A Reply From Our Minister of Agriculture

Quote: 134494

Dear Ms. Carter:

 

Thank you for your email regarding the design of the Canada Organic logo. I appreciate your interest in the Organic Products Regulations and your suggestions regarding the graphic design of the logo. I note that you have also written to Mr. Michel Saumur, National Manager of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) Canada Organic Office.

 

As you may know, the logo design was developed through public consultations held in 2006 and in February 2009. The logo was chosen from the thousands of submissions received during the consultations. Since the logo was first chosen, it has been modified slightly to ensure that both the English and French wording appear along the lateral edges as opposed to the English appearing on the top and the French on the bottom. You may wish to view the modified logo on the CFIA website at www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/orgbio/orgbioe.shtml.

 

Again, thank you for writing. Input from Canadians is tremendously valuable to me.

 

Sincerely,

Gerry Ritz, PC, MP

________________

Dear public: were you consulted?

–A.

Want to contact the Minister?

National Post Article

In case you missed it, there was a great article about my Organic Canada project in the National Post. The article ran on June 2nd in the Arts & Life section. It's still available online at the National Post website. 

The article was written by Vanessa Farquharson who was also nice enough to mention me in a blog post. Thank you Vanessa!

Leaflet

This double-sided leaflet would be available wherever organic products are sold. The written information is drawn from the Organic Production Systems General Principles and Management Standards (CAN/CGSB-32.310-2006).

The standards document was available here until recently. I've managed to find it here, but it now costs $30 to download or order a printed copy. This information should be readily available to all Canadians and I would appreciate knowing why it isn't anymore.

Context

Here are some of my promotional designs in their intended environments. 

Organic Canada Posters

These transit shelter posters are meant to teach Canadians to recognize the new Organic Canada logo. 

OCAD Thesis Project:

Organic Canada identifies and promotes Canadian produce that meets the new national organic standards being implemented in the summer of 2009. 

This project involved generating a name, logo, and materials for an awareness campaign.

My final logo is composed of an organic apple, a maple leaf and a dinner plate. These different shapes become more apparent after multiple viewings. Both the English and the French fit comfortably and with equal visual importance. The logo is meant to have both a contemporary and lasting style. 

The typeface I used for this logo and all of its applications was made in Canada. Preface was designed in 2003 by Nick Shinn, RGD. Shinn has lived in Toronto since 1976.

The actual proposed logo and the organic standards document are available here.