Thomas Kent
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Woolwich Observer
The Organic Council of Ontario (OCO) is developing a new digital tool that could transform the way farmers, policymakers, researchers, and consumers perceive organic agriculture in Canada.
Called AskAgriWise, the platform aims to bring together the most comprehensive set of organic data ever assembled in this country, encompassing acreage, crop types, imports, exports, prices, soil health measurements, and community-level insights from farmers themselves. A beta testing version is expected in early January, with full public release planned for mid-March.
At its core, the project addresses a long-standing challenge for the organic sector: the lack of comprehensive, centralized data. The gap makes it difficult to track growth, shape policy, and demonstrate the value organics bring to Ontario’s landscape, economy, and food system.
Dr. Erica Shelley, OCO’s executive director, said the idea began with a simple but far-reaching question: What do we actually know about organics in Canada?
“There’s a real gap in organic data – everything from acreage, crops, who’s farming them, prices, imports and exports, and even the nutrient profiles of organic soils,” Shelley explained. “AskAgriWise amalgamates all of these datasets into a single place so we can tell the story of what organics in Canada looks like.”
Shelley told The Observer that, currently, the platform is planned to draw from a wide range of sources, including Statistics Canada datasets, OCO’s community survey data, future datasets expected from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and partner data from provincial organic associations across the country.
The long-term goal is to establish a national data portal, with Ontario serving as the testing ground before its expansion.
Once fully implemented, AskAgriWise will serve stakeholders from “hands-in-the-soil” growers to federal agriculture officials.
Shelley describes it as a tool that can support a wide range of people. Of course, some farmers can use the platform to explore regional trends, price information, and compare crops. But the benefits also extend to processors, distributors, advocacy groups, researchers, and even consumers who want to understand what goes into organic food production.
OCO and its national partners have been working towards this vision for nearly three years, Shelley said, with the support of funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Prairie Organic Development Fund.
Although the initial release will focus on data visualization and directory functions, Shelley says AskAgriWise is designed to evolve dramatically. The platform will be continuously updated and improved based on user feedback and technological advancements, ensuring it remains a cutting-edge tool for the organic sector.
“Eventually, you’ll be able to treat it like a chatbot. You can ask: How many acres of organic wheat are in this area of Alberta? And it will simply show you,” Shelley said.
This would give farmers and industry professionals instant access to data that currently requires navigating multiple agencies, spreadsheets, and proprietary reporting systems.
As AskAgriWise integrates datasets from multiple external partners, the project adheres to stringent Canadian privacy standards to operate ethically. All surveys are anonymized, and unless users opt in to sharing specific information (such as location, identity, or being listed in directories), their data will not be.
“We’re aggregators,” Shelley stressed. “The people who provide the data still own it. The goal is collaboration, to build a tool that helps the whole sector grow stronger.”
Some datasets, particularly those related to CFIA certifications, are not yet accessible. To fill the missing pieces, OCO is collecting community-level information through a roughly 10-minute online form.
Shelley notes that while survey data isn’t intended to replace official statistics, it helps demonstrate the kinds of insights possible once the portal is fully populated.
“If people are willing to share more, we can show the story we could tell with comprehensive data,” Shelley said.
Farmers, processors, and sustainable food businesses that complete the form can also opt to be included in a new province-wide organic directory, one of the features launching alongside AskAgriWise. This directory will provide a platform for organic businesses to showcase their products and services, and for consumers to easily find and support local organic producers.
Form link: https://form.jotform.com/251664510538255
OCO believes that a stronger data foundation will give decision-makers and consumers a clearer understanding of the organic movement’s economic and environmental impacts.
“Our provincial partners are extremely excited,” Shelley told The Observer. “We’re building something that will become more comprehensive every year – something that will change the organic industry across Canada.”
The Organic Council of Ontario plans to release more details and user previews early in the new year, ahead of the March public launch.
