A Book Review by Kathie Arnold
It’s been years since I’ve read any fiction books — the last time was when our kids were young when I would read books aloud to them — and they are both young adults now. I have a hard enough time keeping up with the magazines — mostly dairy, organic, grazing, and current news related — and only very occasionally get around to fully read non-fiction books on similar topics (although my shelves are filled with such books that I intend to read as soon as that ephemeral commodity “time” becomes more available). But I recently made the time to read “Organic, Inc.”, by Samuel Fromartz, published earlier this year.
Although it is non-fiction, it was written in a story telling manner that was an enjoyable read and I looked forward to having another stint of time to read further to see what happened next in the organic history saga. In this book, Samuel Fromartz, a business writer who became an organic food consumer, makes the history of the evolution of the organic market in this country come alive by telling people’s stories to illustrate the growth in the industry/movement. It’s fun to read a book peppered with names, stories, and quotes from people I know (and you may too).
Fromartz begins with a quick look at the early beginnings of organic farming, and then delves into the development of the organic produce and fruit markets and the forces, processes, and people who industrialized portions of it, such as organic salad mix, and those who resisted those forces. He also traces the development of White Wave’s Silk organic soy milk from its humble, idealistic beginnings to its current state of ownership by Dean Foods, the largest marketer of milk in the U.S. Dean’s CEO, Greg Engles, forced out White Wave’s founder, Steve Demos, from his executive position and as Fromartz notes in the book, with Demos gone, Dean now makes some of their soy milk with cheaper non-organic soybeans.
Reading “Organic, Inc.” not only provided me with a good frame of reference on much of the history of the development of organics in the US, but also gave food for thought about where it is heading, something we as organic producers need to be mindful of. I’d like to quote what I see as salient points that Fromartz has made:
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“…two things need to happen if the original organic vision of “changing agriculture” is going to play out. First, consumers unconvinced of the benefits of organic food will have to come into the fold. Second, those already buying organic food will have to buy more.”
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“…the organic-growth camp…wants to make organic food as accessible as possible to consumers. Its members thought this might mean making more familiar products–like an organic Twinkie. It didn’t. They now think it means low prices. But this won’t help, either, if the prices result from a diluted organic method that undermines the public’s perception of the food. Clearing small farms out of the organic sector, rather than supporting them, would be ill-advised too, since no one likes a bully pounding away at a founding segment of the movement. Survival-of-the-fittest tactics have led some consumers to question organic food–and could prompt them to look for a new label. The alternative, however, isn’t simply small-scale purity, since shackling the food to a prescribed niche could lead to stagnation and even decline in an elitist or fringe market.”
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“Both approaches, growth and purity, are necessary for the organic food industry to thrive. Growth cannot occur if the ideals become compromised, but the ideals can’t come to fruition without growth. The approaches must be melded and balanced….”
“The organic industry will grow, perhaps dramatically, if these disputes get worked out, organic food prices inch down, and aging baby boomers and young families raise consumption–all possibilities. Growing awareness of the risks of factory farming, along with studies on pesticides and nutrition, could have an impact.”
Fromartz has done a great job of learning and reporting about the organic industry in a balanced way and assessing some core questions. Coming though, from his perspective as an organic consumer who has a desire to not just purchase any food, but to purchase excellent, nutritionally wholesome food, gives him an interest and insight that would be lacking in someone just reporting on the organic industry from purely a business perspective.
He recently shared with me some further thoughts, given what has been happening in the organic industry / movement over the last few months:
“I am now less optimistic that these yin and yang forces — the pro-growth camp and the more idealistic wing — so crucial to the organic food industry can come together. What I see happening is quite the opposite, what might be called the Balkinization of organics.
As big players come into the industry and as others pursue growth by chipping away at organic ideals, the market is segmenting. On the one hand you have mass market organics, which begins and ends with the organic label. On the other you have more specialized concerns in addition to organics, like health of rural communities, fair prices, fair trade and the like.
Essentially, the organic label is becoming a floor, a basic minimum that all players will (hopefully) meet, and I include everyone from Aurora organic to Wal-Mart in that camp. But you will see other labels on top of this bare minimum. And I don’t mean to imply that organics is easy; it’s a high hurdle to meet. But with it going mainstream, some consumers want more.
These additional concerns are growing increasingly important, not least because of the work by organizations like Cornucopia to point out the deficiencies in some organic regimes. (These deficiencies, by the way, are not necessarily the result of cheating, but may be due to the broad nature of the regulations.) Those consumers who tend to be more committed and more knowledgeable are looking for a ‘cleaner’ or more sustainable organic product. Retailers like PCC in Seattle and even Whole Foods are shifting the way they position themselves in this market to cater to these more aware consumers. So PCC for example dropped Horizon and Whole Foods has made clear it wants nothing to do with Aurora Organic and is stepping up local foods.
So there will be a mainstream market and a more specialized one and my sense is that suppliers and retailers will tend to be identified with one or the other. It won’t be black and white but the lines are starting to be drawn.
In the more specialized market, things like locality, scale, family farm, humane animal treatment, fair trade and labor conditions will grow more important. In the mass market, the basic concern will be the organic label.
And growth will occur on both ends.
Consumers who want a cleaner product with more pronounced values will buy the specialized products that might have more than one label (think of the family farms prominently displayed on Organic Valley’s label, for example). Those who just want organics at the best price will shop at Wal-Mart.
What I am concerned about is that so many people spend so much time concerned about what Wal-Mart is doing, when we should really be focusing on building these alternative channels, which are still too small, and which lack adequate infrastructure and distribution. Hopefully, with players like Whole Foods more committed to this channel, improvements will be made.
I am also uncertain whether the Wal-Mart gambit in organics will actually succeed. Will people buy it, or buy it regularly? It’s too early to say.
The mainstreaming is happening but that doesn’t mean it’s over for the rest of us … In fact, it may only be beginning!”
Samuel Fromartz is a voice worth listening to. Reading “Organic, Inc.” is time well spent! I advise you to invest the time to do so. The book retails for $25 and is likely available (or orderable) at your local bookstore as well as is available at Amazon.com for $16.50.
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Kathie Arnold is a New York state organic dairy farmer. This review first appeared in the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance newsletter.
