1. No Hormones: All Certified Organic Beef is Hormone Free
2. No Antibiotics: All Certified Organic Beef is Antibiotic Free
3. No Chemicals All Certified Organic Beef is Chemical Free
4. Radiation Free
5. Free of any animal by-products

Guitton Farms (Dennis & Lorna Guitton) has been farming since 1982, beginning in the Wrentham/Foremost area, moving in 1990 to Claresholm, where we presently farm 480 acres. We first became exposed to organic farming in 1994. At this time, we realized that a farm of this size needed to make changes in order to be a viable operation. As we explored all possibilities to diversify, the organic method of farming seemed to fit where we needed to go, and what we believed in. The more we changed our way of thinking, and began to explore the organic way of farming, our beliefs and principles changed. Today, we are a 100% certified organic farm. Our farm is a mixed farm. We produce cereal crops, such as wheat, barley, oats and triticale. All feed grown on our farm is certified organic, which is necessary in order to produce certified organic beef. We believe in the organic concept, since we are more interested in providing a quality product, which in turn, provides us a premium on our products. We consume as much certified organic product as we can currently obtain.
 

All Certified Organic Beef grown on "GUITTON FARMS" is Alberta inspected, and certified through GOA (Global Organic Alliance Inc.) and must comply with GOA organic standards. GOA is an organization dedicated to the organic industry. GOA is approved by the USDA. All Certified Organic Beef grown at "GUITTON FARMS", are fed Certified Organic feed grown on the farm. "GUITTON FARMS" is inspected every year to ensure that GOA standards for organic certification are met. The Certified Organic Beef are mostly grass finished, but supplemented in the winter with Certified Organic grain, green feed and hay grown on the farm.

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GOA Organic Certification follows these basic principles:

1. Organic agriculture is based on holistic production management systems which promote and enhance agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.
2. Organic products are identified under specific and precise standards of production based on the use of ecologically sound production practices, which are intrinsic to the identification and labeling of organic products.
3. All products sold by GUITTON FARMS is labelled with a Lot number that follows the animal as it leaves the farm, through the Organic Processor, to the retail shelf.
4. Use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) is PROHIBITED
5. A yearly inspection of each farm is done by an GOA approved inspector, who looks at all records for crop and animal inputs.
6. All inputs must be GOA approved, and cannot contain chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, or GMO's

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Certified Organic Beef costs more to produce. Because the animals are not implanted with growth hormones, it takes longer to fatten an animal for slaughter. Also, all Certified Organic livestock must be fed Certified Organic feed. The feed costs are more.

There is a "Transitional" period of three years, in which field crops and livestock must be chemical, herbicide, pesticide, antibiotic, and GMO free, in order to comply with OCIA organic standards, and products CANNOT be marked as Organic. This means that products comply with organic requirements, but must be sold in the conventional market, at conventional prices.

The premium paid for Certified Organic products is an assurance to the consumer that a yearly, independant, third-party inspection of the farm, the animals, and the products put into the animals, all meet Certified Organic Standards. These yearly inspections are costly, but are paid willingly by Certified Organic producers to verify and prove that the products are in fact worthy to be called Certified Organic. Livestock produced conventionally are not required to face the rigid inspection process that Certified Organic livestock must comply with. Even the packing plant that processes and packages Certified Organic Beef must meet the Certified Organic Standards in order to process and handle Certified Organic Beef. Certified Organic producers, also pay a levy for every product sold, to confirm the audit trail and accreditation.

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GOA is accredited as ISO 65 approved by the USDA, as of December 22, 2000,

GOA is an organization dedicated to the organic industry to confirm the audit trail and accreditation.
 

1. Organic matter and use of natural fertilizers are used to improve soils.
2. The use of crop rotations, composted livestock manure, and grazing rotations, reduce insects and disease, as well as increase crop fertility.
3. Avoid use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's)
4. A guarantee to consumers that no pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers or growth hormones have been used in the production of Certified Organic Products.
5. When Certified Organic Inspection is completed and passed by GOA, the producer receives a GOA Certification Certificate, which states that as a member of GOA, GUITTON FARMS has been duly certified as being in compliance with the published certification standards of GOA, Inc., and has undergone the required physical inspection and committee review, assuring non use of chemical inputs, or prohibitive substances in the products grown organically for Wheat, Oats, Fallow, Grass and Beef Cattle.

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According to the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) Section 10.1: "The description of organic (biologique), organically grown, organically produced, biological, or biodynamic, and/or translation in any language, symbols, alternative spelling, word sets, and phonetic renderings or these words on food labels, shall apply to organic food products that have been produced under a system that meets this standards . . . Products whose certificaiton attests to conformance with this standard." In other words, to label anything organic or certified organic, it must follow the oranic standards as per the SCC, which requires precise audit trials, intensive record keeping, etc. (See SCC Standards Sections 5.1.2; 5.1.4; 5.2.)

Any product labeled natural requires a detailed outline of the harvest area and history for 36 months; a description of the harvesting methods used; proposed measures for the protection of wild species. (See Section 8.6.1 SCC Standards). As a consumer, feel free to ask for this, even when a product is labeled natural and most especially if a product is labeled organic or certified organic.

For more information, please find a complete copy of these standards at: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca/cgsb

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GUITTON FARMS will provide a Product Inventory Certificate (PIC) from Global Organic Alliance, Inc., our current certifier, to verify and prove certification on our certified organic beef, that has been purchased and paid for. These PICās carry the invoice number and lot number of any beef purchased by you, the retailer. This PIC becomes your proof and verification that the product you are retailing meets all certified organic standards.

We have located a trucking company in whom we feel confident to carry our certified organic products. They currently delivery to Planet Organic Market in Edmonton, so reliable service and supply of our product to you should be no problem. We are committed to service and guarantee. If you are not happy with our product, we are open to suggestions to change our product, where we can, to suit our customers and their needs.

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