GUESTWORK | Clayson Lobb
As the eating patterns in America shift towards healthier foods, the demand for natural and organic products is rising. No one wants to support the food industry using unnatural, cheap, and secretive methods to produce our country’s food. So people instead head for the foods that are produced by everyday people, the average ruralites more like them. While this is a magnanimous idea and seems practical, the fact is that the natural/organic food industry is headed down the same dead-end street on which the current food industry got stuck.
Natural/organic foods used to be produced exclusively on family-owned farms by rural farmers. However, with the rise of demand for organic foods, so rise businesses that want to make big bucks off this quickly growing industry. Most see this as a good thing, with more options for healthier foods. While I agree, I also see that the consequences are potentially catastrophic for this nation’s rebounding health crisis.
As the natural foods industry continues to grow, more and more corporate executives force their hands into the growing money pool that the industry is creating. Here lies my concern. It’s because of stingy rich folk like this that our current food industry is in a steep downward spiral caused by cutting corners to maximize profit. It’s only natural to assume that they will do the same with our natural/organic food industry.
That is not to suggest that this method of cheapening products to turn a quick buck hasn’t already started in this budding industry. Certain farms are giving their animals just enough (or less) room to get the label “Free Range” on their packages.
Back when “organic” was less common, the definition was much different. Organizations like Oregon Tilth used strict standards to qualify food items to be “organic.” However, the government caught wind of the organic movement, and, in 2002, the USDA monopolized the organic stamp of approval. Since they were the only organization that could certify an item organic, the government declared a less strict definition. In order to be USDA Certified Organic, items have to be made with only 95 percent organic ingredients. The other 5 percent of ingredients can come from an evergrowing list of non-organic substances, though many of those can be obtained in organic form; i.e. hops, dill weed and elderberry juice.
More big-time natural food supermarkets are showing up around the country. Even Wal-Mart has now started an “organic section” among their produce. Instead of giving Wal-Mart kudos for being environmentally conscious, we need to ask ourselves “Why, Wal-Mart?” One will see that one-track
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