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Organic' label little more than a
marketing tool for food, critics say
By KYLENE KIANG
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/10/06
Washington — At the local supermarket, the organic fruit and vegetable
display is a frequent stop for health-conscious consumers. But turn to
the next aisle and shoppers are likely to find a different array of
"natural" and "organic" foods.
All-natural potato chips. Organic breakfast burritos. On the
frozen-food aisle, a shopper can unearth multiple varieties of organic
three-cheese lasagna.
Some organic farmers and activists say that in the United States the
organic label, once the symbol of foods produced by environmentally
friendly means, has with time been cheapened into a gimmicky marketing
tool.
And as mainstream supermarket chains increase their clutch on the
lucrative organic industry, the same critics contend that big business
is developing a stranglehold on efforts to tighten national organic
standards and regulations. Big businesses entering the growing market
counter that simply by doing so, they are benefiting both the
environment and consumers.
By Department of Agriculture standards, the "USDA organic" seal means
that at least 95 percent of the ingredients in the product are farmed
without using chemicals, hormones, pesticides or any method regarded
as harmful to the environment.
Organic or sustainable farming techniques can include using ducks and
insects for pest and weed control, water conservation and natural
methods of soil replenishment. In the past, supporting organic farming
also meant favoring locally grown food over mass-produced varieties
that are often grown using greater quantities of fossil fuels for
production and transport.
On store shelves, the line between organic and mass-produced has
blurred. Tostitos now offers organic tortilla chip selections.
Frito-Lay also has introduced a brand of "natural" Doritos.
"It is sort of a marketing gimmick," said registered dietitian Cindy
Moore, director of nutrition therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. She
added that not all organic foods are equal. "If you have a product
with limited nutrients, making them with organic products isn't going
to make it better."
USDA spokeswoman Joan Shaffer said the organic label is a "marketing
program" that only specifies how the food was processed and has no
indication of food safety or nutrition.
Currently, the USDA works with 95 independent organic certification
agencies worldwide — 55 domestic and 40 foreign.
Spawned in 1970s
The organic movement gained attention in the 1970s when the government
banned the pesticide DDT. Spawned in response to the often-toxic
practices of mass agriculture, the movement was seen as an
eccentricity of the Earth-loving hippie set. Organic foods were not
simply about good eating, but doing good for the environment and
promoting a healthier, more sustainable place in which to live.
Consumers now, however, tend to equate "organic" with "healthy." But
that comparison is often not accurate, said Brad Stufflebeam, an
organic farmer based in Brenham, Texas, who noted the explosion of
processed foods on supermarket shelves with "organic" labels.
"Just because it's organic cereal with organic sugar doesn't make it
healthy," Stufflebeam said.
On food packaging, "natural" has no relation to organic and only
implies that the product contains no artificial ingredients or
artificial food coloring, Moore said. " 'Natural' has nothing to do
with how the food was grown, handled or processed."
No additives
Studies have shown some health benefits of eating organic foods,
especially in developing children whose bodies are less able to deal
with pesticide residue often found on conventional fruits and
vegetables. Moreover, the Food and Drug Administration permits the use
of more than 300 synthetic food additives in conventional foods.
USDA-certified organic foods contain none of these additives.
Aside from possible pesticide residue, "if you compare organically
grown foods to conventionally grown foods, there is no significant
difference in the nutrient profile between the two," Moore said. For
example, both organic and conventional strawberries have relatively
the same amount of carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.
Moore said it is helpful for consumers to evaluate why they might be
choosing organic food, whether it is for health reasons — to decrease
possible risk of cancer by avoiding foods with pesticides — or for
environmental reasons — to protect the water supply, encourage
biodiversity or prevent soil erosion on farmlands.
There might also be social-consciousness reasons someone would support
small farms or show concern about the impact on farm workers' health
and rights, she added.
Some critics believe today's burgeoning organic market has turned into
the industry it once fought. Seeds of Change, an organic company that
sells rice, grains and complementary sauces, has been owned by M&M
Mars since 1997. Food bar and smoothie maker Odwalla began with "three
friends, a few boxes of oranges and a simple vision," according to the
company's Web site, which makes no mention that it was purchased by
Coca-Cola Co. in 2001.
Since 1997, the organic foods business has grown by an average 18.4
percent annually, amassing $13.8 billion in consumer sales last year.
About 23 percent of consumers say they regularly buy organic goods,
according to the Organic Trade Association.
Organic foods now make up about 2.5 percent of total food sales in the
country.
National chains like Wal-Mart and Safeway are getting in on the action.
Earlier this year, Wal-Mart said it intends to double its number of
organic products. And that list is diverse: pastas, olive oil, tea,
peanut butter, fresh herbs, packaged salads, sour cream, seafood and a
line of baby clothing made with organic cotton.
"Although we have sold organic food products for some time, our
customers have not always thought of Wal-Mart as a place to find
them," said company spokeswoman Karen Burk. "We want them to know that
we have these products, and that we have them at prices that are
better than those offered by the competition."
And, to the discontent of some organic farmers, Safeway stores like
Texas-based Randall's supermarkets are touting their own label, O
Organics, eliminating the middleman and providing organic foods at a
lower price.
Organic farmer Stufflebeam concedes that the increased corporate
presence in the market has probably taken business away from some
independent organic farms, but, at the same time, mainstream chains
are increasing public awareness of organic foods in general. Business
has never been better, he says, adding that customers who want a share
of the roughly 100 different varieties of heirloom vegetables and
herbs Stufflebeam grows will have to put their name on a one-year
waiting list.
Complaints filed
Some organic advocates, however, cite concerns over loosening
regulations, pointing to alleged violations of the USDA organic
standard by Horizon Organic and Aurora Organic Dairy, two hugely
popular brands sold nationwide by vendors including Whole Foods Market.
Recently, a Wisconsin organic advocacy group, the Cornucopia
Institute, filed a complaint with the USDA about Horizon Organic. The
USDA is reviewing the charges to decide whether an investigation is
necessary.
Cornucopia charges that Horizon, the nation's largest organic milk
producer, is ignoring Agriculture Department rules requiring that
organic dairy cows have "access to pasture."
Horizon, owned by milk bottling giant Dean Foods, said in a statement
that the allegations are without merit and that the company works
closely with its certifiers to ensure that each dairy is fully
certified organic and meets the USDA's national organic standards.
The Minnesota-based Organic Consumers Association, an advocacy group,
claims that about 40 percent of organic milk comes from establishments
that obtain calves from conventional establishments, where they have
little or no access to pasture.
Locally grown movement
To counteract the bigger, better, cheaper trend in organic foods,
Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association said a movement
for supporting locally grown produce is "small, but growing."
Buying locally grown produce has become the latest mark of the
consumer who wants to conserve fuel and reduce pollution created by
shipping food internationally.
The locally grown produce movement is about preserving farms as a
community resource.
Stufflebeam, the 35-year-old organic farmer who runs a 6-acre central
Texas plot called Home Sweet Farm, believes that consumers want to
develop good relationships with the people who grow their food. He
calls it "the ultimate form of accountability."
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