Our Vision For Original Tobacco
ORIGINAL TOBACCO COMPANY INC.
Canada's First Organic Tobacco Company
The Business Growth
OTC is the exclusive certified supplier of Canadian organic tobacco. The licensed company has experienced significant sales growth over the past five years thanks to its partnership approach with its customers.
OTC grew 2.5 acres of organic tobacco as a research project in 2003. The crop showed commercial potential from the very beginning with customers placing increasing orders with OTC every year since.
In 2009, production plans called for 225 acres or 450,000 pounds of which 80% was pre-sold to its customers before the first plant went in the ground.
The 2009 program involved expanded growing for some of the founding families as well as contracting arrangements with four other pre-selected growers. All these growers have a real sense of family pride and accomplishment knowing they are making a positive contribution to the environment through the production of organic tobacco.
Owners and growers alike are excited by and committed to the future of organic tobacco. There is a satisfaction in reducing the chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in our farming practices and in turn reducing exposure to our families, neighbours and community.
The Growers
Numerous growers are eager to move into organic tobacco production particularly since the removal of the QUOTA STRUCTURE in Canada.
THESE GROWERS ARE:
- 3rd and 4th generation tobacco producers with a wealth of experience and knowledge.
- well prepared with available land and infrastructure.
OTC HAS:
- accumulated a "bank" of over 1,000 acres of certified organic land spread over the entire tobacco growing region.
- continuously worked with growers through education and ongoing meetings focusing on organic tobacco compliance and certification.
Key Benefits of Certified Canadian Organic Tobacco
OTC sells certified organic flue-cured leaf tobacco in bale or strip form to suit its customers' needs.
It is absolutely critical that the INTEGRITY of Canadian organic tobacco be upheld through the entire growing and supply chain process. This includes the key steps of growing, handling, warehousing and processing the tobacco and is achieved through grower education and a series of independent audits.
Certification documents are delivered with the tobacco upon completion of the sales transaction.
No synthetic chemicals are used anywhere in the process and the product is seen as "environmentally friendly in the market place."
