I have always had a slight problem with 'organic foods' because my chemical background simply regards the term as referring to any molecule with carbon in it. Having said that, I do understand the concept (again, taking mild umbrage with expressions such as "chemical free") and a Swansea project student, Carly Smith, has found, in a questionnaire survey of around 200 people in the Llanelli area, that the term is much better recognised than other food applied epithets such as 'Freedom Foods' and 'Fairtrade'. The recent suggestion, however, that some 'organic farmers' should be allowed a temporary 'holiday' from strict adherence to the rules, without eventually having to go back through the expensive business of re-qualifying for the label (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7858813.stm) does raise a number of issues. The basic driver for this suggestion is the 'credit crunch' resulting in fewer people buying organic food from some vendors, combined with a higher costs of animal feed not being reflected in any premium the farmer can charge for his more expensive product. The idea is that such farmers should be allowed to feed their stock cheaper food so long as they do not sell the meat etc as 'organic'. I can see how this might work for a single meat animal (although the housing locations would have to be very vigorously 'cleaned' when reverting back to the 'organic' label) but I do not see how it could be applied to the milk from dairy cattle and wonder about the manure use in the case of vegetables. One also wonders whether, in some cases, the 'holiday' will ever end. Is 'organic' only a rich person's affectation?
This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Saturday 31 January 2009
Organic 'Holiday'?
I have always had a slight problem with 'organic foods' because my chemical background simply regards the term as referring to any molecule with carbon in it. Having said that, I do understand the concept (again, taking mild umbrage with expressions such as "chemical free") and a Swansea project student, Carly Smith, has found, in a questionnaire survey of around 200 people in the Llanelli area, that the term is much better recognised than other food applied epithets such as 'Freedom Foods' and 'Fairtrade'. The recent suggestion, however, that some 'organic farmers' should be allowed a temporary 'holiday' from strict adherence to the rules, without eventually having to go back through the expensive business of re-qualifying for the label (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7858813.stm) does raise a number of issues. The basic driver for this suggestion is the 'credit crunch' resulting in fewer people buying organic food from some vendors, combined with a higher costs of animal feed not being reflected in any premium the farmer can charge for his more expensive product. The idea is that such farmers should be allowed to feed their stock cheaper food so long as they do not sell the meat etc as 'organic'. I can see how this might work for a single meat animal (although the housing locations would have to be very vigorously 'cleaned' when reverting back to the 'organic' label) but I do not see how it could be applied to the milk from dairy cattle and wonder about the manure use in the case of vegetables. One also wonders whether, in some cases, the 'holiday' will ever end. Is 'organic' only a rich person's affectation?
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2 comments:
I don't know about affectation, I think people genuinely think that organically grown vegetables are better for them, although I remember one study demonstrated no differences in the chemicals found in people who ate organic food with people who ate non organic food. All I know is I’d rather eat a non-organically locally grown vegetable to an organically grown vegetable that has been flown across from the other side of the planet. Saying that I’d like to see a reduction in the use of chemicals in the production of our food for the sake of the health the environment which I presume will have a positive affect on my own health.
That is certainly a consideration. I was surprised by the Soil Society decision to apply the 'organic' label to vegetables imported by airfreight. They say it was to encourage that type of farming.
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