Organic food is growing in popularity. In his third interview that day, Bob Scowcroft, the Executive Director of OFRF (Organic Farming Research Foundation) agreed to give us his opinions on where the market is heading. Since food is the common touch point for most consumers, we were interested on how standards are affecting his world. First he gave a nod on how confusing it is for the average consumer. - ed. Mary Hunt
*****
BOB: “One of the trends is that Organic is now being mimicked by hundreds of eco labels. People and/or businesses are putting certified and some other term like "sustainable" or "natural" on a label and running with it. Some do it for business reasons, others do for consumer reasons… some are flat out fraudulent in what their label can or can not "imply"… Some are very narrow, like salmon safe which is regional with specific goals. [SMaRT as a transparent, consensus sustainability standard provides the greatest number of points for Sustainable Product Certification for organically produced, bio-based products following EPA/Purdue University Best Management Practices. The reason is that those products are truly sustainable with no endocrine disruptors. ed. Mary Hunt]
*****
What’s the biggest concern that you have?
BOB: “Very few [eco-labels] that are codified are transparent such that anyone can have access to the rules behind them. Also very few have enforcement protocols for violating it in place. The consumer needs to know that there is some real financial or marketplace pain attached if they don’t comply.”
*****
Why is enforcement such a big deal?
BOB: “Through the years I’ve seen beautifully written proposals on environmental eco-label protocol, mostly designed to motivate big box stores to transition to more environmentally friendly products. When their 450 page standards document hits the table, I ask them, ‘What you are going to do in two years if they don’t comply?’ Many don’t have answers. There has to be some sort of financial downside for not meeting the requirements if the rules are not going to be followed.”
*****
What other trends that you’re seeing?
BOB: “I see consumers and business grabbing one element of something when it needs to be more of a systems approach. Take the local vs. organic issue. People are locking in on that buying local is good enough, it’s not. In an ideal world you do both. That helps the local organic farmer stay in business and enhances the environment nearby. We call that a multiple benefit system of agriculture. Also keep the O word is now appearing on non-food items like, [organic], organic personal care, and organic nutritional supplements -- make sure that it is certified organic that you as a consumer can access who and how they certified it. Finally, there is an obscene lack of organic farming systems research at our nation's land grant universities.
*****
How are you conducting your research?
BOB: “We award a lot of grants. To date, over 260 different organic research and education projects have received OFRF funds. We raise these funds from family foundations, progressive organic businesses and special events. Our most successful fund raiser is when we bring in several well known chefs and ask each to prepare one dish. This leads to a four course, all organic unique extravaganza of a dinner. It’s the Organic equivalent of a golf outing, only over the evening you’re sitting with others who care about family farms, organic produce and such political initiatives like the federal Farm Bill and, of course you get to know your peers in different corners of the organic community. People fly in from all over the country for this event. The money we raise goes right back into research grants.”
*****
What else could help the organic cause?
BOB: “We need to stop factory farms and band aid legislation that subsidizes non-farmers for not growing anything - more than that though, we need more consumers who make the right choices ever more often, one family at a time!”
Comments