Organic movement
Encyclopedia
The organic movement broadly refers to the organizations and individuals involved worldwide in the promotion of organic farming
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...

, which is a more sustainable mode of agriculture. Its history goes back to the first half of the 20th century, when modern large-scale agricultural practices began to appear.

Overview and Origin

The organic movement began in the early 1900s in response to the shift towards synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides in the early days of industrial agriculture
Industrial agriculture
Industrial farming is a form of modern farming that refers to the industrialized production of livestock, poultry, fish, and crops. The methods of industrial agriculture are technoscientific, economic, and political...

. It lay dormant for many years, kept alive by a relatively small group of ecologically minded farmers. These farmers came together in various associations: Demeter International
Demeter International
Demeter International is the largest certification organization for biodynamic agriculture, and is one of three predominant organic certifiers. Its name is a reference to Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain and fertility. Demeter Biodynamic Certification is used in over 50 countries to verify that...

 of Germany, which encouraged biodynamic farming and began the first certification program, the Australian Organic Farming and Gardening Society
Australian Organic Farming and Gardening Society
The Australian Organic Farming and Gardening Society was founded in Sydney on 5 October 1944, during the closing months of World War II...

, the Soil Association
Soil Association
The Soil Association is a charity based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1946, it has over 27,000 members today. Its activities include campaign work on issues including opposition to intensive farming, support for local purchasing and public education on nutrition; as well the certification of...

 of the United Kingdom, and Rodale Press
Rodale Press
Rodale, Inc., is an American publisher of health and wellness magazines, books, and digital properties. Rodale is headquartered in Emmaus, Pennsylvania and also maintains a satellite office in New York City, on Third Avenue....

 in the United States, along with others. In 1972 these organizations joined to form the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements is the worldwide umbrella organization for the organic agriculture movement, uniting more than 750 member organizations in 108 countries...

 (IFOAM). In recent years, environmental awareness has driven demand and conversion to organic farming. Some governments, including the European Union, have begun to support organic farming through agricultural subsidy
Agricultural subsidy
An agricultural subsidy is a governmental subsidy paid to farmers and agribusinesses to supplement their income, manage the supply of agricultural commodities, and influence the cost and supply of such commodities...

 reform. Organic production and marketing have grown at a fast pace.

The term “organic” can be broadly described as food grown without the assistance of man-made chemicals (businesssweek.com). The beginnings of the organic movement can be traced back to the beginning of the 1800s. In 1840 Justus Von Liebig developed a theory of mineral plant nutrition. Liebig believed that manure could be directly substituted for mineral salts. Many years later in 1910, preceding the First World War, chemists Fritz Haber and Carl Bosh developed an ammonia synthesis process, making use of nitrogen from the atmosphere. This form of ammonia had already been used to manufacture explosives, so after the war, it was implemented into the fertilization of agriculture.

Organic food was initially seen as a fad observed by the eccentric few, however today it has become more widespread. “Organics have come to represent a safe house in a disturbing world where food quality and safety are constantly under siege” (Blythman). Today, whole foods stores have captured a significant share of the grocery shopping market, specifically, Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...

, Wild Oats
Wild Oats
Wild Oats or wild oats may refer to:* Avena, a genus of grasses that includes the cereal oat* Chasmanthium latifolium or wild oats, a grass* Uvularia sessilifolia]] or wild oats, a bellwort* Wild Oats , a 1994 sitcom...

, and others.

Structure

Specifications for what may be classified as "organic" food may vary by location. For all intents and purposes, the following quote from USDA.gov presents a fair structure for the movement.

“What is organic food? Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

People

According to ResearchWikis.com, the purchasing of organic food stuffs in has risen every year since 1990 to latest record breaking year. Purchasing continues to gain among all income groups and races, and is gaining the most ground with women ages 25-35, white, & married demographic.

One of the pioneers was John Battendieri
John Battendieri
John Battendieri is a businessman and pioneer of the U.S. Organic movement.-History:Raised in New Jersey, Battendieri has been working since he came to California in the early 1970s to bring natural food to people. He initially produced "Mr. Natural" apple juice, which paved the way for other...

.

Battendieri pressed his first batch of "Mr. Natural" apple juice in 1972, making it one of the first packaged organic products.

Organic Companies

The recent interest in the organic industry has sparked the interest of many business. Among these businesses are large companies that seek to distribute many products in large amounts to the American public. The organic market is now a 14 billion dollar a year industry, that continues to grow especially from large corporations such as Wal-Mart that are now offering organic choices to their customers. Other companies leading the organic revolution include food companies such as; General Mills and Kraft that are making the switch to offer more organic option for customers. Along with major companies now offering more organic choices many large companies are buy up smaller already established organic companies such as Earth’s Best, Rice Dream soy milk, Garden of Eatin', Celestial Seasonings and Health Valley. By having large companies buy up the already established smaller organic companies it exposes these companies to the popular culture, therefore making them popular because they are in large quantities.

Organic Cosmetics

Cosmetic products that are made with organic ingredients are made without the use of harsh chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) approved pesticides to be used long before research was done that now has linked these chemicals to cancer, and other diseases. Many manufacturers are misleading when it comes to labels on the back of organic cosmetics. For example, manufacturers may use the word "organic" its scientific meaning of “containing carbon.”

In order for cosmetics to truly be organic, the Organic Consumers Association suggests that all the cleaning and conditioning ingredients be made from organic materials, the manufacturing process should be simple and ecologica. Non-agricultural water like floral water or botanical water should not be used on labeling because the majority of floral waters used in the cosmetics are the water by-product of essential oil distillation after all the essential oil has been removed. Companies unfortunately mislead consumers by listing floral waters and botanical water extracts and infusions first, burying the synthetic surfactant ingredients that in fact make up the core of the product further down on the labeling.

However some floral waters in skin care products have been created using a distillation process using water only (which takes longer and is usually more expensive to buy and create) and no alcohol or synthetic surfactant ingredients are used to create this, therefore proving to be legitimately organic and created using a natural process.

Organic Farming

Organic farming methods have proven to be more effective than many conventional farmers realized, but they are still placed at a relative disadvantage by their lack of synthetic nitrogen. Thus they rely on price premiums, but these price premiums often allow them to reap higher profits than conventional farms.

Criticisms of the Organic Movement

The organic movement has transformed the mentality that the general public held about food. However, not everyone is a fan of organic products, higher prices for instances are one of the first things critics attack. Originally, organic farming was characterized by family farming, which contributed to its wholesome image. Initially, organic products were for a small portion of the population, the portion that is left over after what society determined was popular culture. Over the years the idea of organic food and products caught on, becoming more popular and widespread. The event of organics becoming more normative marked the transition from high culture to popular culture. Today, organic farming is not representative of quality family farming, it is dominated by big corporations and has become big business. “A single company controls 70 percent of the market in organic milk, California grows about 400 million dollars per year in organic produce and the Organic Trade association includes the biggest names in agribusiness, such as Archer Daniels Midland, Gerber, and Heinz ” (Miller, 9). Despite the modest beginnings of the organic movement, organic farming is now a lucrative source of revenue, and its humble beginnings are no longer representative of the organic products on the market today.

Some organic food advocates claim that organic food tastes better, though whether or not it actually does is debatable. The organic movement emphasizes eating local produce that is in season, which in turn, produces fresher food. Essentially, the food being tastier is not attributable to the fact that it’s organic (Miller, 9). “Organic food may be fresh, but it’s fresh from the manure fields” (Miller, 10).

Critics further protest against the idea that organic food is healthier. Miller, the author of The Organic Myth asserts, “organic food is no more nutritious than food fueled by industrial fertilizers that are sprayed with synthetic pesticides and genetically altered in science labs.” He goes on to say that bacteria are a source of disease in organic food and organic farming is incredibly inefficient (Miller).

Supporters of the Organic Movement

Proponents of organic agriculture point to the fact that organically-grown foods contain higher nutrient levels than those grown with synthetic pesticides and herbicides, and the environmental benefits of not using these often persistent and toxic chemicals. Organic farming also promotes greater biodiversity on farms, as the lack of poison allows species other than those being cultivated to inhabit the farms.

Groups such as IFOAM are active supporters of the organic movement throughout the world. They readily state their goals and are taking their idea to the world.

"Agriculture is one of humankind's most basic activities because all people need to nourish themselves daily. History, culture and community values are embedded in agriculture. The Principles apply to agriculture in the broadest sense, including the way people tend soils, water, plants and animals in order to produce, prepare and distribute food and other goods. They concern the way people interact with living landscapes, relate to one another and shape the legacy of future generations." IFOAM.com

This organization and others like it come under attack from political right in the US and other countries, but it has been accredited by many United Nations organizations.

"Several of the management practices evolved by the organic farming movement have a direct relevance to the battle to achieve food security. Examples include diversification and crop rotation, as well as the use of natural means to combat pests."

-Quote from Jacque Diouf, Director General of the FAO in IFOAM's 25th anniversary issue of its magazine Ecology & Farming.

IFOAM has been an FAO-accredited international organization since 1997.

In March 2002, IFOAM obtained observer status with UNCTAD, and in addition received classification in a special category to participate in the meetings of the Commission on Trade on Goods and Services and Commodities, the Commission on Enterprise, Business Facilitation and Development and the meetings of the UNCTAD Board.

“Organic agriculture can play an important role to achieve the goals of the Convention on Biodiversity, in the global context of the Millennium Development Goals, by significantly reducing the current rate of biodiversity loss. In addition, organic farming offers direct economic benefits to resource-poor farmers and thereby makes an important contribution to both poverty alleviation and sustainable development.”

-Statement made by UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer at the IFOAM Conference on Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture that UNEP co-hosted September 24–26, 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya.

IFOAM is an accredited international organization with UNEP, but that only one aspect of a more complex relationship between the two organizations.

In September 2004, UNEP hosted and jointly organized the Third International IFOAM Conference on Biodiversity and Organic Agriculture at the headquarters of UNEP in Nairobi, Kenya.

IFOAM and the UNEP are in the process of developing a three-year joint work program for biodiversity and organic agriculture in order to implement the recommendations resulting from the conference.

With organizations such as these gaining in their presence worldwide organic farming practices will likely gain ground in the foreseeable future.

Timeline

  • In the summer of 1924 Rudolf Steiner
    Rudolf Steiner
    Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...

     presented what has been called the first organic agriculture course to a group of over one hundred farmers and others at Koberwitz, now Kobierzyce
    Kobierzyce
    Kobierzyce is a village in Wrocław County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Kobierzyce. Prior to 1945 it belonged to Germany. It lies approximately south-west of the capital of Lower Silesian Voievodship...

    , Poland
    Poland
    Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

    . In Germany Rudolf Steiner
    Rudolf Steiner
    Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...

    's Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture, published in 1924, led to the popularization of biodynamic agriculture
    Biodynamic agriculture
    Biodynamic agriculture is a method of organic farming that emphasizes the holistic development and interrelationships of the soil, plants and animals as a self-sustaining system. Biodynamic farming has much in common with other organic approaches, such as emphasizing the use of manures and composts...

    , probably the first comprehensive organic farming system, that was based on Steiner's spiritual and philosophical teachings
    Anthroposophy
    Anthroposophy, a philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner, postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world accessible to direct experience through inner development...

    .

  • The first use of the term "organic farming" is by Lord Northbourne (aka Walter James, 4th Baron Northbourne
    Walter James, 4th Baron Northbourne
    Walter Ernest Christopher James, 4th Baron Northbourne , was an English agriculturalist, author and rower who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics.-Life:...

    ). The term derives from his concept of "the farm as organism", which he expounded in his book, Look to the Land (1940), and in which he described a holistic, ecologically balanced approach to farming. Northbourne wrote of "chemical farming versus organic farming". http://www.orgprints.org/10138.

  • Sir Albert Howard's 1940 book, An Agricultural Testament
    An Agricultural Testament
    An Agricultural Testament, is Sir Albert Howard's best-known publication, and remains one of the seminal works in the history of organic farming agricultural movement. It focuses on the nature and management of soil fertility, and notably explores composting...

    , was influential in promoting organic techniques, and his 1947 book "The Soil and Health, A Study of Organic Agriculture" adopted Northbourne's terminology and was the first book to include "organic" agriculture or farming in its title.

  • In 1939, strongly influenced by Sir Howard's work, Lady Eve Balfour
    Lady Eve Balfour
    Lady Evelyn Barbara "Eve" Balfour was an English farmer, educator, organic farming pioneer, and a founding figure in the organic movement. She was one of the first women to study agriculture at an English university, graduating from the University of Reading.The daughter of the second Earl of...

     launched the Haughley Experiment
    Haughley Experiment
    The Haughley Experiment was the first scientific comparative study of organic farming and conventional chemical-based farming, started in 1939 by Lady Eve Balfour and Alice Debenham, on two adjoining farms in Haughley Green, Suffolk, England....

     on farmland in England. It was the first, side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional farming. Four years later, she published The Living Soil
    The Living Soil
    The Living Soil by Lady Eve Balfour is considered a seminal classic in organic agriculture and the organic movement. The book is based on Balfour's agricultural and medical research, and the initial findings of the first three years of the Haughley Experiment, the first scientific, side-by-side...

    , based on the initial findings of the Haughley Experiment. It was widely read, and lead to the formation of a key international organic advocacy group, the Soil Association
    Soil Association
    The Soil Association is a charity based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1946, it has over 27,000 members today. Its activities include campaign work on issues including opposition to intensive farming, support for local purchasing and public education on nutrition; as well the certification of...

    .

  • During the 1950s, sustainable agriculture was a research topic of interest. The science tended to concentrate on the new chemical approaches. In the U.S.
    United States
    The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

    , J.I. Rodale began to popularize the term and methods of organic growing. In addition to agricultural research, Rodale's publications through the Rodale Press
    Rodale Press
    Rodale, Inc., is an American publisher of health and wellness magazines, books, and digital properties. Rodale is headquartered in Emmaus, Pennsylvania and also maintains a satellite office in New York City, on Third Avenue....

     helped to promote organic gardening to the general public.

  • In 1962, Rachel Carson
    Rachel Carson
    Rachel Louise Carson was an American marine biologist and conservationist whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement....

    , a prominent scientist and naturalist
    Natural history
    Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...

    , published Silent Spring
    Silent Spring
    Silent Spring is a book written by Rachel Carson and published by Houghton Mifflin on 27 September 1962. The book is widely credited with helping launch the environmental movement....

    , chronicling the effects of DDT
    DDT
    DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....

     and other pesticides on the environment. A bestseller in many countries, including the US, and widely read around the world, Silent Spring was instrumental in the US government's 1972 banning of DDT. The book and its author are often credited with launching the environmental movement.

  • In the 1970s, worldwide movements concerned with environmental pollution caused by persistent agrichemical increased attention on organic farming. One goal of the organic movement was to promote consumption of locally grown food
    Local food
    Local food or the local food movement is a "collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies - one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular...

    , which was promoted through slogans such as "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food".

  • In 1972, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), was founded in Versailles, France. IFOAM was dedicated to the diffusion of information on the principles and practices of organic agriculture across national and linguistic boundaries.

  • In the 1980s, around the world, various farming and consumer groups began seriously pressuring for government regulation of organic production to ensure standards of production. This led to various legislation and certification standards being enacted through the 1990s and to date. Currently, most aspects of organic food production are government-regulated in the US and the European Union.

  • In the 2000s, the worldwide market for organic products (including food, beauty, health, bodycare, and household products, and fabrics) has grown rapidly. More countries are establishing formal, government-regulated certification of organic food: in 2002 in the US, in 2005 in China http://eprints.utas.edu.au/895/ and projected for 2006 in Canada, among others. Monitoring and challenging certification rules and decisions have become a regular, high profile aspect of activists in the organic movement.

See also

  • Biofach
    BioFach
    BioFach is the world's largest trade fair for organic food and agriculture. It is held each year in the month of February, in Nuremberg, Germany. It brings together 2774 exhibitors and approximately 46700 trade visitors from around 130 countries....

  • Biodynamic agriculture
    Biodynamic agriculture
    Biodynamic agriculture is a method of organic farming that emphasizes the holistic development and interrelationships of the soil, plants and animals as a self-sustaining system. Biodynamic farming has much in common with other organic approaches, such as emphasizing the use of manures and composts...

  • IFOAM
  • Certified naturally grown
    Certified Naturally Grown
    Certified Naturally Grown is a non-profit alternate farm assurance certification program created for small-scale organic farmers, and striving to strengthen the organic movement by preserving high organic standards and removing financial barriers that tend to exclude smaller farms that are selling...

  • List of organic gardening and farming topics
  • Organic horticulture
    Organic horticulture
    Organic horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants by following the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil building and conservation, pest management, and heirloom variety preservation....

  • Organic farming
    Organic farming
    Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...

  • Motivations for organic agriculture
    Motivations for organic agriculture
    Within the food industry, defining the benefits of organic food is largely left to word of mouth, media coverage, and the promotional efforts of organic advocates. Major food and beverage corporations have rapidly moved to acquire significant stake in both fresh and processed organic products...

  • Organic agriculture
  • Organic baby products
  • Organic food
    Organic food
    Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...

  • Organic horticulture
    Organic horticulture
    Organic horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants by following the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil building and conservation, pest management, and heirloom variety preservation....

  • Sunburst community
    Sunburst community
    Sunburst, referred to colloquially as "Brotherhood of the Sun", was founded in 1969 by Norman Paulsen, direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, and was an intentional community of spiritual seekers. It was also referred to as a cult by those who opposed the community...

  • WWOOF
    WWOOF
    Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms , also known as "Willing Workers On Organic Farms", is a loose network of national organisations that facilitate placement of volunteers on organic farms. While there are WWOOF hosts in 99 countries around the world, no central list or organisation...

  • Conference on Organic Products

External links


Sources

  • The organic Agriculture: History and background is an excellent source for the origins of the organic movement. (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_42/b4005001.htm)
  • Blythman, J. (2005). The Trouble with Organics. Academic Search Complete, 35(6), 24-25
  • Miller. (2004). The Organic Myth. Ebscohost, Vol 56(2). 7-10.
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