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market-farming - Re: Organic industry vs. organic movement

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "jay gee" <jgj23 AT mindspring.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Organic industry vs. organic movement
  • Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 15:48:55 +0000


The one thing to keep in mind when discussing
the "federal agribuisinessization" of the organic
label and certification process is how it affects
the marketing of products.

More than any other aspect, big producers
and commercial food distributors/packers
wanted to put the term organic in the hands
of a few so that the advertising agencies
could be turned loose.

By eliminating the small guy from the "what is
organic discussion," the big guys have moved
the debate to a political arena where money
and lobbying are not affected by good science.

Definition creep will come next so that eventually
GMOs will be able to be certified organic. This
will occur over a number of years, not abruptly.

The average consumer is not up on the current
state of the "certified organic" label and is likely
to believe it still means good things. They won't
notice the deterioration in the meaning of the label
or the deterioration in crop quality because the
changes will be gradual.

Agribusiness views farmer empowerment as
dangerous to long term markets and profitability.
Farmers with a clue are less likely to sell to
big combines and more likely to erode retail
markets by selling close to home, and as I
mentioned last week, by showing consumers
alternatives to processed foods with simple
recipes for fresh foods via the Internet and
by handing out brand building marketing
literature at markets.

People who want to eat "unprocessed"
foods are a big threat to ConAgra and
the other food processing giants.

Jay Gee
not a farmer -- but interested in farming







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