Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
consumers use organic products at least occasionally (Organic Trade Association
2008). This is an increase from 55% in 2000. The largest segment of the organic
market is fresh produce (NBJ 2001), with 92% of organic consumers having purchased
fruits and vegetables (Hartman Group 2001). Price is the greatest barrier to purchasing
organic produce, with 63% of consumers associating higher prices with organic
produce compared to conventional produce (Nelson 2002).
According to the Organic Trade Association (2005a), Hispanic consumers are
signifi cantly more interested in natural and organic products than the general popula-
tion, and more likely to want their stores to carry natural and organic products.
Consumers with children under 18 years of age are less likely to buy organic produce
than those without young children (Produce Merchandising Staff 2002). Consumers
in the West are more likely to buy organic produce than other regions, and households
with incomes of $75,000 or more have the highest likelihood to purchase organic
produce (Produce Merchandising Staff 2002).
The Hartman Group (2001) found that consumers who select organic products do
so primarily for health and nutrition reasons, followed by taste, assurance of food
safety, and environmental concerns. Using organic food is mentioned as a practice
used to maintain health by 37% of consumers (Food Marketing Institute 2001). Those
selecting organic foods believe conventionally produced food is risky. They believe
organic products are grown without the use of pesticides, are chemical free, and are
safer for the environment (Hartman Group 2001; HealthFocus 2003; Natural Marketing
Institute 2001; Zehnder and others 2003). In 2007, 10% of consumers indicated that
they kept organic food separated from nonorganic (Food Marketing Institute 2007).
When asked what attributes of organic foods are of greatest importance, 63% of those
who select organic foods indicated that they are grown without pesticides (Natural
Marketing Institute 2001). This statement may be the most important characteristic of
organic foods and has been rated very important to more consumers than “certifi ed
organic ” (HealthFocus 2003 ).
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Virtually every land grant university in the United States has a research group devel-
oping environmentally responsive pest control strategies known as
Integrated Pest
Management (IPM)
. These methods include the use of benefi cial insects to attack
harmful ones, the use of insect-resistant varieties of plants, and production manage-
ment techniques. If pests reach an economically signifi cant level, and other measures
are not effective, pesticides may be employed. Prior to selecting a pesticide, the impact
on the worker, the environment, and the target pest needs to be evaluated. When
consumers hear about the IPM approach, their attitudes toward farming practices and
food safety are positive (Bruhn and others 1992: Diaz-Knauf and others 1995).
Furthermore, Govindasamy and others 1997) found that people indicate strong support
for IPM through both a high willingness to purchase and willingness to pay a premium
for produce grown according to IPM approaches. Once informed about IPM, con-
sumers surveyed were more willing to pay a premium and more willing to switch
supermarkets to obtain IPM rather than organic produce. An economic analysis of
purchase intent found that those with higher income, who were younger, who were
