"Seriously now, why aren't organics affordable?"
Take a moment and read Cost in Translation, about the current pricing of organic goods, and how that may or may not change in the future. It touches on most of the important factors inhibiting the expansion of organic foods in the marketplace: organic goods cost consumers more to buy, non-organic foods are often heavily subsidized, small farms don't grow to where they benefit from economies of scale, etc.
There are so many important ideas and questions raised in this article, any of which could be spun off into whole essays of their own.
→ If a family budget is already stretched to the breaking point, buying organic isn't a real option due to the increased prices. What can be done to address that? This becomes a social justice issue, where organic food is currently the privilege of the middle class.
→ Are there ways to internalize "external costs" (pollution, energy inputs, erosion) without tanking the conventional food industry? I'm a fan of the concept of incorporating external costs into the initial price of a product, but that's very difficult to implement in the real world.
→ Could an economy of scale really kick in, or does the nature of small farm production prevent those benefits from ever being seen?
I've only pulled out a few bulletpoints that struck me, but there's more meat in the actual article. All around, it's a thought-provoking article that gives much to chew on.
[Update: World on a Plate talksabout the same article, giving a parallel, but probably better informed perspective.]
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Fruits are always at their best at organic food stores. The fruits are picked matured....vine-ripened and all that. Furthermore, there's always health foods along with the organic harvest and that's a plus. Organic is just a label of course. There's no sure way of keeping track of how organically the item was grown. However, when people use to grow their own vegetables in the backyard, that's was as organic as it could get.
RONW - you've just hit on one of the confusions around organic foods: it's perceived as just a label. The use of the term "organic" is regulated by the FDA, but there are loopholes and confusion in the minds of buyers that dilute its effectiveness.
Alan--"organic" means that you use horse manure in place of fertilizer....those in the organic business will recognize that I mean that well.
hi alan, bloghopped here from kirk's. yes, it's a thought-provoking article. i wish they'd at least point out though that affordable organic food is OUT THERE, you just have to know where to find it. i get the bulk of our organic food from a co-op, it's only a fraction more expensive than regular groceries, sometimes CHEAPER than regular groceries, esp. on stuff that's on sale.
Stef- That's a good point. Even here in Hawai`i where stores face unusually difficult supply problems, there are numerous stores devoted to organic food (and that's not even counting what you might find in your neighborhood supermarket). Thanks for stopping by!
Just a quick comment on organics. I am from Australia and organic fruit and veg is also higher here than standard grown stuff. However, what we find is that people are forming growers. coop's and selling their vege's at markets which is cutting out the middle man and the supermarkets. Try sourcing these types of suppliers and you may find your products are better prices.
For those of you who may be interested in stretching your organic love to your skin care and cosmetics, take a look at this aussie company who have been successful in launching a range of products which have been food grade certified. www.miessenceorganic.com
Thanks Michelle
Michelle, before my last move, my family was part of a coop and it was such an enriching experience, even beyond the bounty of amazing produce. Hopefully these more direct markets will continue to rise in popularity. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi,
Just to touch on organics. Consumers are, it seems to me, generally quite unaware of just how complex the organic industry is. Basically, if it says organic, it's partly organic. If it says CERTIFIED organic, that means the entire process has been heavily regulated and inspected according to a long list of rules. Home-grown isn't necessarily organic, but it's certainly a heck of a lot better than conventional produce you find in the supermarket. The confusion on the matter is caused mostly by the non-organic industry, which is always trying to avoid losing business! You'd think they'd switch, but they have friends with big bank accounts ;) As for prices, that's also an industry thing. Definitely check out your local market. You'll find much better produce, are much more likely to get organic produce at a fair cost, and many products are local. I'm pretty sure all the organic produce I've gotten is local, or within 100 km, which helps cut down a LOT on the cost, not to mention the environmental impact.