I read this article this morning and I happen to agree with many of the issues that the author raised. I am not anti-organic. I am anti-organic fraud. I see many of the local organic places that are a fraud. They buy hay that isn't organic but market the animals and milk as organic. They graze the cows on the neighbors land that is not organic.

Lack of testing and organic certification being simply a production process and not quality based leaves room for fraud.

On to the article. KM

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Time will sort most things out. I, personally, don't worry about fraud in the stuff at the grocery store as I don't care. If i looks good enough to eat, I eat it. To quote an old Irish man (who had to screw his socks on) "He must be an honest man. He don't have anything". Some folks need an advantage to survive.

In my opinion, organic is about the process not the product. The "quality" may or may not be better depending on how you see it. Lots of organic buyers are willing to take stuff that has less eye appeal than the average person buying at the grocery store. Some believe it has more nutritional value while others just want to support the production method they see as less destructive to the environment. It's like religion ---- believe what you want and donate accordingly.

I don't see how someone else selling uncertified organic produce or meat to people who want to pay for it has any bearing on my operation.

I also know a number of former certified organic producers who quit paying to get certified because they had built up enough of a clientele who trusted them and their practices that they didn't need some outside agency to verify their operations every year or 2 for $500 or some such amount.

Every jack has their jenny.

Geoff,
I agree with you that organic is a method or process not a product. The problem is when it is marketed as a product in the stores. I have no problems with the idea behind consumer choice. I wish all products we labeled as to origin. The problem comes in the scam artists. We have a local organic guy that is anything but. He has been caught several times with his cows happily munching on the neighbors round up ready alfalfa. The gate just happens to get left open whenever the neighbor is out of town. He buys his grains but never worries about the organic as he marks a check box on his form. The certified organic inspector happily takes his money and hands him a clean inspection. It is a sham that takes away from the organic operations that believe in the process. Local buying where you know the producer is the best method but where that isn't possible a label should mean something.

I would think that the organic growers would want to maintain credibility.

Fraud among so-called organic growers, as in any business venture is difficult to monitor, even if one hopes for organic growers to rank higher on the ethical scale. There are too few inspectors and one might rightfully suspect, alas, that some are willing to look aside and certify for the right fee. But that is an issue that can plague any business deal when money and egos are involved. Smart marketers understand that people are willing to buy expensive products simply if it is labeled “organic” without questioning the animal feed sources or whether the producers are largely purists in all levels and stages of growing, raising and putting up the products they offer consumers. I recently moved back to Germany, where the organic movement is very strong,where certification extremely hard to get and is strictly monitored, and organic markets abound. Unable to grow most of my own produce anymore due to the constraints of back injuries and age, I supply my kitchen pantry with the best produce I can find, mostly certified organic if I can afford it and if it makes sense, but always from local growers whom I know and can visit. Decades of gardening experience and being involved in the healthy food production movement, as well as asking informed questions hopefully help me to spot organic frauds in sheep’s clothing.

Some folks think it is a double standard to use diesel fuel and gasoline to perform tillage or harvesting activities in an "organic" operation. Animal power is about the only pure organic way of working ground, until they come up with a solar powered robot...
Organic is a "source differentiated identity" marketing strategy.

If folks are going to leave it up to others to lookout for their wellbeing they should understand there will always be a risk. Many people do not have the ability to create a farmer/consumer relationship, or to grow their own food, I believe this is the gap that the organic certification is intended to fill. Having said that I do believe most people could grow some of their food as well as have relationships with local producers but they choose not to. No matter what reasoning one puts in front of it, if one leaves their wellbeing up to someone else they are at risk of being disappointed at some point.
I would most likely not ever become certified because it would be of no benefit to us. Our customers know us and they know how we farm, I would not feel good about charging them more money just to cover the extra costs associated.
Just my opinion
Billy

We went certified organic mainly to buy trust with strangers outside the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming, when we reach an economy of scale which justifies the cost of distribution. It is true there are a lot of ways one could cheat. Best case as mentioned is to know and support your local lookimintheeyes farmer.
I think organic is teaching us to keep better records, and pay more attention to proactive animal husbandry instead of reactive husbandry.
We say some do USDA paperwork, we do organic paperwork. Can't seem to get away from it. Will see.