Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
First, you plant the soybean; then you use an airplane to spray Roundup, a com-
mon weed killer that is manufactured by the company that produces the Roundup
Ready soybeans, over the fi eld. The application of Roundup over the entire fi eld
saves a lot of time and energy for the farmers because the genetically modifi ed
soybeans are resistant to the Roundup, but the weeds are killed. Monsanto, the
company that produces Roundup, has developed soybeans, corn, cotton, and
other crops that are resistant to Roundup.
Counter to the genetically modifi ed Roundup Ready crops,
organic
agriculture
—the production of crops without the use of synthetic or industrially
produced pesticides and fertilizers—is also on the rise in North America. In
wealthier parts of the world, the demand for organic products has risen exponen-
tially in recent years. Sales of organic food in the United States, for example, went
from under $200 million in 1980 to $1.5 billion by the early 1990s to over $10 billion
by 2003 and $24.8 billion in 2009. Organic foods are now just under 4 percent of all
food sales in the country. The growth rate is so strong that some predict organic
sales will approach 10 percent of total U.S. food sales within a decade. Parts of
western Europe are already approaching that fi gure—notably Denmark, Sweden,
Finland, and parts of Germany.
Agricultural fi elds are devoted to organic agriculture in the core, semi-periphery,
and periphery. Fields devoted to organic agriculture produce all kinds of foodstuffs,
including fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, grains, nuts, and spices. Compared to all agri-
cultural land, the organic segment is still quite small and relatively scattered, but a
farmer who can gain organic certifi cation from a government or an internationally
recognized third party is increasingly at a competitive advantage (Fig. 11.2).
Although organic crops are grown everywhere, most organic foods are sold in
the global economic core: in the United States, Canada, Japan, Europe, and
Australia. The best-selling organic crops in the United States are fruits and vegeta-
bles, accounting for 39 percent of organic food sales, followed by nondairy bever-
ages at 15 percent and dairy at 13 percent. Organic products typically cost more
than conventional products in the grocery store. Nonetheless, a 2002 report
issued by the United States Department of Agriculture explains that in 2000
organic foods crossed a threshold, moving out of health food stores and into
supermarkets: “for the fi rst time, more organic food was purchased in conven-
tional supermarkets than in any other venue.” Organic foods are sold in 54 percent
of conventional grocery stores in the United States, with increasing demands for
organic animal products such as meats and dairy.
Organic agriculture is an increasingly important part of agricultural produc-
tion and consumption in wealthier countries. In the core, organic farming has
helped some farmers extract themselves to a degree from the control of large,
external corporate interests by tapping a niche market. The role of organic agricul-
ture in the periphery and semi-periphery is similar to that of other major cash
crops: production is almost entirely for export to the global economic core. Yet, in
the periphery and semi-periphery, when organic agriculture bears a fair trade certi-
fi cation, more wealth typically goes directly to the producers (see the discussion
of fair trade coffee in the last section of this chapter).
The organic movement has some clear environmental benefi ts, particularly
in reducing levels of synthetic chemicals in soil and water. The putative health and
taste advantages of organic produce help ensure the continued growth of the
organic movement. The continually increasing demand for organic products has
led the United States Department of Agriculture to certify organic products in the
country, giving some degree of standardization to organic agriculture.
