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market-farming - Re: Newspaper story re:Organic buying

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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: Newspaper story re:Organic buying
  • Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 15:21:51 +0000


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







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