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Who owns organic? (Saturday, Dec. 27, 2003 -- CropChoice news) -- Michael Sligh, RAFI-USA Program Director, Just Foods and Carolyn Christman:
Organic agriculture is the most dynamic and rapidly growing sector of the global food industry. Its transformation from a small, niche market to a $23 billion enterprise has made "organic" an international phenomenon.
Who Owns Organic, a new report from RAFI-USA, describes the status of organic agriculture and proposes careful monitoring to track the changes that are occurring.
The two commonly used measures - acreage and sales - reflect
dramatic growth in the organic market. But growth alone is not all that needs to be measured. Changes in the structure of the industry must be measured as well - such as increasing concentration and reduction in the price premium. It is also important to itemize the challenges facing organic agriculture, such as complex trade systems and the spread of genetically modified crops.
Will organic agriculture remain on the cutting edge and meet its
potential? Or will it relinquish this role to the global food system
and become little more than a marketing niche - or even the
shadow of what it set out to replace?
The question debated now is how to both protect and expand the
value of organic food. It is especially important to consider
whether the value rests solely in a narrow agricultural framework
or --as RAFI-USA believes -- based in a broad ideological
framework as being good for the earth, the water, the air, the
animals, the workers, the farmers, the consumers, and their
communities.
This report is an essential snapshot of organic agriculture in
2003. It contains charts and graphs of global production and
sales as well as information on the North American Industry. It
offers an extensive bibliography for those wanting to extend their
own research. Our hope is that it will inspire greater analysis
and conversation about the future of organic food production.
Who owns organic? The answer, of course, is that we all do. You
can download the 35 page report from the RAFI-USA website at
http://www.rafiusa.org under "What's New", "Publications", "Just Food
Resources" or contact us at RAFI-USA, PO Box 649, Pittsboro,
NC 27312, USA; phone 919-542-1396. |