September 24, 2026
The intention of this notice is to provide direction to regulated parties under the Canada Organic Regime concerning the new editions of the Canadian Organic Standards published in March 2026. This update includes omission and corrections to the documents:
- CAN/CGSB 32.310 - Organic Production Systems – General Principles and Management Standards; and
- CAN/CGSB 32.311 - Organic Production Systems – Permitted Substances Lists.
Operators and certification bodies should apply the standards as though the following 3 corrections were made.
1. Correction to the use of coconut coir as a soil amendment under the Canada Organic Regime (32.311, table 4.2)
| Substance name | Origin and usage |
|---|---|
| Coir (coconut fiber) | Washed, processed and/or buffered (to adjust pH) with substances listed in table 4.2 (Column 1 or Column 2) excluding formulants used in crop production aids. |
To clarify, coconut coir, a substrate used in crop production by the organic sector, is a permitted soil amendment in the 2026 standards. It was inadvertently not listed. Coconut coir was permitted as a soil amendment in the previous (2020) version of the standards as part of a category called "plant by-products and plants," supported by an interpretation by the Agriculture Standards Interpretation Committee (Agri-SIC).
2. Corrections to French typographical errors concerning the use of animal manure (32.311, table 4.2)
Consult the French-only corrections to table 4.2 in document CAN/CGSB 32.311 (Permitted Substances Lists). For ease of understanding, text in strikethrough is considered deleted and text in underline is considered added. Changes are also shown in bold to increase visibility.
3. Corrections of French typographical errors concerning number of taps in healthy maple trees (32.310, table 8)
Consult the French-only corrections to table 8, subclause 7.2.10, in document CAN/CGSB 32.310 (General Principles and Management Standards). For ease of understanding, text in strikethrough is considered deleted and text in underline is considered added. Changes are also shown in bold to increase visibility.
This direction applies for the duration of the current edition of the organic agriculture standards. The organic operators should address any questions or concerns related to this notice to their CFIA accredited certification body.