Is the organic food movement elitist?
Sun, Apr 01 2007 at 12:00 AM EST
Read more: ORGANIC FARMING, ORGANIC FOODS
(Photo: Ian-S/Flickr) 
Majora Carter
Founder and executive director, Sustainable South Bronx
“Why pick on the organic food people? It’s not their fault that some people are too poor to afford organic. Or that Big Ag subsidies make non-organic cheaper. Or that the oil economy, failing education system and widening income gaps have conspired to make an ‘organic food movement’ one of the many groups fighting for a modicum of common sense. The organic food movement is pretty far down on my list of targets. I love their carrots, too!”
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DiggNina Planck
Founder of London Farmers’ Markets and former director of New York City’s Greenmarket
“Organic food and whole food — what I call traditional food — is frugal. Buy a whole chicken. It serves four people twice — the second time as soup. Buy fresh, local produce in season and canned wild Alaskan salmon. This gives you more nutrition for the buck than industrial food. Shop the perimeter of the supermarket where you’ll find meat, fish, dairy and produce — real food. In the center aisles are processed, nutrient-poor, high-profit-margin foods. That’s what will eat up your budget.”
Arturo S. Rodriguez
President of the United Farm Workers of America
“Too many consumers believe just because produce is organic that the farm workers are treated better. But some growers who farm organically and embrace the rhetoric of ecological farming just want to appeal to a profitable market. They treat workers just as poorly as growers using pesticides. Farm labor can be decent work with union protections. That’s why the union label is as important as the organic label.”
Barry Glassner
Author of The Gospel of Food: Everything You Think You Know About Food is Wrong
“I have found both elitism and anti-elitism in the movement, sometimes within the same person or organization. Some people proudly note that organic farms are pesticide-free places to work and live. But when I ask why the movement doesn’t give equal priority to ensuring that farms, distributors, and retailers provide living wages and health care, the atmosphere changes. The person will change the topic or offer excuses.”
This article originally appeared in Plenty in April 2007. The story was added to MNN.com in June 2009.
Copyright Environ Press 2007
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Comments(3)
Posted By Lorenzo - Sat, Mar 13 2010 at 3:43 PM ESTOrganic Food Movement Workers
Farm workers are an important key of the Organic Food Proccess Since they are the ones who plant, tent, and harvest the produce and they should not be left out. We have to have in mind that if it weren't for them the Organic and Conventional produce that is on our tables would not be posible. Therefore the Organic Food Movement should advocate strongly for a better living and working conditions por these people.
Posted By Daphne Spurlock - Fri, Jun 26 2009 at 11:31 PM ESTwww.Digintoorganic.com
Hi! My name is Daphne and I just want to thank you for the helpful information that you have on organic foods. As for me, I also believe going organic is the best way to go. Do to the fact tha it has a higher nutritional value than conventional foods. I also have a website
Organic Food Movement Workers
Since the organic food movement is aiming to make healthier food for consumers and better conditions for the animals, I agree that it would be nice to see it provide better conditions for the farm workes too. We cannot forget about them it should be a win win for everyone involved. That is what this food movement is supposed to be all about.