Organic food has become big business and many of you are taking the plunge but it’s still an expensive option. Just how compelling are the reasons for making this lifestyle change?
A couple of decades ago, if you wanted to buy organic flour, you’d have to find a health food store and pay a hefty premium. Nowadays, almost every retailer offers organic alternatives to almost everything we consume, from the staples – meat, eggs, dairy and veg – to luxuries such as wine and chocolate.
According to a report by the Soil Association, annual sales of organic food and drink in the UK have hit £2billion. Spending on organic products grew by 22 per cent between 2005 and 2006, making the UK the third largest market in Europe behind Germany and Italy. But the supply of home-grown organic food is not growing fast enough to meet demand.
Last year saw a record 30 per cent increase – an extra £7 million per week – being spent on organic products. And being an organic-only consumer has become the conventional way of life for a fast-growing number of people.
What is ‘organic’?
The word organic, when related to agriculture, describes a system of growing that is based on good soil husbandry and keeps away from using artificial fertilisers and chemical sprays. To ordinary shoppers – and that means pretty well everyone – ‘organic’ refers to produce that has been grown with strict adherence to a set of standards approved by such bodies as the Soil Association. In Europe, such standards are enshrined in law and certification.
Farmers embrace the organic route
Britain is a substantial net importer of food, so it is hardly surprising that much of our organic produce comes from overseas. Even taking into account the effects of climate change, we could hardly grow bananas in Kent – but we do have a substantial dairy industry, highly sophisticated egg and poultry production and we grow a good deal of fruit and veg.
Most UK food is still produced conventionally and that means using chemical controls for weeds, pests and diseases. However, organic producers form a significant and growing minority.
According to Soil Association spokesman, James Cleeton, farmers are converting to organic production pretty rapidly. Last year saw a 14 per cent increase in land converted to organic production, with the total now standing at 600,000 hectares or 1.48 million acres. Just as significant, the Soil Association reports a 42 per cent surge in the number of farmers expressing an interest in converting their land so it is eligible for organic status.
Because it’s worth it…
Organic food is undoubtedly more expensive but, despite the hype, you can’t always taste the difference. Freshness, variety, condition and post-harvest treatment dictate flavour, rather than growing methods. Furthermore, organic fruit and vegetables – especially those bought from a farm shop or market stall – may not have the uniform perfection seen in supermarket displays. So why pay the extra?
‘Organic food is more nutritious,’ James Cleeton explains. He notes that butterfat from organic cows is higher in desirable Omega-3 fatty acids and that vitamin levels are also higher in some crops. Coupled with the absence of chemical residues and a strict prohibition on GM, this provides a pretty strong incentive to go organic with your diet.
Yet you could argue that a balanced non-organic diet has all the vitamins you need; there are, after all, many conventional sources of Omega-3. And the billions of tonnes of GM crops already consumed worldwide seem to have had no major adverse health effects – so far.
‘People make their buying decisions for selfish reasons,’ says James, ‘but there are increasing concerns not only for the environment and health, but for animal welfare too.’
But even the animal welfare argument is not totally one-sided. Commercial animal production in the UK is strictly protected by animal welfare laws. To suggest that you have to be organic to look after your livestock kindly is just wrong.
But what about imported meats? Certain drugs and hormones that are prohibited in the UK, even for non-organic production, may be permitted elsewhere. Welfare law is more lax in some countries and may not be conscientiously policed.
If you want ensure that your meat was raised humanely, it might be safer to opt for certified organic, or, at least, to be very sure of its provenance. So, is it worth the premium? Well, it’s hard to say exactly, but if organic production increases at its current rate, and if the demand for it comes closer to being met, that huge price difference is bound to be eroded over time.
Two out of three ain’t bad…
The notion that organic food is consumed only by well-off, middle-class people is misguided. Two out of three consumers knowingly buy organic food for at least part of their shopping needs and an increasing number of new buyers come from lower income groups.
Although much is said about the growth of special outlets, supermarkets have enjoyed the biggest share in growth, accounting for £1.2 billion of the £1.6 billion market. As with all their produce, much of it is imported. According to the Soil Association, more than half – 52% – of organic consumers say they’d prefer to buy from independent shops or farmers’ markets. Yet, despite their stated preferences, the vast majority still end up shopping in supermarkets.
The message from these statistics is clear: organic consumption is growing fast. Farmers are converting to organic methods of production, but not quickly enough to keep pace with demand. More imports will be needed to feed the rapidly expanding market and that will add food air miles to your shopping basket.
Arguments in favour of organic food are plausible but must be balanced against its higher price. A rapidly growing number of consumers, however, have weighed up the perceived benefits of better food safety, enhanced health benefits and eco-friendly production and have made their decision. So, if you want to be part of that trend, you’d better start thinking organic.
Celebrity appeal
Organic living is pretty trendy, so it’s not surprising that there is a host of celebrities all too eager to jump on the organic bandwagon. While most of us will want to make up our own minds about what we eat, there are, however, many famous folk who have always been committed to the organic cause and who can make inspiring role models.
The gardening writer and broadcaster, Monty Don, is a longstanding organic grower. His message is clear – stop pouring chemicals into the ground, eat seasonally, support organic producers and, if you have sufficient space, grow your own food. In Fork to Fork, an enchanting book co-written with his wife Sarah, the Dons invite us into their home to see how they grow and cook for themselves and their family.
However, Monty goes further than simply chanting the organic mantra. He feels that it is just as important to eat locally produced food in season. ‘I prefer to garden and eat organically, but I would rather have really good non-organic food that is raised and sold locally by people I know than impeccable organic credentials raised as a cynical marketing exercise and distributed in a mass, indiscriminate way.’ For Monty Don, eating organic produce is just a single step on the way to healthy, sustainable living.
How to go organic
Here are some practical tips for living more organically.
Grow your own
Gardening is good for your health and nothing is as tasty as home-grown fruit or vegetables. Organic gardening guidelines are easy to follow and you’d be amazed at how productive even a tiny plot can be. At the very least, have a selection of living herbs on your window sill.
Join a box delivery scheme
If nothing else, that weekly drop of seasonal vegetables will save you lugging heavy produce home from the supermarket. (Turn to pg 194 for our Tried and Tested Vegetable Boxes.)
Gradual change
Chemical pest control on conventionally grown carrots is more intensive than with most crops, so make organic carrots your first conversion. Leafy vegetable and salad crops are similarly treated, so go organic with those too. Among meats, pig and poultry production is intensive, so taking the organic option may be preferable; home-grown lamb is usually raised more naturally.
Go for flavour
Select products for taste. Green & Black’s organic chocolate, for instance, is delicious. Even for the non-organic among us, it’s an excellent choice.
Try to eat in season
Home-grown produce, if local, will be fresher and tastier than fruit and vegetables that have been flown thousands of miles to reach your plate. July strawberries should taste divine; December ones have the texture of turnips.
Get on the Net
To find mail order suppliers or other information, surf the net. A search engine will reveal thousands of websites dedicated to all matters organic. The Soil Association is your best starting point – www.soilassociation.org
Antony Says
‘Organic food is good but we mustn’t be snobbish about it; many people can’t afford to eat organic. Where we go wrong is that we import it, which completely defeats the whole object of saving the planet. You know, if we’re going to eat organic, we should eat British organic. We’ve got to learn to eat seasonally. We shouldn’t expect to be able to have, say, strawberries every day of the year.’
Where to go for organic info?
Farmers’ Markets
More than 500 operate in the UK, so there’s bound to be one near you. The Farmers’ Markets Association (FARMA) is at PO Box 575, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 7BZ, or check out their website, www.farmersmarkets.net
Box Schemes
Do a Google search to find an organic box scheme operating in your area. Or try www.organics-4u.co.uk; they offer a delivery service all over the UK.
Mail order Suppliers
Graig Farm Organics offers everything from farmed cod to soft fruit plants. www.graigfarm.co.uk
Go Shopping
Shops specialising in organic food include Fresh & Wild, which has five branches in London and one in Bristol. www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/freshandwild
