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Organic
Agriculture
Organic farming and food
production is now a very well defined set of principles and management
strategies that produce healthy food and other products whilst at the same time
minimising environmental damage and positively contributing to
biodiversity. To
label and sell a product as organic is legally regulated in many countries
of the world. IFOAM
(the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) state that
organic agriculture is based on four
principles:
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Health
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Ecology
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Fairness
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Care
In 2004, the market value of
organic products worldwide was reported to be around US$27 billion and in
2005 nearer US$35 billion. It has been the fastest growing food market
sector for some years. The premiums that organic food attracts provides, in
both developed and developing countries, sustainable livelihoods for many,
often small-scale, farmers. Premium
prices have sometimes led to some cutting of corners,
outright fraud and
negligence or human errors have sometimes led to contamination of product.
Certification of farmers and manufacturers, accreditation of the
certification bodies and legislation by governments has become the standard
way to counteract such failings and maintain organic integrity, fairness
amongst producers and trust in the market.
The IOAS is a private sector
initiative to maintain trust in organic integrity at the international level.
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Certified Organic Farm,
Victoria, Australia
Organic by definition!
Despite being defined in many private
standards and legal texts the debate over what organic is continues: Organic
Trade Association - USA Rick
Weiss, Washington Post Food
& Drink Weekly Michael
Pollan, New York Times
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