Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
to social movements and improved environmental management (228). In
conclusion, the organic food market can improve ecological sustainability
in agriculture for the short term, but Allen and Kovach caution that long-
term change in agriculture will require changes in social, political, and
economic systems. Can organic farming do that? Not just with a marketing
label. There needs to be broader social action.
We should also take issue with the concept of organic food as a nichemar-
ket. Organics should be available to everybody, instead of just the wealthy
“niche” consumers. Food, and organic food specifically, must be removed
from the market commodity paradigm that treats it like any other item that
earns capital and expands profits. Agriculture needs to be “reunited with its
social context” through locally connected food systems that include CSAs,
food co-ops, and farmers' markets. We can use our knowledge of organic
farming “as a tool to decentralize and democratize our food system.” If we
relegate organic farming to mere niche markets, we are not really creating
an alternative system at all (DeLind 1994, 147).
Has the booming market growth in the past decade propelled organic
food beyond niche sales, or is it still a niche market, albeit a larger niche, that
is available to wealthier people? The fact that more urban farmers' markets
are present now and many accept food stamp coupons may be a positive
sign that organicsmay reach some lower-income consumers. However,most
specialty stores and supermarkets seem to have price differentials that keep
organic food out of the reach of many. On the other hand, as college students
tell me, it is also a matter of priority. They claim that although they have
little money (living on student loans and minimumwage jobs), they choose
to buy unprocessed organic foods (like rice and beans) that make several
meals for mere pennies. This relates to education. Someone must know
what organic farming is all about and intentionally decide to purchase this
type of food.
Retailers tend to view the stereotypical organic consumer as health-
conscious and wealthy, “despite the much wider consumption base iden-
tified for organics through survey techniques” (Lockie 2002, 289). Unfor-
tunately, by pigeonholing organic shoppers, the food industry is setting
up artificial barriers that may have a long-term impact on organic food
consumption. Instead, a “relational approach” in which research consid-
ers production and consumption holistically would be more accurate in
characterizing organic consumers.
It is important for us to discuss these social issues and to questionwhat we
expect from alternative agriculture and organic farming, but most farmers
don't have time for such discussions. They are first and foremost a business -
[89],
(20)
Lines: 222 to 230
———
0.0pt PgVar
———
Normal Page
PgEnds: T
E
X
[89],
(20)
