What People Who Cover the Organic Industry Would Like You to Know

As the organic food industry continues to experience rapid growth and with more companies entering the space each year, the sector is also facing numerous challenges, particularly on the regulatory level.

Wanting to get a sense of how my fellow colleagues view the industry, I asked several of them to share an opinion, insight or observation about any aspect of the organic food world. Here is what they had to say.

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Jenna Blumenfeld — Senior Food Editor, New Hope Network

I’m interested in seeing organic leaders, companies and investors coalesce to strengthen the USDA organic seal. There has recently been a surge of certification seals that bill themselves as “organic plus”– seals that valiantly offer better-than-organic farming practices, such as no-till.

Certainly, there are gaping holes in USDA organic. Animal welfare rules are lax. No organic aquaculture standard exists at all. But if more brands and farmers and natural lobbyists considered the certification a living, evolving organism — one that can (albeit with a great deal of effort) be improved upon — USDA organic could be the shining certification on the hill.

Above all, we must protect, not dilute, organic.

Lisa Elaine Held — Freelance Journalist, Contributor to Civil Eats, Eater and Food Tank

Organic advocates are always encouraging citizens to “vote with their dollars” for a better food system. If people choose to buy food that’s better for their health and the planet, the thinking goes that rising demand will force the system to shift in that direction.

While there is some power in that proposition, I was struck recently by comments from an expert on how the phrase has actually made it harder to get citizens engaged in the importance of food policy. If consumers believe they can solve these issues at the grocery store, there’s no incentive to pay attention to things like the farm bill — legislation that will profoundly shape how food is produced in this country over the next five years (and beyond) and one that is being deliberated at this very moment.

In other words, I’m surprised that leaders in organic food aren’t doing more to call attention to the many policy opportunities and challenges involved in the current farm bill. It’s hard to get people to care about wonky legislation, but things like funding for organic farming research, farmers markets, and programs that help small, diversified farms create value-added products are pretty straight-forward. I’m curious to see whether the organic industry will do more to mobilize eaters to advocate for better food policies during this farm bill cycle or in the near future.

Stephanie Strom — former Food Business Journalist, The New York Times

The organic industry has yet to capitalize in any significant way on what I think is a big marketing opportunity for it, namely, helping consumers understand how organic farming benefits the environment. Organic agriculture preserves and enhances soil quality and helps soil maintain and capture carbon, which is critical to efforts to address greenhouse gases. My guess is that more consumers would try to buy organic products if they understood the positive impact organic has on the health of the planet.

Megan Poinski — Senior Editor, Food Dive

Organic products are everywhere in today’s grocery store, from produce to pancake mixes. While consumers are readily buying these products, the true definition of “organic” may be getting lost — especially since these items are coming from so many diverse aspects of our food system. Better consumer education, especially by CPG brands, could help people truly understand what they are buying — and could lead to supercharged sales.

Elizabeth Crawford — Deputy Editor, FoodNavigator-USA

The organic industry is coming up on a crossroads where different producers and manufacturers are looking for ways to do more with limited resources, such as land quality and quantity. Additionally, how certified organic decision-makers respond to different approaches could impact the long-term loyalty to the USDA organic seal from end users.

For example, the recent NOSB debate about whether hydroponics, aeroponics and other vertical farming techniques can qualify as organic in some ways underscores a broader socio-economic, political and geographic divide among American consumers. Data shows that Americans want organic and while some are willing to pay a premium, others simply cannot.

At the same time, we see a supply and demand gap that must be addressed. Vertical farming could create more “local” organic options — especially in areas with limited farmland — that are less expensive due in part to reduced transportation and year-round production. But the question of whether these techniques fully meet the soil health requirements of organic and, therefore, qualify for the seal, could become a wedge that drives apart consumers with competing values and needs.

Similarly, the quickly emerging regenerative agriculture movement, which appeals to many producers and consumers who want to see the soil not only protected but improved, could create either an opportunity for organic or a competitive threat, depending on the organic industry’s level of engagement in the creation of a definition and standards for regenerative agriculture. While the two philosophies overlap, regenerative farming doesn’t necessarily mean organic. As a result, if the two grow apart rather than towards each other during this development phase, it could create another fissure to navigate for consumers who shop based on values.

Meagan McGinnes — Senior Reporter, Project NOSH

Having organic certification is no longer a key differentiator and is not sufficient to get people’s attention. The same goes with having a mission. Every company has a mission and while that is great, brands have to have something that affects consumers on a daily basis, such as innovation related to a product, packaging or format.

Have a great day! Max Goldberg, Founder