Organic food is a great idea. Grow food as naturally as possible without toxic chemicals by providing for the health of the soil. The farmers’ market is a great idea. Get fresh, local produce directly from the grower. So what has gotten me so irritated that I’ve written a seven-post series called Screw National Farmers’ Market Week?
Because what are essentially great things have been turned into a con job–MANIPULATION–cloaked in morality and placed outside the possibilities of those of limited means. The culture within organics judges those who refuse to support it or question it. Believe me, I have no trouble speaking out, so I know how negative views are received. I’m apparently unpatriotic!
What's not to love?
Back when I was making money I encouraged everyone to shop organic, because it was the right thing to do. I was an organic snob. After I lost my income I started paying attention to what produce cost. When the farmers’ market opened, I eagerly went because I thought I could save money. But buying direct from the farmers often cost more! And then while blogging and comparing prices, searching the Internet for pricing information on conventionally grown food, I realized how much we are being fleeced.
1. Buying at Your Farmers’ Market Supports Your Local Farmers
Support your local store
This statement implies that supporting your local store is inferior and that you’re not also supporting the farmer when you shop there. But who among us doesn’t love slitting the middleman’s throat and going directly to the source?
It also means that if your farmer is charging too much and you shop elsewhere, that you aren’t a contributing member of the community. It doesn’t matter how much your local farmer is charging for produce, nor is his obligation to support the community that relies on him for food ever part of the equation. It’s a one-way street.
2. Shopping Organic is Ecologically and Morally Responsible
Not everyone can afford $4.99 per pound for heirloom tomatoes or $1.29 per pound for cantalope or $8 per pound for fancy French fillet green beans. If you’re raising a family, scraping by on your mortgage, or working near minimum wage, shopping organic simply isn’t feasible.
I can only hope that more farmers turn to organic agriculture and that competition lowers the prices. Unfortunately for us, farmers have chosen cooperation instead of competition (hey! kinda like the gas companies), and they are setting prices through their distribution network.
This view that shopping organic is the responsible thing to do also has the tendency to cast conventional farmers in the role of “bad people.” If conventional farming ceased, probably half of America would starve. We simply don’t have enough nitrogen in the soil to raise the food we need, and small-scale organic farming is too inefficient. We need industrial processes, unless you all want to quit procreating.
If we committed our food supply to organics at the price the farmers are charging now, that jar of pickles from my last post would cost $11.50. The many boxed and canned goods we rely on would triple or quadruple in price. Forget fast food and dining out.
3. Organic Growing is More Labor-Intensive, Thus Justifying the Higher Price
Sure, higher price is no problem. Two to four times the price of conventional is a problem. Are organic farmers that incompetent? Or just greedy?
This argument justifies inefficiency and punishes efficiency. For example, Earthbound is a bad corporation that has stolen organic from the little guy and increased his competition. With their huge monoculture farms and expensive machinery, they’re threatening the livelihood of organic farmers and are detrimental to ecology. They are bad, bad people. “Corporate thieves!” I shout from my high horse.
But they’re the ones who are making organic food available for people of low income! They should be thanked, not vilified, for combining industrial efficiency with safer farming practices. They make celery affordable.
This argument is seldom brought up when buying tennis shoes from China or clothing from Taiwan, cars from Japan or apples from South America. Do people actually try to determine where all the ingredients in their favorite breakfast cereal come from?
I’m encouraged to “feel the guilt” when I pass over a locally grown cucumber for one trucked up from California. I’m not supporting my local farmer and I’m using up petroleum and hurting the planet. Okey dokey. Bite me. Whose fault is it, really, that I have to buy that cucumber from California for $1.50 or the conventional one for $.60 because I can’t afford $1.99 a pound for local organic?
4. Organic Farmers are to be Revered
Oh, this one’s great. Farmers grow our food. They’ve historically been broke and recently have been pushed off their farms by big business. So we should support those farmers who are choosing, despite all the hardships, to continue growing food, charging $4 a pound for string beans so they can survive. They are our salvation.
Who was worried about supporting 8-track tape and LP manufacturers? Who cared about coal miners? And how about all those companies producing cassettes? My word processing career went the way of the dinosaur when personal computers entered the market. Who’s supporting me? What made the farmer so important that we accept inefficiency and high price in the name of humanitarianism?
Sure, some people stayed on the land to grow food. Good for them. Thank you. Some chose to live in the city and pay exhorbitant rents to build the machinery used on the farm, or to support the energy infrastructure, build the cars and trucks. There’s a telephone operator at the plant that makes strawberry baskets who’s every bit as necessary as the farmer. But we look at the farmer like she’s the ultimate humanitarian!
5. Organic Farmers’ Prices Determined by Need to Survive
This is the ultimate con. If you question the prices, you’re guilty of trying to deny the farmer his livelihood. Shame on you!
I believe that organic prices aren’t set at all by costs to grow but by demand. In fact, you can go to the Organic Price Report and get a list of recommended wholesale prices updated weekly based on demand and price of conventional produce.
Yeow! Local farmer set the price
For example, during the week of August 5, a 14-piece count of wholesale conventional broccoli is selling for $10 in San Francisco and $13 in Seattle. The Organic Price Report recommends that certified organic be sold for $36.50 and $39.95, respectively. (Does the term “highway robbery” ring a bell?)
Look at the prices in San Francisco for items commonly used in Chinese food. They’re dirt cheap. They’re selling for a lot more in Seattle, and the organic prices are through the roof. Green bell peppers are selling 25 pounds for $8.50 in San Francisco. Recommended organic price is $38. Who’s conning whom? Go check it out. It’s eye opening.
And you’ll have to forgive me for not feeling sympathy about your bills on the 300-acre property that your pappy gave you that’s worth over a million dollars. And I’d love to have your food bill.
And the Biggest Lie of All–One We Tell Ourselves
The most harmful user of land and resources is the conventional raising of meat. Much of our grain crops, land, and water go to creating burgers, fried chicken and bacon. The water demands and ecological damage are enormous.
If you are shopping organic because it’s the “right” thing to do and buying your meat raised by the industrial system, then you are simply deluded. All your meat eating couldn’t compare to someone buying conventional grapes and watermelons.
Buy organic, grass-fed beef
I wouldn’t doubt if the meat industry has put far more farmers out of business than the produce industry. So unless your chickens are free range, your hogs raised on family farms, and your cattle grazing their entire life on grass, you are contributing to… Oh never mind that.
The Bottom Line
Farmers, stop gouging us. Support your community as we support you.
Shoppers, buy what you must where you must. Preferably avoid out-of-season produce shipped from foreign countries. That really is costly.
Try other farmers’ markets if yours is priced too high.
Buy items in season. Stock up on sale items that can be frozen. I have peaches and strawberries and blueberries in the freezer along with bananas waiting to be made into smoothies. The blackberries are ripening, and I’ll fill my freezer with them.
Invest in a freezer.
Buy some items in bulk from companies such as Azure Standard. Oh wait, would that make you evil?
Cut back on meat consumpion. Try to buy organically raised and grass fed meats. It’s so much healthier for you. I can buy half a grass-fed cow for $2.50 a pound in town, cut and wrapped. Imagine that! Pool your funds with friends and neighbors to buy in bulk.
Get some books and learn how to grow your own garden. Tear out that worthless lawn you keep pouring chemicals on and plant food. Talk to your neighbors and share with each other what you’ve grown. My friend Robbie gave me some green and yellow zucchini that someone gave her. I’m going to bring her some blackberries. Let’s get back to the dirt and to helping each other.
Shop around and KNOW your prices. When you visit a farmers’ market and you see something that is priced way too high compared to conventional or even organic in the store, say, “I would have loved to have bought this, but your price is unreasonable. Have a nice day.” If that’s too uncomfortable, print up some flyers and hand them to the farmer as you pass by. Speak out. Be brave. Your demand determines price. That farmer I argued with on Friday won’t soon forget me.
Have a sparkly day!
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I totally get what you are saying but I know it is not PC to “attack” the organic market in any way. Fortunately where I live the organic produce is not too bad, I guess because of a Mediterranean climate here in north central California, so we do have a lot of competition at the market. I do agree that if all conventional farming stopped on a dime many would starve, especially sense most have a diet which is mostly GMO corn and soy. With permaculture techniques actually the yield can be much greater without the addition of nitrogen or other fertilizers but I don’t think this will happen because really most people don’t want to go out and work the land for their food. If it does take place I believe it will be out of the devastation of hunger and survival. To me, the whole lawn idea is just insanity. If I did not have to live on rented land I would tear it all up in a minute and put it to some good use. The waste of water and the use of chemicals just boggles my mind and for what? Unfortunately the road to change is usually dotted with devastation and pain and that is what I see ahead of us. I may not live to experience it but my children probably will. Sorry to sound so negative but to me there is just a very bad future looming ahead for western civilization. We do reap what we sow.
Rosemary
I too often get bogged down in negativity when I look around me, but then I see people who are making changes for the better. Just look at the growth of organic agriculture. It’s astounding.
People are fed up with chemicals in their food. Now if we could just get them fed up with pharmaceuticals in their bodies.
Joanne – There is SO MUCH good advice here. I know you’ve linked your article to my Farmer’s Market Report, but I’m going to link to it again. There was a really interesting interview on NPR today -The Diane Rhem Show (spelling?) that you might be interested in. Specifically, the comment that got my attention was something like, “if we operated all food production on the organic model, 2 billion people would starve to death.” I’ve not listened to the whole thing, yet. I’ll probably link to that as well.
I’m still slowly reading through the rest of your series.
And which 2 billion would it be, do you suppose?
I’m going to link your thoughts to a LGD list with some pretty fired up farmers who have thoughts on this incendiary issue. Gird your loins! Frances
Okay, I’m girding.
I’m from the dog list, and I agree with most of what Joanne says. One thing that irks me about organic is that I *can* raise my sheep ‘organically’ yet my numerous large guardian dogs don’t have to be fed organic dog food. Guess what dogs do out in the fields? That’s right. They poop. Their non-organic poop washes into the ground, sheep graze. Are the sheep still organic?
Animals have parasites. That’s a given. Sheep and goat parasites are more difficult to manage, and there’s almost no way to manage parasites without some use of chemicals (numerous studies show than diatomaceous earth is not an effective dewormer). I am NOT interested in eating meat from an animal that has not been dewormed . That being said, deworming can be minimized with good management, and good producers pay attention to withdrawal times after treatment. My animals graze on pasture year-round, are fed some hay and maybe corn in winter, and receive no antibiotics in feed – that’s as close to organic as I’m willing to be.
Farmers have access to fewer and fewer chemicals every year, and are adapting by growing resistant varieties in innovative growing systems. A good example is the orchards in my area moving toward more intensive production that allows more mechanization. Some people might think of that as a negative, but these methods mean less handling by people (and subsequently less chance of illness through poor hygiene) and overall lower use of chemicals. Chemicals are very expensive and most require a license to purchase and use, so producers aren’t likely to overuse.
BTW…we did not inherit our (100-acre) farm. We bought it (okay, we share it with the bank for now). It’s a struggle to stay afloat, and we face constant challenges that make us want to give up. But we don’t. It’s worth seeing guardian dogs working effectively to control predators, and worth seeing newborn lambs and kids in the fields. It’s worthwhile knowing that we’re doing the best thing for the ground and preventing runoff and erosion by keeping it in permanent pasture. It’s also satisfying to know that our neighbors (farmers and non-farmers) support us.
Sally
Sally, thanks so much for chiming in. I originally wrote the articles when I was in deep financial trouble and having trouble buying what I normally ate. Then spring came, the Farmers’ Market opened, and I was hoping to be able to buy organic produce for a little less than in the store since I was buying direct from the producer, but I found it often cost more than organic produced shipped up from California.
I don’t think all organic farmers are like this, but they are prone to the same greed as everybody else. It’s when they price fix or try to guilt people into buying their pricey goods that I get upset.
Naturally, not everybody inherited their farms, but I’m sure many in Oregon (where I was when I wrote this) did.
As for deworming, this is the one and only drug I will give my cats, because there really are no decent alternatives that I know of. I would eat sheep that had been dewormed chemically provided several weeks passed between the worming and slaughter.
Most important to me is how the flesh was built. Was it built from pelletized feed or grass and supplemental feed?
I think you can thank greed for most of what you are speaking of. I am from Southeast Kansas. The cost of organic here is not much different than non-organic, and it (organic) is ALWAYS cheaper from the Farmer’s Markets than grocery store produce. I just simply will not buy tomatoes or cantaloupe from a grocery store, (or any produce in season) the tomatoes taste artificial and the cantaloupes have this huge thick green rind that never ripens and very little flavor to the inside. I may as well throw my money in the trash. I would undoubtedly pay more (if reasonable) for organic home grown produce and am sure some farmers take advantage of that fact.
Around here most of the ol’ timers have always grown their produce organically and don’t even think a thing of it. The Farmer’s Markets were created to sell the surplus out of their gardens.
I suspect what we might have going on is a younger generation coming on the scene looking to make a profit, they are not used to the hard work involved in growing organic……..and want to be paid well for it.
We grow most of our own, what we don’t grow , we purchase at a farmers market, and the bank owns our land, we didn’t have anything tossed our way. We made a decision what is healthy and what is not and if we want to eat healthy we will have to grow/raise it ourselves. We give away our extra produce and what lambs we don’t put in our freezer, we sell.
Frankly, I think part of the reason some farmers charge an ourageous price for organic is because there are people of means willing to pay the high price for it………………….like you used to do. When people stop paying the high prices, they will go down, or they will get out of the …..’business’………and that is all it is to them.
Thank you for contributing to this topic, Vickie.
Another problem I had with these outrages prices is that they were for the same tired varieties you get in the store, like marketmore cucumbers and Cos romaine. One farmer I noticed who ventured outside the box was selling French filet beans, but for $8 a pound!