The lable “Organic” has NEVER claimed to be local, small or pastoral; it just sometimes is by accident or by the very nature of which growers decided to go organic. I’ve bought organic produce and dairy for years, but not because I pictured cute, happy cows in pastures or quaint, down home apple orchards. I’d hoped the cows (and the apple pickers) had a good life, but I know that the “Organic” labelling standard refers ONLY to the lack of chemicals or certain banned medications, etc for animals. I think that’s an important issue, but it’s quite separate from the local, fair trade or animal welfare issues.

I think this recent “shock! scandal!” regarding indusrial organic agriculture is just the mainstream media playing on the mainstream public’s lack of knowledge, and managing to make organic look bad. Shame on them. Let’s get educated!

I think as consumers, we need to create impetus for businesses to reconcile the disconnect between the product presented to us and the realities behind the production of the product. We need to disallow businesses to reinterpret organic in a way where it is reduced to becoming merely a tool for increasing profits.

The important thing is to keep discussion going, keep educating ourselves and people around us + producers and distributors about what it REALLY means to be organic… and that having “technically organic” foods that defy the principles of organics (eg. good health, sustanability, biodiversity, etc.) just defeats the puporse.

It’s great that demand for organics has increased to a point where businesses are devoting significant amounts of resources to tap this market. We just need to send a clearer, stronger message of what this “demand” really means.

there are a number of small farms near my area that sell at farmers’ market who don’t use the label ‘organic’ simply because they cannot afford it. it doesn’t mean that they use chemically damaging practices or do monoculture– they don’t, and i’ve talked with these farmers and visited their farms– but the organic label isn’t worth it to them. They really don’t need the label– their produce pretty much speak for themselves — they’re fresher, tastier, and last longer than the produce from the local grocery (Whole Foods). I just wish our goverment wasn’t so wrapped around agribusiness’ finger(s).

I buy most of my produce (95%) from farmers’ markets and the rest of my grocery staples (like flour and spices) from whole foods. i know that some food environmentalists are concerned about whole foods, but it’s the nearest grocery that I can bike to, and it at least supports food practices that i believe in (no high frutcose corn syrup, local dairy, fair trade coffee, etc).

Part 2 and 3 are available as podcasts to download at: http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/podcast.html

Part 1 is on their website (with lots of links and resources) at: http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/features/organics/index.html

I agree that this is part of the growing pains as demand outstrips supply, and that Walmart will play a big role… I just don’t think that role will be positive. We already have industrial organics, and that’s the sector I think will see the most growth, which in turn cheapens (in all sorts of ways) the many benefits of organic food.