Organic Certification

Our organic certification follows the Canadian Organic Standard.  The organic standard is regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.  We hire a certification body, Pro-Cert, to oversee our operation and inspect our farms and facilities against the Standard.  We submit documentation outlining our Organic Plan once per year and as updates are made.  Mid growing season we are inspected by a verification officer.  Our organic certificate is available to view here.  Organic certification is the way we verify that our practices on the farm are truly organic.

Food Safety Certification

Pfenning’s Organic Vegetables follows the CanadaGAP food safety program for fresh fruits and vegetables.  We hire a certification body, NSF-GFTC, to inspect our production and packing facilities annually against the CanadaGAP Standard for Option C.  We manage the program internally by doing internal inspections, water tests, employee training, and following procedures based on best practices, among other things.  For a complete list of the activities and produce that comply with the CanadaGAP Food Safety Manual, view our certificate here.

Local Food

Pfenning’s is a proud supporter of the local food economy by putting a priority on Ontario suppliers while product is in season.  Look for the Foodland Ontario logo on our products which were grown by farmers in Ontario.  Local Food Plus was a certification we held from 2010-2014.  This certification is no longer available as the organization running the program, Land Food People Foundation, is entering a new chapter in the Local Food Plus project.  In its time, this certification focused on worker welfare, biodiversity and energy & water conservation practices.  We continue to invest in our employee’s training, welfare and equity.  Environmental stewardship continues to be at the forefront of our farming and packing operations.  We are currently on the look out for a certification standard that captures our socially conscious business practices, which includes worker welfare and equitable business relationships.