The Organic Thing: for Many, Still a Mystery 25 Years Later

2015 marks the silver anniversary of the federal Organic Foods Production Act, which legitimized a popular and growing American trend: the production and handling of foods labeled as organic.

That milestone is significant for a variety of reasons, as organic is now a $35 billion industry and growing annually at double-digit rates.

But ask your average American consumer to define "organic," and you will likely not get one conclusive answer.

For far too many Americans, organic must seem like an agricultural anomaly, an alternative food source outside the mainstream. But organic has evolved into a much more conventional option, and some of farming's most innovative practices and sustainable crops fall under organic's umbrella. This is especially true in other countries, where the growth of organic croplands has better kept pace with demand.

Organic's growth in the U.S., though, should be higher. Organic -- despite its popularity and growing demand -- is dwarfed by conventional agriculture -- which still gets the lion's share of farming subsidies and research funding despite the inroads organic has made.

Why does organic remain on the periphery of American food production and consumption? And what can we as an industry do about it?

Roadblocks to Growth

That was the theme of "The Organic Thing," a panel discussion I participated in during "Changing the Menu," a day-long event hosted by The Washington Post that focused on how local communities, industry leaders and entrepreneurs are working to improve what Americans eat and ensure that everyone has access to healthy food.

While organic's evolution is extraordinary, the industry has faced numerous roadblocks that prevent more rapid growth. One is that organic is practically overlooked with respect to government R&D funding. That is disappointing given that so many organic farmers have been self-funded research pioneers, developing new and innovative practices -- like rotational grazing -- that have been adopted by conventional agriculture.

A fellow panelist suggested that one way to up the ante would be to take 10 percent of the annual corn subsidy and steer those funds -- about $500 million -- toward organic research efforts. Conventional corn farmers would still receive billions in subsidy support, and organic would make a real step forward. Definitely food for thought.

Another related roadblock is the lack of U.S. acreage devoted to organic farming, which comprises just 1 percent of our farmland. With federal policies and funding bypassing organic farmers, the ability to convert conventional farms to organic is often thwarted -- despite its increasing demand.

With supply limited and demand rising, the price of organic foods in many parts of the U.S. is quite high, resulting in a self-fulfilling prophecy of stagnant growth.

Improving Organic Literacy

While organic farming -- like all forms of agriculture -- faces many challenges, the industry has cultivated the trust of its consumers. That strong reputation is due to its hunger for independent, third-party oversight of organic food systems. How many other industries are so willing to endure a self-imposed microscope of scrutiny?

Organic farmers know that their most foundational asset is their integrity. Thus, they welcome -- at all levels of the organic ecosystem -- accreditation services like those provided by the QAI Certification Program and under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Program. Unannounced sampling, testing and audits provide assurance to producers and consumers that products bound for the market are indeed organic.

But that takes us back to the question many consumers have trouble answering ... What is organic? Indeed, the biggest roadblock to an even-more rapid growth of and acceptance for the industry in the U.S. is a lack of organic literacy.

Americans are under-informed about organic. What organic consumers are buying -- and what are they avoiding, such as persistent pesticides and genetically modified organisms -- is all part of the organic foods equation that befuddles many Americans.

But organic literacy is beginning to make inroads, and industry and government entities are poised to do even more.

The federal government is taking strong steps to educate itself -- through the USDA's basic course on organic foods and farming that has been taught to more than 85,000 of its workers. Plus, Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food, a USDA effort to carry out President Obama's commitment to strengthening local and regional food systems, is educating consumers on organic and other healthy farming practices. We should reference the OTA platform somewhere in here. Something about organic and non-GMO.

But what is needed to truly drive understanding of and the future growth of organic foods is next-generation enlightenment. Weaving information into school curricula on the meaning and importance of healthy eating and organic food will further strengthen an already-robust industry. By helping consumers better understand organic, we could ultimately raise demand, acreage and funding to unprecedented levels.

Organic has a strong history of robust growth built on the commitment, innovation and integrity of industry pioneers. With more government aid and educational initiatives, this proud industry will continue to thrive. And all Americans will finally "get" organic.

Jaclyn Bowen serves as both general manager of Quality Assurance International and director of NSF International's North American Agriculture Programs. In the latter role, she oversees the certification, auditing, consulting, training, farm services and laboratory testing services provided to agricultural businesses, farmers and growers in North America.