Tribal council jumps into the organic food market

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The File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council (FHQTC) hopes that an original staple of the diet of First Nations people will become the new "health food" in one of the world's most lucrative markets.

They're hoping that organic bannock is the key to opening an overseas market for First Nations-produced organic crops, targeting consumers in Germany.

Under direction of an FHQTC-owned company, First Nations Organic Food Products, they hope to begin consumer tests on the organic bannock as soon as next month. And this could be the beginning of a whole new phase for Saskatchewan's, and First Nations', agricultural sector.

"We want to go beyond just bannock," said FHQTC representative president Ron Crowe. "We want to go down the road and test markets for organic beef jerky and pemmican, natural berry jams and spreads.

"We're kind of dreaming right now, but for the moment we're currently focused on one single product," he added. "Right now we're interested in putting something on the market, seeing if it works, and if it does, then we will have a market to develop."

The bannock, along with some marketing ideas, will be tested next month at the earliest, said Crowe.

And if it becomes a hit with German consumers, it's possible that a whole new market will open for First Nations farmers, he added.

If more organic bannock is sold, that means more organically grown wheat, sugar and flour will be needed for production. And that means a new market for those involved in First Nations farming, said Art Klassen, the agricultural economic development advisor for the FHQTC.

Crowe and Klassen were among those representing the FHQTC at Bio Fach 2002, held in mid-February in Nuremberg, Germany. Premier Lorne Calvert also visited the trade show during the "Team Canada" annual trade tour by senior Canadian politicians.

The event is one of the largest trade fairs for organic produce in the world. This year it drew 1,900 exhibitors from 56 nations.

The massive organic trade show is indicative of the interest European consumers have in organic foods and crops, said Klassen.

"Unless you're there, you can't really appreciate how really, really big this event is."

German consumers are among the most prosperous in the world, and have demonstrated a willingness to spend extra money to buy organic foods, he added.

The German market for organic food is growing by 10 per cent a year, and annual sales of organic food are estimated last year at about $3.4 billion.

While organic grocery foods account for only about two per cent of current spending by German consumers, that number is forecast to increase to about 10 per cent by the year 2005.

"There's a growing interest in organic produce in Europe," said Crowe. "A lot of that had to do with the mad cow disease scare in Britain."

The resulting scare has turned off many European consumers from produce grown through the traditional means -with the use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. And, Crowe added, European consumers aren't interested in genetically modified foods, which are rapidly becoming the standard in North American agriculture.

"They have a lot of health cautions towards genetically modified foods," Crowe said.

"Germans take a lot of pride in the integrity of their workmanship. You can see that in their manufactured goods . . . and now they are expecting the same kind of pride and care to go to other consumer goods they buy, such as groceries," he added.

"They're willing to pay more for their cars, their goods and services for higher quality, and they will do the same for the food."

As well, Germans in particular and Europeans in general have a long-running interest in health care. Eating healthier foods is part of that process of looking after one's body, said Crowe.

"There's also a tremendous interest in First Nations culture in Europe. One of the most recognizable staples of First Nations culture is bannock, and it was our idea to come up with this product."

And wht's in it for First Nations' people? Simple, said Crowe -economic self-sufficiency in a way that doesn't harm the earth.

"The first aspect is the protection of our lands-he respect for mother earth and taking a look at whether current farming practices are sustainable and healthy for the earth."

As well, the new food staple could keep First Nations farmers busy with a product that's in demand, he added.

Converting land from standard to organic agriculture can't be done overnight, said Klassen. Land must be free of pesticides and herbicides for a period of up to five years before it can be considered capable of producing organic crops.

The FHQTC's campaign won't be the first time a Saskatchewan First Nations organization has entered the European organic food market.

The Lac La Ronge First Nation, through the Northern Lights Corporation, has sold wild rice to organic wholesale food companies for the past five years.