FYI on Organics
ORGANIC Q&A

Louise Druce of US Food Safety Magazine interviews Craig Minowa, Environmental Scientist of the Organic Consumers Association http://www.organicconsumers.org
6/29/2004

1) How has organic farming grown in the US over the last decade and what do you believe has triggered this growth, for example, food health scares such as BSE and GM foods?
Organic farming is now the fastest growing component of world agriculture, with farmers in 110 nations now cultivating certified organic crops. In the US, more than a million acres of certified organic cropland and pasture were added over the last four years, bringing the total to more than 2.3 million acres, according to USDA data cited, although this is less than 0.3% of total U.S. farmland. The growth has been triggered by multiple factors. Many family farmers are discovering organic farming provides more economic stability than conventional farming. Consumers are buying more organic products as they are witnessing an increasing number of scientific studies revealing the dangers (to human health and the environment) of pesticides and genetically engineered crops. Consumers also support organic farming, because it's more likely to support family farmers (although in increasingly fewer cases).

2) What have been the most significant developments to the way organic farming is actually carried out compared to 10 years ago?
The corporate sector is increasingly taking over the organic market. The USDA organic standards do not clearly dictate stipulations on treatment of livestock. So, for example, where the organic dairy farmer of yesteryear was likely raising free-range cattle, organic dairy today can actually be sourced from factory farms where cattle are packed into cramped quarters. The only major element that makes the output organic, in these situations, is the cattle feed and avoidance of synthetic hormones and drugs.

3) How do predict the sector will grow in the next decade in terms of land use and technologies. Also, how do you think this will impact non-organic farmers?
Over the next decade, more conventional farmers will make the transition to organics, both domestically and internationally. With the current growth curve of the industry, by the end of the decade, the organic sector will be a dominating force in global agriculture.

4) Why do you believe organic methods are so appealing to farmers? What is being done to promote it more, for example, financial incentives for those who convert land?
Market data clearly indicates that family farmers who have made the transition to organic farming, on average, have a more stable and increased annual income, verses their conventionally farming counterpart. There's also the general feeling that they are doing their part to build a healthy future for their children and the environment.

5) Which sectors within the organic market are producing the most (i.e. fruit and vegetables, corn, livestock etc) and which still have major scope for development?
The most dramatic gains in organic crops in the last four years were in dry beans (225%), lettuce (180%), flax (157%), corn (119%), soybeans (112%), hay (100%), millet (90%), buckwheat (88%), dry peas and lentils (80%), and potatoes (74%). Among fruits, citrus experienced a 60% increase, followed by apples (38%). The number of organic tree nuts planted rose 20%, but the number of grapes fell 25%. The major areas of growth are in the market product sectors that the USDA is currently not monitoring or policing (i.e. body care products, pet food, fertilizers, etc.). If and when the scope expands to include those products, there will be a direct impact on the organic crops grown to supply those markets.

6) How have government regulations on organic farming been welcomed by both the producers and consumers?
Both industry and consumers had a major role in sculpting the current organic standards. Initially, the USDA's proposed standards included allowing such things as chemical laden sewer sludge for organic compost. Consumers petitioned against this by the thousands, and the final rule did not include it.

7) Do you think the regulations go far enough? Where are regulations lacking in clarity or effectiveness and what further rules would you like to see implemented?
Regulations are not distinct enough in the area of animal welfare. For example, cows, chickens and pigs can be raised in a factory farm setting, fed organic grain, and then sold as organic. Consumers have no idea that when they're buying organic, they may still be supporting factory farms. Also the scope of the standards needs to be expanded to consumer goods such as body care products, pet food, and fertilizers, which are currently not regulated, in regards to organic labeling.

8) Do consumers find it easy to identify organic products or is there some confusion over labeling and logos? Do you believe these should be standardized into one nationally or globally recognized logo/label?
The International Foundation for Organic Agriculture is attempting to create an international standard. IFOAM standards currently meet and surpass the organic standards setup by the USDA (www.ifoam.org)

9) How have supermarkets affected the marketing and availability of organic products and how has this consequently impacted on more traditional methods such as farmers markets?
Supermarkets have been responding to consumer demand for organic goods by supplying these products more frequently. The supermarket influx of organic goods has not had a noticeable impact on farmers markets. Consumers shopping at farmers markets are seeking fresh, locally grown produce. Supermarkets are rarely able to provide these goods.

10) Is there a significant price difference between organic and non-organic products in the supermarkets and, if so, how has this affected buying patterns? How could products become more price competitive?
Organic goods currently cost roughly 15% more than conventionally produced goods. This is due to lack of markets of scale. As organic sales increase, prices are dropping. Purchasing organic goods in bulk or through a buying club can make your organic grocery bill comparable to that of conventional foods. It must also be noted that there are indirect costs that are not taken into account when doing shelf price comparisons between organic and conventionally grown foods. That would include costs of damage to the environment and human health due to pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Also, in the US, conventional crops are heavily subsidized by the government, thereby dropping prices seen by consumers, who are still paying that excess via increased taxes. Organic crops enjoy little to no tax payer funded subsidies, making them appear to be more expensive.

11) What are the barriers to a bigger growth in organic farming, such as lack of awareness, difficulties converting farmland, financial penalties etc? What more do you believe can be done to overcome these obstacles?
Subsidies to conventional farms need to be gradually shifted more fairly to the organic sector. Right now, if a family farmer wants to shift to organic farming, he/she must wait 3-5 years while the land is in its dormant transition phase from conventional to organic (the regulated mandatory length of time required for the soil to "clean" itself of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers). That transition period could bankrupt a farmer, thereby creating a serious obstacle. In the EU, organic farmers are given government subsidies during that transition time, to help the farmers successfully make that transition. A similar model is needed in the US. Another barrier could come into play if genetically engineered crops continue to contaminate neighboring organic crops. The GMO ban in Mendocino County, CA protects organic farmers from this contamination. GE pollen drift contamination can ultimately force an "organic" crop to be re-categorized as a GE crop, thereby being sold for much less.

12) Critics have said that there is no scientific proof that organic food is healthier or safer for consumers than non-organic products. How far do you agree with this statement and what would you say are the top five health benefits to consumers who buy organic products?
There is an abundance of studies showing that organic food is healthier and safer for consumers than nonorganic products, and the new studies continue to verify this. In addition to the mountains of scientific evidence that validate this fact, there's the common sense concept that we, as a species, have been eating organic foods since the very beginning of our time on this planet and have thrived for thousands of years on that food source. In contrast, synthetic pesticides, simply put, are designed to kill and have been in use for less than a century. Applying hundreds of millions of gallons of such chemicals to the human food supply is clearly having its impacts on the populous, from increased cancer rates, to neurological disorders to endocrine disruption. I would consider the top five health benefits of organics to be:

1. Organic foods were not treated and do not contain residues of toxic pesticides, thereby reducing the level of these harmful chemicals in the human body.
2. Organic foods do not require the application of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, which runoff into waterways and leach into the soil, ultimately damaging wildlife and the natural environment. Human health is reliant on the health of the surrounding natural environment. The organic food production process is built around principles of ecological sustainability.
3. In multiple studies, organic foods have been shown to have higher nutrient values than their conventional counterparts. The precise level of increased value varies from plant to plant, but can include everything from vitamins to antioxidants. The explanation of this higher content is similar to why organic foods have a richer, more robust flavor than conventional foods and is connected to the slower, more concentrated growing process. Conventional crops are fed synthetic fertilizers, which force the plant to grow bigger in mass, in a shorter period of time, thereby not allowing the plant the time to take up the same full amount of nutrients as organic crops.
4. By purchasing organics, consumers can know their foods are free of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients. In the US, conventional foods do not require labeling that indicates whether the product contains GE ingredients. Organics, by definition are GE free.
5. Multiple ingredient organic products, on average, contain fewer food dyes, hydrogenated oils, preservatives and additives.