Lessons learned from the Upper Midwest Organic Marketing Project

2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 119-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.L. Dobbs ◽  
R.C. Shane ◽  
D.M. Feuz

AbstractThe strategic implications of a major, unique effort in the U.S. to expand organic food and agriculture are examined in this article. The authors recently completed an evaluation of the Upper Midwest Organic Marketing Project (UMOMP), funded initially by The Pew Charitable Trusts, and under the guidance of the Midwest Organic Alliance (MOA). The UMOMP was designed to increase the land area under organic production in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. On the supply side, the focus was on organic grain, edible bean, and dairy commodities. On the demand side, an increase in organic food consumption was the focus in the Minneapolis—St. Paul metropolitan area. The UMOMP not only encouraged growth in demand, but also aided in the creation of necessary regional organic production, processing, distribution, and retail infrastructure. The UMOMP was generally successful, notably in the increased involvement of mainstream grocery stores in providing and promoting organic food products. Part of this success was due to the MOA's help in forging broker and distributor connections between mainstream stores and regional and national organic suppliers. A broad-based public awareness campaign about organic food and agriculture was another important element in the UMOMP strategy. The organic production and marketing educational effort should help to enable future expansion of organic hectarage. However, serious national or regional strategies to encourage organic farming probably will need other elements as well. Such strategies will involve some fundamental issues about the future structure and nature of organic farming and food systems, e.g., whether organic agriculture can remain centered on small- and moderate-sized family farms that operate in a somewhat independent and entrepreneurial fashion. Whether organic agriculture can be a vehicle for encouraging food systems that are more regional in geographic scope is a related issue. Preserving an organic farming and food system that differs substantially from the presently evolving “industrial” system may necessitate a slower and more deliberate approach than was used in the UMOMP. However, that could involve some sacrifice in the rate of growth in organic supply and demand.

Author(s):  
Havva Eda Üstüntaş ◽  
Ramazan İlhan Aytekin ◽  
Sevgi Çalışkan

Organic farming aims not to use chemical inputs, to increase quality not the yield, control and certify every steps of the production and is a human and environmental friendly production system. In recent years, use of organic food has increased parallel with the increasing interest in the environmental protection and safe foods in the developed countries. Turkey has a great potential for organic farming due to its wide diversity of climatic and soil conditions. KOP (Konya Plain Project) Region, includes the provinces as Aksaray, Karaman, Konya, Niğde, has a wide agricultural fields where not used chemical fertilizer and not contaminated with pesticides. Therefore this region is very important for organic agriculture. In 2013 year, planting area is 769.014 hectares and organic production is 1.620.466 tons in Turkey. KOP Region has a 0.47% planting area and 3.4% organic production in Turkey. Niğde which had the first rank in terms of organic production, constituted about 61% organic production amount. KOP Region could present significant opportunities and benefits to potential investors in terms of organic farming. In KOP Region, organic farming practices should be cared and supported.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 561-579
Author(s):  
A.A. Leksina ◽  
◽  
E.A. Aleshina ◽  

Organic agriculture is a promising and increasingly demanded direction of “greening” agricultural activity, which has a great potential due to natural production technologies. Significant segments of organic products have been formed in the food markets of the developed countries; various institutional systems of the industry have been functioning for decades. Russian agribusiness is globally lagging behind in these matters, but the development of the economic environment has led to the objective necessity of adopting a law and a state standard that would define the requirements for the organic agriculture. Research on the prospects of the Russian food market in the global organic production system is becoming relevant. This work is a two-sided quantitative and qualitative approach to the study of existing production systems of organic food from the standpoint of the results and dynamics, on the one hand, and their organizational and economic structure, on the other. The findings and results are confirmed by the presented and systematized absolute and relative indicators of land areas certified for organic agriculture, the number of market entities, the consumption of organic food per capita and retail sales in the domestic markets. The qualitative characteristic of organic agriculture systems was reflected in constructing a set of schemes that clearly illustrate national features of the conduct methods, state regulation of production and turnover, research support, regulatory and supervisory support of the business under study. As a result, a comparative analysis of the leading world markets for organic food (USA, Germany, Canada and Austria) in comparison with the emerging market of Russia. The study is addressed to the global business community operating in the organic food market and to special research institutions.


Author(s):  
Bilge Ozturk Goktuna ◽  
Nazife Merve Hamzaoğlu

Conventional agriculture has long been criticized about its negative externalities on issues like public health, environment, biodiversity, and all ecological systems on the planet such as environmental pollution, soil erosion, reduction of animal welfare, and negative impacts of GMOs. As an alternative production system to address these problems, organic agriculture has been developed worldwide since the 1970s. In this chapter, an overview of organic agriculture and food market is given and a comparative analysis between organic agricultural markets in EU, US, and Turkey is made after an outlook on the world organic food market. It is seen that EU and US are forthcoming leaders in the organic food market, whilst Turkey remains behind many developed countries in terms of organic production, per capita consumption, and retail sales.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-230
Author(s):  
Sovit Parajuli ◽  
Jiban Shrestha ◽  
Sabita Ghimire

Increasing use of agrochemicals, higher production cost and deterioration of ecosystem health have advocated the need to change the traditional and external input using agriculture towards safe and sustainable organic production. The article reviewed on general overview of organic agriculture in Nepal. The article aims to put light on the current scenario of the dawdling-paced organic agriculture and the options to revive the pesticide dominated conventional agriculture. Promotion of organic agriculture was first appeared as a priority in the10th Five Year Plan of the Government of Nepal. Now it has been embedded in the national agricultural policy. Organic agriculture provides benefits in terms of environmental protection, conservation of nonrenewable resources, improved food quality, improve health status and the reorientation of agriculture towards areas of market demand. Various institutions, individuals and farmers are engaging in organic farming. Nepal is exporting organic products to international markets. The adoption of organic agriculture increases agricultural production and improves soil health and consumer health and seems a better option in countries like ours where fortunately integrated crop-livestock system is still prevalent. It is found to be viable option for better livelihood in the context of Nepal. Because the haphazard pesticide use has marred the conventional agriculture, all these contexts gesture this system to be scrutinize thoroughly and supplanted by organic farming system as a viable option towards food security and agricultural sustainability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-32
Author(s):  
Olha Alieksieieva

The purpose of the article is to study the impact of the basic principles and benefits of the development of cooperative movement on the development of organic agricultural production, as well as to determine the role of cooperation in the development of organic entrepreneurship. Methodology. The author has used the methods of analysis and synthesis, the method of statistical grouping and comparison, induction and deduction, structural and functional approach to solve the problems and achieve the goals. The study is based on the comparative analysis and synthesis of scientific literature. Results. Organic food is increasing in popularity. The growing demand is mainly attributable to consumer concerns about negative implications of conventional agriculture for human health and the environment. Organic agriculture has a great potential to neutralize a negative impact of agricultural intensification on the environment. The article describes the concept and analyzes the current state of cooperation in agriculture. It is found that during the period under the research, the number of registered cooperatives has increased by almost 45%. The concepts of organic agriculture and organic production are clarified. The dynamics of agricultural lands engaged in organic production and the number of certified organic farms in Ukraine are studied. It is indicated that the consumption of organic products in Ukraine is much lower than in the European countries and the United States. The advantages of introducing a cooperative movement in the field of organic agriculture are identified. Being part of a cooperative helps small farms to be able to produce enough to generate profits and ensure their substance, which is an opportunity to compete with larger companies. Risks arising in the process of establishing organic cooperatives are outlined considering the international experience. It is concluded that efficient organic farming cooperatives can support local and export markets, stimulate production efficiency and promote local logistics. Practical implications. The advantages of consolidation of enterprises and entrepreneurs in the field of organic agriculture on the basis of cooperation can be used for the development of state programs to support the cooperative movement in organic farming. Value/originality. Views on the organization of production, processing and logistics activities of organic agricultural producers through the introduction of cooperatives have been expanded.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-304
Author(s):  
Rajkaranbir Singh

Organic products are grown under a system of agriculture without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides with an environmentally and socially responsible approach. Organic agriculture is developing rapidly and today 186 countries produce organic food commercially. Currently, only 1.5 percent of the world’s agricultural land is farmed organically. The status of organic farming in India is bestowed with lot of potential to produce all varieties of organic products due to its various agro climatic regions. In several parts of the country, the inherited tradition of organic farming is an added advantage. This holds promise for the organic producers to tap the market which is growing steadily in the domestic market related to the export market. India ranks 9th in terms of World’s organic agricultural land and 1st in terms of total number of producers. The popularity of organic food is growing dramatically as consumer seeks the organic foods that are thought to be healthier and safer. As per the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoAFW), 2.78 million ha was covered under organic farming in India which is about 2 per cent of the 140.1 million ha net sown area in the country. Of this, 1.94 million ha (70%) area is under National Project on Organic Farming NPOP, 0.59 million ha (21.5%) under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), 0.07 million ha (2.6 %) under Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region (MOVCDNER) and 0.17 million ha (6.1% ) under state schemes or non-schemes. The certified organic production for all crop categories stood at 2.6 million metric tons.in 2018-19. Sugar crops (sugarcane), oilseeds, cereals and millets, fiber crops, pulses, medicinal, herbal and aromatic plants, and spices/condiments are the highest produced organic commodities in India. However, the Indian organic food industry is curtailed by multiple challenges including reduced farm production per hectare, a general apprehension among farmers to forego the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and higher storage and transportation costs due to the lack of preservatives required for long-term storage. The states should step up their action in a concerted way to promote organic and natural farming. States can play an instrumental role in helping farmers sell their organic and natural produce by developing organic value chains, procuring organic produce and helping farmers get remunerative prices.


2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 503
Author(s):  
Yongrui Hou ◽  
Tianyuan Luo ◽  
Jing Hao

As the demand for organic products quickly grows in the U.S., the domestic supply of organic commodities has stagnated and failed to meet the increasing needs. To expand the organic supply capacity in the country, it is crucial to identify the key factors that could effectively promote the scale of organic farming in the U.S. Using a multivariate analytic model and state level data from multiple sources and years, this study examines a wide range of determinants that could affect organic agriculture. The results show that research funding would significantly increase organic vegetable production and the number of organic farms. The development of organic farming could be greatly encouraged by the support of research institutions. In addition, the evidence shows that abundant farm workers are essential for the organic farming sector, which is labor-intensive. Finally, a large population base could create a more stable consumer group that would promote the development of organic agriculture. These results suggest the importance of exploring and expanding consumer groups for organic commodities. These findings provide insightful implications that research support, labor availability, and a solid consumer base are crucial to boost the organic sector in the U.S. and other countries.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 35-44
Author(s):  
Veronika T. Turchanova ◽  
Stanislav N. Nekrasov

The purpose of the work is to reveal the concept of organic agriculture in a temporary aspect. Methodology and objects of the research are a comparative analysis of literary sources: the works of foreign and domestic scientists in the field of organic farming, foreign legislative acts, statistical data of FiBL and IFOAM. The result is the discovering of that the prerequisites for the emergence of organic production is the “green revolution”. Intensive farming led to the appearance of the opposite – organic movement. The authors considered the ideas of R. Steiner, A.T. Bolotov, V.I. Vernadsky, H. Muller, O. Mokiti, 4th Baron Northbourne, E. Balfour, A. Howard, R.L. Carson and M. Fukuoka. They laid foundation for the modern concept of organic farming. It includes four principles: health, ecology, justice, care. Authors of this article give a brief description of the state of organic agriculture in Russia and worldwide.


Author(s):  
Mirela Stoian ◽  
Diana Caprita

Promoting sustainability, including the production and consumption of food, is badly needed nowadays, given the fact that consumers are increasingly concerned about protecting their health, through a thorough verification of food quality. From this perspective, organic food may represent a viable solution for a healthier future. Currently, we are witnessing a substantial increase in the number of countries, organizations, and companies encouraging organic farming, an economic activity that involves environmentally friendly agricultural practices. The main objective of this chapter is to reveal the growing importance of organic farming to the food markets. This research will also focus on presenting a very detailed analysis of the defining elements of organic agriculture, such as the evolution of certified organic surfaces, both contributory and disfavoring factors of the developing organic agriculture, and last but not least, overall outlook for global consumption of certified organic products.


2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (24) ◽  
pp. 7611-7616 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Crowder ◽  
John P. Reganold

To promote global food and ecosystem security, several innovative farming systems have been identified that better balance multiple sustainability goals. The most rapidly growing and contentious of these systems is organic agriculture. Whether organic agriculture can continue to expand will likely be determined by whether it is economically competitive with conventional agriculture. Here, we examined the financial performance of organic and conventional agriculture by conducting a meta-analysis of a global dataset spanning 55 crops grown on five continents. When organic premiums were not applied, benefit/cost ratios (−8 to −7%) and net present values (−27 to −23%) of organic agriculture were significantly lower than conventional agriculture. However, when actual premiums were applied, organic agriculture was significantly more profitable (22–35%) and had higher benefit/cost ratios (20–24%) than conventional agriculture. Although premiums were 29–32%, breakeven premiums necessary for organic profits to match conventional profits were only 5–7%, even with organic yields being 10–18% lower. Total costs were not significantly different, but labor costs were significantly higher (7–13%) with organic farming practices. Studies in our meta-analysis accounted for neither environmental costs (negative externalities) nor ecosystem services from good farming practices, which likely favor organic agriculture. With only 1% of the global agricultural land in organic production, our findings suggest that organic agriculture can continue to expand even if premiums decline. Furthermore, with their multiple sustainability benefits, organic farming systems can contribute a larger share in feeding the world.


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