By Geneva Rae
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
A barrage of signs proclaiming organic food as the "healthy choice" on a recent grocery trip left me wondering how to feed the Canadian consumer demand for organics. Demand for organic products is growing faster than farmers can grow it.
According to a report recently released by Canadian Organic Growers Inc., organic farms constituted only 1.5 per cent of total Canadian farming operations in 2005. In the U.S., the number is even lower: only 0.5 per cent of U.S. cropland is certified as organic.
While personal health is likely the main driver, the demand for organics may be due in part to increasing consumer consciousness about agriculture's environmental impacts.
Organic farming is seen by many as a less intensive and more sustainable form of agriculture. Recent federal government efforts to ensure more accurate labelling of organic products are likely to further increase consumer demand.
If the domestic agricultural community cannot support this demand, consumers will turn to international suppliers.
But for those consumers opting to "go organic" because it is better for the environment, organic food from abroad may not be the ideal option.
Food miles are a measure of the distance travelled from farm to fork and, while only one measure of the environmental impact of food choices, it provides a useful illustration.
While consumers may feel noble about purchasing organic food, if it comes from afar, the distance the food travels contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. For example, the average number of food miles for one kilogram of chocolate is 8,598 kilometres or 1.3 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions.
In our increasingly urban and global world, we are ever more disconnected from the food we eat. Thinking in terms of food miles can help consumers get a grip on how their choices affect the broader world.
Organic products have moved from specialty stores to mainstream markets. Consumers can add green bang to the buck by doing quick label checks to see where the product comes from.
But here's where it gets complicated: do you buy a hothouse tomato in December that used energy for the greenhouse?
Or do you buy an organic tomato from California shipped by refrigerated truck?
The complexity of the issue may leave shoppers feeling overwhelmed and ready to rejoin the "ignorance is bliss" category of consumers.
One way to cut through the fog is to learn more about local agricultural producers.
Many urbanites are disconnected from the rural areas and are unaware of how they can play a role in helping farmers and ranchers be stewards of the land. By learning more about local food supply options and supporting regional farmers and ranchers, urbanites can enjoy organic food and, at the same time, help support rural communities and good land stewardship in metro-adjacent areas.
There are win-win solutions available for farm and fork.
Farmers' markets, for example, are a great way to connect with farmers and others in the community. You can speak directly to the producer, ask questions, and help local farmers stay on the land as environmental stewards and food providers.
Or you can take the lead from the best chefs and go even closer to the source and visit the farms, vineyards and ranches themselves.
A more direct line from farm to fork is becoming increasingly popular. Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a partnership between farmer and consumer, where consumers essentially purchase a "share" in a farming operation in return for farm products.
This may include helping out on the farm in exchange for produce, or it may involve receiving a weekly basket of fresh produce without getting your hands dirty.
Either way, it increases the sustainability of local agriculture and the availability of organic food options through consumer choice.
At the University of British Columbia, the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems operates the UBC Farm and a CSA Box program. Students, teachers, local children and other community members purchase shares and gain both food supplies and a keen sense of where their food comes from and how to grow it in a sustainable way.
A healthy food choice can be the organic choice. It is important, however, to consider all of the environmental factors that contribute to sustainable consumption.
Options exist. A robust agricultural economy grounded in environmental health, strong communities and informed consumers can ensure we sustain a high quality of life. As they say, "You are what you eat."
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