Facts and Myths of Feeding the World with Organic Farming Methods - Principles of Sustainable Soil Management in Agroecosystems - page 94

4.2.3 Q uality of o rganic c roPS c omPared to c roPS
P roduced with c hemical f fertilizerS
Organic products are those that are produced under controlled cultivation condi-
tions in accordance with the provisions of the regulations on organic farming and its
supplementary statutory provisions or the guidelines of the various recognized farm-
ing associations (IFOAM 2012). Organic foods can be divided into plant products
and animal products. Organic plant products such as fruits, vegetables, and grains
are grown without using conventional methods to fertilize or control pests. Organic
animal products such as eggs, dairy products, meat, and poultry are produced with-
out the use of antibiotics or hormones. Organic food can also be divided into fresh
and processed products. Fresh organic foods are harvested directly from organic
farms, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, eggs, milk, meat, and honey. Processed
organic foods are food products like breakfast cereals, snack foods, canned foods,
and drinks, which are completely or partially made of organic ingredients.
Both fresh and processed organic foods can be easily found today on market
shelves. By reading the label of the products, organic food can be distinguished
from others. In countries where organic standards are established, qualified organic
foods are clearly labeled as meeting the standards. Based on the IFOAM definition
(IFOAM 2012), certified organic products are those that have been produced, stored,
processed, handled, and marketed in accordance with precise technical specifica-
tions (standards) and certified as “organic” by a certification body. In the United
States, for example, the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) and the National
Organic Program (NOP) assure consumers that organic agricultural products meet
the prescribed standards during production, processing, and certification. Though
organic farming is practiced on every continent, North America and Europe have
comprised most of the global demand for organic food, while most organic produc-
tion in Africa and Latin America is for export.
The growing awareness of health issues and the increased concern of environ-
mental issues have resulted in a higher percentage of the public to focus on food
quality. This in turn has increased attention paid to organic farming because prod-
ucts from organic farming are often perceived as having higher quality. Various
rationales that consumers use when purchasing organic foods have been identified by
Hughner (2007). Among all motives, including concerns for the environment, food
safety, and animal welfare, the concern of health is the primary reason that consum-
ers buy organic foods. In general, health-concerned consumers believe organic foods
are more nutritious and of better quality. Several studies also found taste among the
most important criteria in organic food purchases (Magnusson et al. 2001). They
suggested that people buy organic food because they believe it is somewhat better
than conventional food. They believe organic farms grow more nutritious and bet-
ter tasting food from healthier soil with healthier agronomic methods. Numerous
studies confirm that many people believe that organic foods are healthier than con-
ventionally produced foods and that they are produced in a more environmentally
compatible manner (Folkers 1983).
Although it is clear that consumers who purchase organic foods think these are
better than those produced using conventional practices, there is little or no scientific