|
ORGANIC
HELPS
This is the backdrop against which you must view
'organic' food. It won't guarantee you will live longer - or
healthier; but it's definitely one step in the right direction.
GO FOR IT!
Why? In the
short term; you will avoid eating some of the residues contained in
foods grown with chemical fertilizers. In general, fewer chemicals
means less chance of cancer.
In the long term; you are reducing the chemicals which run off
farmers' land and into the water table. This runs into rivers and
the sea, and comes back to us in drinking water and in fish we may
eat. Again, fewer chemicals means less cancer - for ourselves and
our children's children.
IS ALL ORGANIC FOOD
GOOD?
Of course, manufacturers and producers
have caught on to the trend towards organic - and are trying to
bend the rules. For example, they can go to the places in the world
where the organic standards are lowest, and produce food there! Tut
tut!
That is life - that is manufacturing! After all, there are over 700
bodies in the world certifying organic standards; some of them must
set easier standards than others.
In the UK, the Soil Association and
Demeter are two examples of organisations setting
stringent standards.
Practically, standards are bound to improve
generally. For now, just accept that most organically labelled food
is better than most non-organic food.
HOW MUCH IS THE ORGANIC MARKET
GROWING?
In the UK, 70 new organic products were launched on
the market in the last half of 1999 (Marketing Week). Sales of
organic food now exceed £1.2bn in the UK; hence the supermarkets
and others are jumping on this one food area where growth is rapid,
and price resistance is low.
The success of organic manufacturing depends on being able to find
enough ingredients of the right quality. Then, prices reduce as
economies of scale kick in.
ORGANIC BOXES
In the UK,
'organic boxes' are becoming more and more popular. Under these
schemes, you buy either your choice of organic produce, or take
'pot luck' and get a box of whatever is in season. The downside -
do you really want four swedes?
Seriously though - many people benefit from these schemes. (And I
like swede - just not 4 a week...)
Some of the box
systems in the UK can be found at:
http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/Home.aspx
http://www.boxfreshorganics.co.uk/
http://www.riverford.co.uk/
[Next: Governmwent
subsidies...]
| 
