Market Farming

["jay gee" <jgj23 AT mindspring.com>]

Thanks MeLani for the article, which stated in part:

>>> 
 Nelda Mercer, a registered dietician and spokeswoman for the
 American Dietetic Association, agrees there is no difference
 in safety and nutrition between organic and nonorganic food.
 
 "But does organic food taste better? Some people believe it
 does. It's very much a personal preference. Personally, I like
 to buy organic poultry because I like to think it has better
 flavor and texture," Mercer said.
 
 Practically, what new organic food and wine labels will do is
 give consumers enough information to vote with their food
 dollars when they go into the grocery store.
 
 For many consumers, buying organic is as much philosophical as
 practical. It's a way to support farmers who don't spray harsh
 pesticides or operate factory farms where chickens are caged
 or cows closely confined.
 
 The new organic label will help people steer clear of
 genetically engineered food if they believe it's wrong to
 tamper with nature.
 
 "What organics really offers consumers is a system of more
 locally produced food. Organics supports farming systems that
 pose less risk to farmworkers and the environment and
 long-term sustainability of farmland," Winter said. "These are
 important considerations but don't have an impact on food
 safety."

<SNIP>
 The high price of organic food is the primary obstacle to its
 broader acceptance in the marketplace, according to a recently
 published survey.
 
 The research findings, released in August by ACNielsen, found
 organic food buyers are extremely loyal to the category, while
 nonbuyers have no interest in spending extra money on
 pesticide-free products.
 
 The study found that of the one-third of consumers who have
 purchased organic food or beverages in the past six months, 85
 percent plan to continue purchasing organics in the future.
 But among nonbuyers, only 3 percent plan to buy organic
 products in the next six months.
 
 "I expect prices to decline as more mainstream manufacturers
 broaden the array of organics available to consumers," said
 Phil Lempert, food industry analyst with ACNielsen Consumer
 PreView. "But manufacturers and retailers also have a
 significant opportunity to increase sales by clearing up
 consumer confusion and providing more education about the
 benefits of organics."
<<<<

IIRC, the American Dietetic Association was established by
the processed food industry many years ago to support
claims that processed foods were still healthy.

I think the article is evidence of agbiz PR influence in
getting the word out on organics in a more pervasive way
than what has occurred in the past.

This is a part of the definition creep.  And defined to
drive down prices for "organic" products.  The offect
of lower prices on small producers is negative.  The
effect on large producers is higher average prices
which results in greater profits.


Jay Gee
not a farmer -- but interested in farming