CANADIAN ORGANIC GROWERS AGENDA 1.Call to Order 2.Welcome from the President 3.Motion to approve the Agenda 4.Motion to approve minutes of 2015 AGM 5.Presentation of the Financial Results a.Motion to approve WPG Professional Corporation Chartered Accountants for 2016 Audit 6.Motion to change the by-laws with respect to Section Election of 2016/2017 Board of Directors a.Review of election process b.Nomination of Directors c.Election (Approximately 10 minutes or until counting is completed) d.Announcement of results 8.Executive Director’s Report 9.Question and answer forum between Members and the Board of Directors and Staff 10.Motion to adjourn

CANADIAN ORGANIC GROWERS Motion to accept Agenda for 2016 AGM

CANADIAN ORGANIC GROWERS Motion to accept minutes from 2015 AGM

2015 Financial Statements 2015 Financial Results

2015 Financial Statements Financial Before we begin…… These are consolidated financial statements They include the COG Chapters as well as the National Office. National Office manages many projects during the year and different projects from year to year. Expenses will increase or decrease as those projects are assumed or completed Revenue will increase or decrease for those projects Need to look at non-project Revenue and expenses

2015 Financial Statements

Thank you to everyone from the COG Chapters who helped with the audit!

Motion to appoint WGP as COG’s Auditors for the 2016 Fiscal Year FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

In the next series of slides you’ll be presented with motions that you can vote on by submitting an electronic ballot – the voting period will end at the conclusion of those slides.

Motion to Amend the By-laws

Motion to replace subsection 2.4 with the following: By-law Amendments The dues payable by members shall be those fixed from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors. Members shall be notified in writing of the membership dues at any time payable by them. Members shall be deemed to be in arrears when their dues are not received within the defined term. Members who are in arrears up to 30 days will be considered members of record for notification from the Corporation for annual and special general meetings. Those members must not be in arrears at the time of voting to have their ballot counted.

Approve the motion to amend subsection 2.4 of COG’s General Operating By-law By-law Amendments

COG NATIONAL STAFF Election of 2016 Board of Directors

Outgoing Board Members A very special thank you to the following outgoing Board Members for their hard work and dedication. Ward Middleton Beth McMahon Tegan Renner

Outgoing Board Members Also a big thank you to those Board Members who are not up for election this year and are continuing as Board Members. Georgina Bencsik Niki Jabbour Sheila Hamilton

Election of 2016 Board of Directors Nominees Trevor AlemanJanine Gibson Shannon BrownShannon Jones Marilyn CrowleyJordan Marr Sarah DobecTara Scott Rochelle EisenAv Singh Maryruth Thiong’o

Please finish submitting your electronic ballots now – the voting period will close at the start of the next slide. Results will be announced before the meeting is adjourned. BOARD ELECTION

2015 Year in Review

COG NATIONAL STAFF Wayne Adams, Interim Executive Director Replaced Anne-Marie Dufour in June 2015 Ashley St. Hilaire, Director of Operations (4days/wk) Returned from maternity leave in January 2016 Anouk Mackenzie, Fundraising Coordinator (3days/wk) Emily McTaggart, Organic Agriculture Data Coordinator Joined COG in January 2016 Cristina Scaini, Administrative Assistant (2days/wk) Joined COG in April 2016 Nicole Collins, TCOG Ad Manager (part-time) Joined COG in December 2015 Special thanks to Anne-Marie Dufour, Acting ED and Julia Dupuis, Organic Price Tracker Coordinator in 2015

2015 National Office Highlights Projects and Programs Organic Week 2015 Bee Health Campaign Introduction to Organic Certification Changes to the Organic Standards Webinars Organic Master Gardener Courses Produce Organic Field Crop Handbook 3 rd edition Needs Assessment for the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security Organic Pricetracker Organic Lending Library The Canadian Organic Grower magazine

2015 National Office Highlights Communications and Fundraising Improved e-News Three appeals, members, lapsed members and library users Dedicated person for grant writing in second half of 2015 Six major grant applications Sponsorship material developed for national sponsorship

2015 National Office Highlights COG’s Distribution Network for books 1,160 books sold in 2015! Average of 22 books a week Ordered online or over the phone, packed and shipped from National Office and sales recorded in our accounting system. Sold across Canada, the US and around the world.

2015 National Office Highlights Administration Completed audit in advance of AGM

2015 National Office Highlights The Canadian Organic Grower Magazine Amy Kremen and Stephanie Wells are the managing editors Nicole Collins is the Advertising Manager Started the initiative to grow the magazine and make it competitive in the magazine market Need to increase advertising and grow subscription base Please subscribe!!

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS OSO Chapter 9 Senior Organic Gardens (SOG) 275 participants at Eco Farm Day Growing Up Organic gave 250+ gardening workshops in Ottawa, Prescott-Russell & Stormont- Dundas Glengarry schools plus garden-based education workshops for new teachers at University of Ottawa. 100 participants in our Urban Organic Gardening Seminars 2015

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS COG Island Natural Growers Hosted another successful Seedy Saturday in February, their biggest education and fundraising event Sponsored the organic certification of the Salt Spring Abattoir Published the Salt Spring Island Local Organic Food Guide Farm tours Workshops on organic certification and Farm accounting

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS Toronto Chapter COG Toronto's 10th annual organic consumer conference Keynote speakers David Montgomery and Anne Biklé speaking on the microbial life of the soil and how it links to the microbial life in our guts Over 20 speakers and over 300 participants, many new to the conference! Currently preparing for next year's conference in February 2017

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS Organic Food Council of Manitoba Celebrated COG’s 40 th and Organic Week 2015 with the creation & national distribution of “Our Nature is Organic” Activity book. Free pdf on COG website! Hosted a lively book launch party Sept 17, 2015 Hosted Organic Solutions That Work- a day of sessions on organic management Jan 21, 2016 aimed at transitioning gr Co sponsored Think Whole Farm Conference Winnipeg February 2016 with COG Book sales with COG book sales

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS COG would not have the same reach without the amazing work done by the Chapters, their staff and volunteers! It’s inspiring to witness the commitment of people who work so hard to sustain COG’s efforts across the country and support the organization’s mission to lead local and national communities towards the sustainable organic stewardship of land, food and fibre!

2016 promises to be an exciting year!

What is exciting for 2016? Development of an academic course on organic and ecological seed production for the 3 rd edition of the Organic Field Crop Handbook Organic Price Tracker expansion

What is exciting for 2016? Dramatically expand the readership and distribution of The Canadian Organic Grower Magazine Revision of the Canadian Organic Standards Guidance Document & organization of webinars on Revised Standards More frequent and effective communication to our existing and potential donors

What is exciting for 2016? Expand our education programs (more Organic Master Gardener Courses, New Courses such as the Growing Food course, certification training, other course topics) Launch the Organic Success pilot project Improved and streamlined web presence……and more!

What is exciting for 2016? How are we going to fund this?

Grants confirmed or expected in 2016 Government of Canada Canadian Periodical Fund Modernizing the Magazine and Increasing Circulation $25,000 Trillium Foundation of Ontario Organic Success pilot project $65,100 Flavelle Foundation Modernizing COG’s Website $5,000 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Growing Forward 2 The Guide to Understanding Canadian Organic Standards and Supporting Resources $72,500 (Submitted only)

How are we going to fund this? Consulting contract with USC Canada: COG will develop an intermediate level, course on organic and ecological seed production course for the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security

How are we going to fund this? Grant Summary 2016 / 2017 Grants$167,600 In Kind20,376 From COG36,110

How are we going to fund this? National sponsorship program Increase our membership Keep our membership! Donations Your donations make a difference!

2016 Annual General Meeting Concludes formal presentation Announcement of Board of Directors Question and Answer Session

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US! Motion that the COG 2016 AGM be Adjourned