by Mae-Wan Ho
Organic agriculture can feed the world. But it is becoming especially clear that only the right kind of organic agriculture can feed the world, an organic agriculture that supports local production and local consumption, and protects the livelihood of farmers.
There is indeed growing concern over ethical trade standards and carbon footprint in organic certification. Consumers are buying into fair trade products from Third World countries, but they generally also prefer locally produced fresh fruits and vegetables, not only because that cuts down on carbon emissions and helps mitigate climate change, but also because it supports local farmers whose farms they can visit at any time.
Conscientious consumers are demanding more information about the food they eat, especially as different certification schemes are not all the same.
Mario Pianesi, founder of the highly influential macrobiotic association in Italy, Un Punto Macrobiotico (UPM), has initiated just the kind of transparent, comprehensive label that gives all the information the most discerning organic consumer might want.
Pianesi’s label has information on the entire food chain from farm to shop shelf. It tells you the location of the farm that grows the food, the area and amount harvested, the year of the harvest, the number of people employed, and the specifics of the farming method, such as the origin of the seed, how the sowing is done, what kind of organic fertilizer used (if any), energy used, whether irrigated and amount of water used, weed control, and details of processing (if any).
The label is already in use, and on natural non-food products as well, though not all information is available or mandatory. The advantage is that it is not a certification scheme, and hence has no certification cost attached. But the producer of the item can be taken to court if something printed on the label turns out not to be true. Consumers buy it because they have confidence in the brand and approve of the labelling scheme. This scheme is therefore most likely to work in the local community or region, and that’s good enough for consumers and farmers who support the ideal organic food system.
Mario is trying to get this label accepted by the Italian Senate, where the majority of the representatives are in favour. But he has yet to convince most of the Italian producers.
full article at...Institute of Science in Society
