[mistrial9]

> organic is a term that will surprise you when you learn what it means.

my current understanding is that the organic certification of food in America is a giant success story with many facets; that the negotiation on the meaning of organic for fruits and vegetables was relatively strightforward while the terms for meat products delayed the process and were difficult; that the organic certification has been a success in the marketplace, giving some farms a chance to get profitable with a higher selling price; that organic certification in California is also consistantly forged and that there is an enforcement challenge to curb forged organic certificates and brand marking.

Yes, I am interested to learn more about organic food, and I do buy organic food regularly and often, here in California.

[algoatecorn]

What you need to understand is that organic cropland makes up less than 1 percent of total US cropland, organic commodities make up less than 2 percent, and less than 6 percent of total retail food purchases are organic.

You can buy organic all you want, but rest assured it is a luxury good and you are paying a premium for whatever peace of mind it gives you. The rest of the world doesn't have that luxury. Waging war against all GM crops could drive food prices beyond what's affordable. It also drastically reduces our ability to battle emerging pathogens.

[foolfoolz]

a big concern with organic branding is how organic does something have to be? lower on the food chain on the raw ingredients end it’s easier to quantify. once you get up higher like organic breads and cakes it’s tricky. if i’m making a strawberry cake with organic strawberries and organic wheat but not organic sugar is that ok? what if i mix some organic and some not? there’s a lot of flexibility here. organic produced goods have a minimum organic ingredient percentage requirement but it doesn’t mean it’s 100% organic