The Interplay of Conventional and Organic - Re-Thinking Organic Food and Farming in a Changing World - page 154

convert to organic. Furthermore, uncertainties concerning the viability of organic
production, marketing, information, and certification were also seen as constraints
on moving to organic. Interestingly, these larger farms were unsatisfied with
conventional farming and sympathized with the organic philosophy. The authors
conclude that better governmental incentives for organic conversion would help
these farmers to convert. However, it is not clear if these farmers would be attracted
positively to the original idea of organic as a social movement that links farming
and community.
Hunt et al. draw upon research conducted by a transdisciplinary program to
compare the sustainability of organic, integrated and conventional farming systems
in dairy, sheep and beef, and kiwifruit sectors of New Zealand. They illustrate that
organic farmers can contribute to the resilience of the organic sector. The authors
compare three management systems with a view to understand the ability of organic
practices to bring resilience through diversity in production methods. In particular,
they note that resilience is related to the social and cultural acceptance of 'good
farmers' from other farmers and actors. They further discuss the future of the organic
movement and ask under what conditions could there be a more resilient organic
production. They observe that the more practices between organic, integrated and
conventional agriculture overlap, the more organic becomes socially accepted. Hunt
et al. argue that shared knowledge with farmers from other management systems
increases the social acceptance of organic farmers in their rural environment. This
openness allows also the diffusion of the organic model to conventional farmers.
The closeness between different management systems leads to the social acceptance
of organic, e.g. in kiwifruit production, and allows non-organic farmers to learn
the organics environmental approach. This is less the case with dairy production
because of lower organic production, and it is excluded in sheep/beef production
because of significant differences in the management systems. Both systems are
deeply embedded in traditions without much flexibility, and modifications in the
management practices. Thus, there are few opportunities for moving toward organic.
Furthermore, they note the significance of the social relationships among all kiwi-
farmers that facilitates communication between organic and non-organic growers
that do exit in the dairy and sheep/beef.
Hunt et al. also address the conventionalization debate. Large organic export
oriented farms are often criticized as conventionalized organic farms. But in this
case, they remind us that New Zealand's agriculture is export oriented. Organic and
conventional farmers are confronted with similar market conditions. Furthermore,
lacking subsidies for environmentally friendly production, international markets are
of high relevance for the organic farmers.
Jones examines the founding principles of organic in Australia. These include:
humus rich, fertile soil; chemical free; and biodiversity and ecological wellbeing.
These continue to be important for organic farmers. She acknowledges that while
the modern organic movement in many countries has had to adapt standards and
certification that encourage the conventionalization of 'the organic industry,' this
process has not had a profound impact on the underlying beliefs of Australia's
organic farmers or the principles upon which their organic practices are based.