Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Gredig: Is Organic Losing its Luster?

The Term “Organic” Losing its Luster

I’ve watched the organic farming movement with interest over the past 10 years or so. It’s not because I have any philosophical motivation to become an organic producer – I’m interested because smaller scale crop operations have to look for every opportunity to derive more revenue and margin from every acre.

I have great respect for those producers who make the commitment to an organic production system and make it work. It requires a significant step-up in management and there is a steep learning curve to farming without herbicides and chemical fertilizers.

Having said this, I’ve not made the jump for a number of reasons. Time and labor constraints being one – I’m not sure that I could be as efficient as I am now, and hiring more labor is not an attractive option for me. Secondly, I’ve been somewhat skeptical about the future of organic premiums and here’s why. Organic farming is not unlike any other innovative production system, whether it be no-till, strip-till or some other alternative to traditional methods. The common path is that smaller scale, innovative producers latch on to an idea, work to perfect it and learn all the hard lessons as they cut the path. Early adopters watch from the sidelines, and when there is a reasonable expectation for success, they jump in and improve on the process and take it to a larger scale. Ultimately, large scale conventional producers look at the economics and realize that their economies of scale enable them to derive larger benefits from the innovation and they go for it.

This pattern holds for organic food production, or at least it was headed in that direction. The strange thing about organic farming is that it brings with it a lot of philosophical and emotional baggage. Many people have difficulty looking at it as simply another production/business model. For some, a move to organic is all about a deep seated mistrust of major agri-business corporations. For others, it’s about a perceived benefit to the environment. It can be even be a lifestyle choice. For me, it would be all about profitability.

I’ll admit I’m less interested in organic production than I was a couple of years ago. The fickle consumer is showing less enthusiasm for more expensive organic food as the recession hits many food buyers in the pocketbook. Also, the marketers have been quick to grab the word “organic” so it’s difficult for consumers to know what the word really means anymore. Recently I heard of an individual selling “organic” firewood at a local folk festival – sheesh. And a recent study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found no real nutritional advantage to organic food compared to conventional.

But the real deterrent for me is the simple fact that as large scale producers enter the organic realm, per unit premiums for organic production will also come down. There are organizations that say a 12,000 head organic dairy farm is not what the organic movement is all about, but if Wal-Mart is going to sell organic milk, it’s going to come from large production units. Supply and demand rules, whether it’s organic or not and there is no way to regulate this sector to keep the big guys out.

For now, I’m on the sidelines. Nothing against the organic business model, but it’s not for me at this point.

What about you? Have you moved to an organic program? Have you considered a shift to organic? Will this niche market continue to grow or suffer some speed bumps?

Click here to join the discussion.

Peter Gredig
Farms.com Media
Peter.Gredig@Farms.com

Follow me on Twitter – I’m Agwag!

This commentary is for informational purposes only. The opinions and comments expressed herein represent the opinions of the author--they do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Farms.com. This commentary is not intended to provide individual advice to anyone. Farms.com will not be liable for any errors or omissions in the information, or for any damages or losses in any way related to this commentary.

Views: 31

▶ Reply to This

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Guinness World Record attempt to take place in St. Albert on Aug. 22

?ST. ALBERT – If you have ever wanted to witness an attempt at a Guinness World Record, then you will want to be in St. Albert, Ontario on August 22 when an attempt will be made to set a record for the most plow blades pulled simultaneously.

Why Alignment Matters: Domestic Check-Off and the Import Levy

When Canadian beef producers sell cattle, they contribute to the national beef check-off. That investment supports work that benefits the broader Canadian beef industry, including market development, consumer demand, public and stakeholder engagement, and research. When beef or beef cattle are imported into Canada, an import levy is also collected. While the structure is not identical in every detail, the principle behind it is straightforward: beef marketed in Canada should help contribute to the programs that support beef demand in Canada. The national check-off paid by producers and the import levy paid on eligible imports are two parts of a broader investment approach. Together, they help ensure that both domestic beef production and imported beef products are connected to the market development work that strengthens beef’s position with Canadian consumers. For producers, the domestic cattle check-off is collected at the point of sale and includes both national and provincial po

I’ve noticed a lot of wild oat escapes in some of my fields this year; what can I do to prevent it from getting worse next year?

Despite our best efforts, sometimes even the best laid weed control plans go wrong! The first thing to remember is that not all weed escapes are created equal. In some cases, weeds can survive because of application timing issues, challenging weather conditions or late flushes that emerge after spraying. However, when weeds aren’t controlled by herbicide applications, herbicide resistance should also be on your radar. A recent survey in Manitoba found that in fields with uncontrolled wild oats, 100 per cent of populations were resistant to Group 1 products, 82 per cent were resistant to Group 2 products, and 82 per cent were resistant to both Group 1 and 2 herbicides. Those numbers show how important it is to take a closer look at wild oat weed escapes. Identifying why your herbicide failed to control wild oats is the first step toward finding a solution. Start by scouting the field to narrow down the cause. Consider factors such as application timing, weather conditions, late flush

Is fungicide actually effective on Sclerotinia head rot in sunflower?

This is one of the most difficult questions to answer because there are many things to consider. I also don’t want to be outright negative because we do still have options for sclerotinia management in sunflowers. However, management is the operative word. First of all, sclerotinia head rot infections have an interesting pathway. Spores use dead sunflower florets, plus pollen, as the base to infect a sunflower plant. The spores grow into the receptacle, infecting and decaying the entire head after a period of time. Sclerotinia wilt (basal stalk rot) and mid-stalk rot are also infected by the same sclerotinia species, but it will be via the mycelia that grow from the sclerotia bodies in the soil for basal stalk rot. Mid-stalk rot is also infected by ascospores, but this can be earlier in the season than head rot or at the same time. So, management of sclerotinia does not start at flowering. Crop rotation is the most obvious management tool that we are familiar with in sunflowers, but

Using Water More Efficiently in Beef Packing Plants

Packing plants use a time-tested approach to clean their facilities. The first step uses high-pressure hot water to remove fat and meat scraps from equipment, floors and walls. Next, surfaces are cleaned using detergent. Finally, sanitizers are used to further reduce bacterial numbers. Processing companies want to reduce water use as part of their environmental goals and to reduce energy bills. High-pressure water and steam can produce aerosols that capture bacteria and spread them throughout the plant. They can then settle on and cross-contaminate clean surfaces long after the cleaning has been completed, which complicates efforts to effectively clean facilities. Biofilms are another problem. Biofilms are colonies of bacteria surrounded by a protective layer that firmly attaches them to surfaces and shelters the bacteria from hot water, detergents and sanitizers. Biofilms are hard to remove and are commonly found in hard-to-reach places. These researchers investigated potential cro

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service