep pest populations in check.

Disease Mitigation
Organic strawberry plants are also subjected to diseases. This includes disease from fungi, bacteria, nematodes and viruses.

One of the most effective ways to prevent these issues is by maintaining healthy soil, creating conditions that naturally suppress disease. Organic farmers use practices like crop rotation to improve soil health, reduce erosion, and enhance water management—all of which help minimize the risk of disease, pests, and weeds in strawberry fields.

What regulations are in place?

To ensure that organic produce is void of contaminations, the Standards Council of Canada sets guidelines for organic farming in Ontario: the Canadian Organic Standards. Organic producers must implement these specific management practices to protect the integrity of their crops and surrounding ecosystems. This includes preventing prohibited substances from contaminating organic land, crops, and shared equipment, including adjacent farming areas. It also involves actively maintaining soil health, promoting biodiversity, and using sustainable farming techniques. Measures such as buffer zones, cover cropping, crop rotation, and natural pest management help ensure organic standards are met while supporting a resilient agricultural system.

How is your grocery shopping impacting the environment?

The environmental impact of agriculture goes beyond just how food is grown—it also includes factors like the carbon emissions created to transport the strawberries you’re buying at the grocery store from the fields in which they were grown.

A recent study compares the environmental impact of organic and conventional strawberry production in California using a life cycle analysis (Verteramo & Gomez, 2023). Before factoring in transportation, organic strawberries have a lower environmental impact, as they avoid synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, reducing soil and water contamination. However, once transportation is included, the carbon footprint of organic strawberries is 46% higher than conventional, largely due to the transport of compost, manure, and other organic inputs. Input delivery alone accounts for 33% of organic strawberries’ total emissions, compared to just 8% for conventional. This highlights the importance of buying local, in-season Ontario strawberries whenever possible to minimize transportation-related emissions and support more sustainable food choices.

Organic fertilizers and inputs can still impact surrounding ecosystems, particularly through runoff, which can carry nutrients away from fields and into waterways. To address these impacts and promote ecosystem health, Canada’s organic standards include measures to protect biodiversity and natural habitats. This can include the incorporation of one or more of the following:

• Pollinator habitats
• Insectary areas
• Wildlife habitats
• Maintenance or restoration of riparian areas or wetlands
• Management and enhancement of native prairies, parklands, or wetland habitats where possible

What does the market look like for organic fruits?

Consumer interest in organic fruit is evident in both national and provincial markets. From 2021 to 2023, the national market share for organic sales grew from 3.1% to 3.4%, reflecting steady demand (Ontario Market Report, 2024). Ontario remains a key player in the organic sector, accounting for 38% of national organic grocery sales in 2023 (Ontario Market Report, 2024).

While national sales of organic produce declined between 2020 and 2023, Ontario’s market remained strong, even experiencing slight growth during this period (Ontario Market Report, 2024).

Fruits and vegetables continue to be a major driver of organic food and beverage sales. In 2023, they made up 31% of Ontario’s organic sales, with fresh fruit ranking second among the province’s top 20 organic grocery categories by value from 2020 to 2023 (Ontario Market Report, 2024).

Key takeaways

Strawberry farming is a vital industry in Ontario and across Canada, playing a key role for both farmers and consumers. By choosing organic strawberries, you’re making a powerful decision for your health and the environment. With strict organic standards in place, you can trust that certified organic produce meets high-quality, sustainable farming practices.

As consumer demand for organic continues to grow, your choices at the grocery store help shape the future of agriculture—supporting farmers committed to reducing pesticide use, protecting ecosystems, and producing food with integrity. Next time you shop, consider reaching for organic strawberries— every purchase is a step toward a healthier, more sustainable future.

References

Canada, A. and A.-F. (2024, July 22). Government of Canada. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/sector/horticulture/reports/statistical-overview-canadian-fruit-industry-2023#a1.1

Government of Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada. (2013, April 3). Organic production systems : General principles and management standards.: P29-32-310-2018E-PDF. Canada.ca. https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.854643/publication.html

Guerena, M. (n.d.). Strawberries: Organic production. ATTRA. https://attra.ncat.org/publication/strawberries-organic-production/#weed

Organic market report 2024. Organic Market Report 2024 | Canada Organic Trade Association. (2024, March 18). https://canada-organic.ca/en/news/organic-market-report-2024

Parker, C. (2014). Strawberry fields forever: Can consumers see pesticides and sustainability as an issue? Sustainability Science, 10(2), 285–303. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-014-0267-3

The List: The 2024 Dirty Dozen. (2024). EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/strawberries.php

Verteramo Chiu, L. J., & Gomez, M. I. (2023). A tale of two strawberries: Conventional and organic open-field production in California. Sustainability, 15(19), 14363. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914363.

What you should know about fruit production in Ontario. ontario.ca. (n.d.). https://www.ontario.ca/page/what-you-should-know-about-fruit-production-ontario

When it comes to pesticide residues, non-organic strawberries are still the worst offender. (2019, March 20). EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/strawberries.php