Making Sense of Organics: A Brief History

Author(s):  
Connor J. Fitzmaurice ◽  
Brian J. Gareau

The increasing popularity of organic agriculture has revolutionized American consumers’ access to organic products. However, the industrial scale of the modern organic sector has little in common with the goals of sustainability farmers and activists envisioned over the course of the organic movement’s history. This chapter charts that history. The story of the organic farming movement, and even the very definition of organic farming that today’s consumers have inherited, is a story of people—people pushing back against the perceived encroachment of industrialization into their lives and onto their dinner plates. It begins with the emergence of organic farming, from the 1920s to the 1940s, as a conservative response to the rationalization and industrialization of farming. It then charts organic’s incorporation into the rising tide of the counterculture during the 1960s and 70s, as society became aware of the environmental degradation being wrought by industrial agriculture. Finally, the chapter examines the ways consumer concerns about the health and safety of industrial foods began to move organic foods into the national spotlight as a safer consumer alternative.

Author(s):  
Connor J. Fitzmaurice ◽  
Brian J. Gareau

With the passage of the U.S. Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990, organic food left the fringes of America’s agricultural economy and received federal recognition— and regulation. But how did organic farming become a niche market governed by regulations aimed at limiting the use of synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilizers, rather than by more holistic concerns about society and ecology? This chapter provides an overview of the regulatory processes that yielded both the OFPA and the final USDA organic standards implemented in 2000. While the federal government’s approach to organic farming began with a holistic, process-based definition of organic agriculture in the USDA’s 1980 “Report and Recommendations on Organic Farming,” the final standards came to focus on issues surrounding chemical inputs. This process served to settle the organic market by providing commensurability, offering a consistent basis for consumer choice, not broad agricultural sustainability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 749-763
Author(s):  
A.V. Shelenok ◽  

The article examines intensive and organic technologies for growing agricultural crops, their impact on the environment, human health, indicates what are the advantages and disadvantages of organic agriculture. It is noted that with intensive technologies for growing agricultural crops, their yield increases, but if the doses of chemicals are not observed, soil fertility is disturbed, the environment is polluted. Devoid of the disadvantages inherent in intensive technologies, organic farming is significantly inferior in productivity to it, due to which it is not able to reach the same production volumes, to ensure a comparable level of domestic consumption, which is demonstrated by traditional farming. The article compares the effectiveness of traditional and organic agronomic farming systems. It is shown that in the case of comparability of yield indicators, traditional technologies at lower selling prices are more effective in terms of profit and profitability indicators. The reasons for the slow development of the organic segment in the agricultural production of Russia are revealed. In this regard, the topic of support for foreign and Russian agricultural producers, including organic products, as well as the underdevelopment of its domestic market is touched upon. It is noted that, in contrast to developed countries, Russia’s share in the world market for organic products is insignificant. Therefore, it is too early to talk about the prospects for the development of organic agriculture in Russia. In the world, organic farming is stimulated, it occupies its own niche, but in all respects it lags far behind the traditional method of growing agricultural products. Its share in the world food market ranges from 2.6 to 3%.


Author(s):  
Serpil Tıraşcı ◽  
Ümmügülsüm Erdoğan ◽  
Vecihi Aksakal

Turkey as well as in the developing world science, technology and the changing rural development and manufacturing approach accordingly with industry, has changed the shape of the realization of agricultural activities. As a result of new production methods, environmental and human health deteriorated and scientists have turned to organic agriculture. Organic farming practices, which started in the 1980s in our country, have improved significantly with the publication of the organic farming regulation in 1994 and the regulation was last regulated in 2018. Our country with conditions favourable for organic agriculture in terms of soil and water resources, climate, variety of products, this study was prepared in order to see how organic agriculture has progressed over the years and at what stage it is today. In 1990, 8 organic products were produced in Turkey with 313 farmers in an area of 1,037 ha. According to the latest data 73,563 farmers have grown 2,371,612 tons of organic products in 626,885 ha organic agriculture area. In addition, the organic product range produced was increased to 213. When we look at the export situation, it is seen that the total export amount is 111,690,675 tons and a significant amount of this export amount is 41.633,896 tons of wheat and wheat products. Looking at the import data, it is known that the total import amount is 175,865,85 tons and the most imported product is soybeans (non-seed) (99,446 tons). Although a significant increase in organic agriculture production has been observed compared to previous years, it is anticipated that this increase may increase even further considering Turkey's agricultural potential.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viola Schreer ◽  
Martina Padmanabhan

AbstractThis paper contributes to the discourse on food policy, particularly in relation to organic farming in Indonesia. Organic farming was first adopted by non-state actors in Indonesia, by faith-based organisations and then by small farmer associations, while the state support for organic agriculture followed at a later date. The three groups, represented in this study by three case studies, adopt different positions with regard to the definition of organic agriculture and its relevance to food self-sufficiency, food security and food sovereignty. For Bina Sarana Bhakti Foundation (BSB), organic farming is both a spiritual worldview and a practical philosophy. For the Indonesian Peasant Union (SPI), organic agriculture foremost is a political tool to resist global capitalist agriculture. Despite their very different outlooks, both these two civil society organisations see organic agriculture as a post-materialist enterprise directed towards explicitly social-political goals. By contrast, the government’s engagement in organic agriculture, although laced with evocative phrases such as “back to nature”, is driven primarily by visions of developing a new niche market for Indonesian exports. The Indonesian State adopts a one-dimensional productivist definition that excludes different meanings and traditions of organic farming. The reduction of the meaning of ‘organic’ to ‘organically certified products’ excludes farmers who consider that they are practicing organic agriculture. We conclude that there is a strong case to be made that the State should relax its regulatory grip on the organic sector, to create room for sorely needed innovation and cooperation among the different actors involved.


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.


Author(s):  
Olga Tertychna ◽  
Galyna Ryabukha ◽  
Diana Buturlym

The article identifies the importance of organic farming in addressing the issues of preservation and reproduction of soil fertility. The key principles of organic farming, such as minimization of tillage, crop structure planning, use of fertilizers of plant and animal origin, practical experience of EU agricultural enterprises are highlighted. Ecological and economic indicators of efficiency of organic products production are analyzed: ecological intensity, resource intensity, energy intensity of harvest, efficiency of organic fertilizers application. The priority and prospects of development of organic agriculture in Ukraine are revealed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henny Mayrowani

<p><strong>English</strong><br />Awareness of the dangers posed by the use of synthetic chemicals in farming attracts attention at both the producers and consumers. Most consumers will choose safe food ingredients for better health and it drives increased demand for organic products. Healthy, environmentally friendly life-style becomes a new trend and has been institutionalized internationally which requires assurance that agricultural products should be safe for consumption (food safety attributes), high nutrient content (nutritional attributes) and environmentally friendly (eco-labeling attributes).  Indonesia has a great potential to compete in the international market, but it should be implemented gradually. This is because of many comparative advantages, i.e. (i) there are large land areas available for organic  farming; (ii) technology to support organic farming is available such as composting, no-tillage planting, biological pesticides, among others. Although the government has launched various policies on organic agriculture such as "Go Organic 2010”, but the development of organic farming in the country is relatively slow. This situation is due to various problems such as market constraints, consumers’ interest, relatively expensive organic products certification for small farmers, and lack of farmers’ partnership with private companies. However, interest for organic farming has grown and it is expected to have positive impacts on the development of organic agriculture in Indonesia.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Indonesian</strong><br />Kesadaran tentang bahaya yang ditimbulkan oleh pemakaian bahan kimia sintetis dalam pertanian menjadikan pertanian organik menarik perhatian baik di tingkat produsen maupun konsumen. Kebanyakan konsumen akan memilih bahan pangan yang aman bagi kesehatan dan ramah lingkungan, sehingga mendorong meningkatnya permintaan produk organik. Pola hidup sehat yang akrab lingkungan telah menjadi trend baru  dan telah melembaga secara internasional yang mensyaratkan jaminan bahwa produk pertanian harus beratribut aman dikonsumsi (food safety attributes), kandungan nutrisi tinggi (nutritional attributes), dan ramah lingkungan (eco-labelling attributes). Indonesia memiliki potensi yang cukup besar untuk bersaing di pasar internasional walaupun secara bertahap. Hal ini karena berbagai keunggulan komparatif antara lain: (i) masih banyak sumberdaya lahan yang dapat dibuka untuk mengembangkan sistem pertanian organik, (ii) teknologi untuk mendukung pertanian organik sudah cukup tersedia seperti pembuatan kompos, tanam tanpa olah tanah, pestisida hayati dan lain-lain. Walaupun pemerintah telah mencanangkan berbagai kebijakan dalam pengembangan pertanian organik seperti ‘Go Organic 2010’, namun perkembangan pertanian organik di Indonesia masih sangat lambat.  Keadaan ini disebabkan oleh berbagai kendala antara lain kendala pasar, minat konsumen dan pemahaman terhadap produk organik, proses sertifikasi yang dianggap berat oleh petani kecil, organisasi petani serta kemitraan petani dengan pengusaha. Namun minat bertani terhadap pertanian organik sudah tumbuh. Hal ini diharapkan akan berdampak positif terhadap pengembangan petanian organik.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Mayasuri Presilla Suharyono

Organic products nowadays are very potential to be developed because of the increasing demand from consumers around the world on safe food which are free from agrochemicals, such as fertilizers and chemical. Demand for organic products mainly comes from countries in the western of Europe, in the northern America, in the East Asia. Besides promoting health for human and the environment, organic farming can also increase income for farmers due to the higher price of organic products compared to ordinary agricultural products. The growing market share of organic products in the world is a great opportunity for agricultural producers to shift its agriculture from conventional to organic systems. This article is written based on the PSDR-LIPI research about sustainable agriculture in Vietnam in 2013, coupled with current news on Vietnam's organic farming today. The research result shows that the opportunity to reach a large organic market has not been caught by the agricultural producer countries, such as Vietnam. Until now, organic agriculture in Vietnam has not developed rapidly, although it has spread in some provinces. The slow growth of organic agriculture is as the consequence of several things, such as the orientation of agricultural development which emphasize more on quantity and not quality, lack of legal framework, and complicated and high investment costs for developing organic farming.Keywords:organic farming, organic market, legal framework, high investment, agriculture AbstrakProduk-produk organik saat ini sangat potensial untuk dikembangkan karena semakin besarnya minat konsumen dunia akan produk makanan yang bebas dari penggunaan bahan-bahan kimia, seperti pupuk dan pestisida kimia, sehingga aman untuk dikonsumsi.  Permintaan produk-produk organik terutama datang dari negara-negara Eropa Barat, Amerika Utara, serta Asia Timur.  Berbagai keuntungan yang bisa didapatkan dari pertanian organik adalah peningkatan kesehatan tubuh, kesehatan ekosistem (tanah, air, hewan, dan tumbuhan), serta peningkatan penghasilan bagi para petani karena harga produk organik yang lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan produk-produk pertanian pada umumnya. Semakin besarnya pangsa pasar produk organik di dunia merupakan kesempatan besar bagi para produsen pertanian untuk beralih dari sistem konvensional ke sistem organik. Artikel ini ditulis berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan oleh penulis bersama dengan tim peneliti PSDR-LIPI lainnya tentang pertanian berkelanjutan di Vietnam pada tahun 2013, dan ditambah dengan berita-berita terkini tentang pertanian organik Vietnam. Hasil penelitian dan penelusuran menunjukkan bahwa kesempatan untuk meraih pasar organik yang besar belum banyak ditangkap oleh negara-negara produsen dan pengekspor hasil pertanian, misalnya Vietnam. Hingga saat ini, pertanian organik di Vietnam belum berkembang pesat, walaupun keberadaannya telah tersebar di beberapa daerah. Lambatnya perkembangan pertanian organik ini disebabkan oleh beberapa hal, di antaranya pembangunan pertanian yang masih berorientasi pada masalah kuantitas dan bukan kualitas, belum ada tuntutan yang besar dari pasar domestik untuk masalah keamanan pangan, dan besarnya biaya investasi untuk sebuah pertanian organik.Kata kunci: pertanian organik, pasar produk organik, kerangka hukum, investasi besar, dan pertanian


Author(s):  
Ismet Boz ◽  
Cevahir Kaynakci

Although there is no universally accepted definition of organic farming, most of the scientists focus on an economic, social, and environmentally sustainable agricultural production system that prohibits chemicals, livestock feed additives, and growth regulators. Organic farming in a region must provide a sustainable livelihood for farmers, a clean environment for all living organisms, and healthy food items at reasonable prices for consumers. The overall purpose of this study is to examine the current state and potential developments of organic agriculture in Turkey. The paper first reviews the principles of organic agriculture, then gives information about the legislative process and developments of organic agriculture in Turkey. Specific objectives are to examine the legal structure, organic production, marketing of organic products, and strategies to develop organic agriculture in Turkey. Qualitative research methods were applied to accomplish the objectives of this study. For this reason, journal articles, books, websites, state statistics, and official reports were used for data collection. The basic outline of the paper organized considering the overall purpose and specific objectives of the study.


Author(s):  
Putu Calista Gitta Kalyana

Organic products become more popular as an alternative for consumption which are often perceived to be healthier and more environment-friendly. As the demand for organic products increases, the conventionalisation of organic agriculture practice becomes inevitable. The advantage of conventionalisation is arguable because although it can increase the production efficiency, the practice tends to disregard the principle of organic farming. This paper will discuss the issue through utilitarianism and justice theory framework. Utilitarianism perspective supports the conventionalisation of organic farming practice since the economic benefit would outweigh the cost of negative outcome from the damaged environment. Theory of justice offers opposing perspective by considering the marginalised farmer and the effect of the conventionalisation practice to the environment. According to the ecological justice perspective, conventionalisation of organic agriculture practice is unacceptable as it undermines the organic principle and proven to be detrimental for the small farmer where only the large operations perform the conventionalisation practice.


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