Framework for Re-thinking Ethics in the Organic Movement - Re-Thinking Organic Food and Farming in a Changing World - page 280

opens the door for bridging the gap between the farmer and the consumer. As
long as several types of nationally or internationally organized agrofood chains are
problematic with respect to transparency, social and economic justice, it is primarily
the fair trade approach that enables practicing the Principle of Fairness and Care.

13.2.4 The Role of Ethics in Education and Extension

There is a consensus that organic practice is a learning challenge (Seppänen 2002 ;
Dunn 2005 ) that requires both knowledge and information (Morgan and Murdoch
2000 ; Schneeberger et al. 2002 ; Padel 2005 ; Zepeda and Deal 2009 ). For farmers,
there is commonly a “lack of information on agro-ecology and necessary skills to
manage complex farms [that acts] as a major barrier to the adoption of sustainable
agriculture” (Scialabba and Hattaam 2002 , p. 144). When we look at the challenge
to practice in line with the holistic intention of IFOAM Principles, this obviously
goes far beyond the pure technical aspects of organic food production, marketing or
consumption.
Therefore, questions arise about opportunities for the stakeholders to learn and
get knowledgeable specifically about organic ethics. Further more, does higher
education in organic and organic advisory services prepare actors to act ethically?
And what could be done to bring in organic ethics into education and extension?

13.2.4.1 Learning Organic Ethics in Higher Education

In recent years, several teaching programs in organic farming largely at the
master's level, or in summer schools, have been started at the University level. 19
Often students with idealistic, political and environmental motives, and not their
professors or administrators, took the initiative to set up these activities (e.g., Parr
and Van Horn 2006 ). Ethics in organic teaching are offered in some of these
programs (e.g., Parr and Van Horn 2006 ;Parretal. 2007 ; Gullino and Pugliese
2008 ; Francis et al. 2012 ), 20 however, the relevance of ethics in organic agriculture
education system is rather low.

13.2.4.2 The Role of Extension Services and Information to Promote

Ethics

Are the IFOAM Principles similar to the standards well known and applied by
the organic advisors? Often the advisors of organic organizations provide their

19 (Hill and MacRae 1992 ; Vogl and Hess 1999 ; Delate and Dewitt 2004 ; Mittelstrass 2005 ;Parr
and Van Horn 2006 ;Francis 2009 ; Francis et al. 2011 ).