The News Journal, DE
04-16-07
Going organic can be a challenge
By RACHAEL JACKSON, The News Journal
Dave Size's organic heirloom vegetables were once the cream of the crop.
That is, until the federal government got involved.
Size used to pay a couple of hundred dollars a year to be part of a regional
organic growers association. But after the U.S. Department of Agriculture
stepped in and he learned his costs would skyrocket, he closed his New York
heirloom farm, which produced tomatoes featured on "Good Morning America"
and the Food Network.
"That was a big disincentive for people that had already established organic
farms, and you just can't go out and start charging your customers more money
for the same thing," said Size, who now owns a berry farm near Frankford.
While the demands of the federally certified organic program may be well-suited
to large-scale farms, some farmers with smaller operations say the requirements
can be as off-putting as forecasts of a snowstorm at planting time.
Out of an estimated 20 to 30 farms that use natural methods in Delaware, only
about four have the official organic certification sanctioned by the USDA, a label
many say is the only reliable standard. The rest might use terms such as
"natural" to refer to produce or "grass-fed" to describe cattle. About five Delaware
farms use a different certification, called Certified Naturally Grown.
And as the environmental movement touts buying locally nearly as much as
buying organic, stocking a pantry can make eco-conscious consumers want to
just forget about the whole thing.
The National Organic Program went into effect in October 2002, designed to give
consumers confidence in the products they were buying -- and able to levy a fine
up to $11,000 for false labeling.
Since then, major grocery chains have launched their own lines of organic
products, and the nation's largest retailers, such as Wal-Mart, have stepped up
marketing of their organic offerings. The organic label has been welcomed by
consumers, who like the assurance that the products they buy are organic. And
growers around the world jumped on board the USDA's program. But for small
farms, the designation created obstacles.
Annual certification costs, which vary based on the agency, can range from the
hundreds to thousands of dollars. Some farmers were intimidated by paperwork
that required them to create a detailed organic farm plan and wait three years
before they could mark their products "organic."
Seeking out other options
After learning he could no longer use the organic label without being certified,
Size left his heirloom vegetable farm and eventually took over a berry farm near
Frankford. He stuck with his natural growing methods -- he makes his own
compost and uses critters such as nematodes to control pests -- and applied for
the Certified Naturally Grown label. Run by a New York-based nonprofit, Certified
Naturally Grown says it holds farmers to the same standards as the federal
program, but doesn't require as much paperwork or the same financial
investment -- only a suggested donation of $50 to $150.
Certified Naturally Grown Director Alice Varon said her program is in no way
meant to undercut the federal organic program. Instead, she said, it's designed to
provide a more viable option for the little guys.
"We're not setting ourselves up as 'We're better than organic,' " she said.
More than 500 farmers nationwide are part of the program.
Middletown farmer Rebecca Boutz, who left a computer job to grow flowers and
vegetables, said she likes the Certified Naturally Grown program because it
relies on peer review. Her farm is inspected by other farmers. "They've got some
checks and balances here that really keep people on their toes," she said.
Official certification
While the Certified Naturally Grown program is gaining traction in Delaware,
Gordon Johnson, an extension agent with the University of Delaware, said he still
encourages farmers to take the next step and become government certified as
organic.
"What the certified organic gives you the potential to do is to sell to any market,"
he said. "It allows you to sell to wholesale outlets who will only accept certified."
Barbara Haumann, spokeswoman for the Organic Trade Association, said she
wasn't familiar with the Certified Naturally Grown label, but stressed that it's hard
for a nonprofit to have the same power and reach as a government program.
"With national organic standards, there is a governmental agency behind it that
can enforce it," she said.
She said her organization is lobbying to secure Farm Bill funds to help small
growers with the high costs.
With the handful of organic producers in the state, it is possible to buy organic
produce from local growers. However, most of the produce in stores has been
shipped in from other states, raising some environmentalists' eyebrows about
fuel consumption.
At the Good for You Market in the Lewes area, for example, all produce is
organic. These days, you can buy organic salad greens grown in Northern
California and organic tomatoes grown in Mexico. Owner Andy Meddick, 41, said
he'd like to be selling local produce -- he's even in the process of certifying his
own farm as organic -- but nothing is in season just yet.
Barriers to eating local
Food that is organic is not necessarily more environmentally friendly. The
environmental movement touts buying locally, but most Americans don't.
A 2003 study by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State
University found that produce traveled about 1,500 miles to get from the field to
plates in the upper Midwest. An older study by the Capital Area Food Bank in
Washington found that crops traveled 1,685 miles to reach a particular market in
Maryland.
The U.S. also imports far more organic food than it exports. According to a USDA
report, the value of organic imports in 2002 was estimated at $1 billion to $1.5
billion. The value of organic exports was between $125 million and $250 million.
With local organic produce harder to find, the debate for some people is between
saving fuel or eating organic.
Shirley Mitchell, 53, who lives in Ellendale and buys from a Certified Naturally
Grown farm, said there is a major taste difference between organics she buys in
grocery stores and buying vegetables straight off a farm. "Fresh-picked," she
said. "That is one true advantage.
Carlton Jones, who raises grass-fed beef near Seaford, said that even though he
doesn't have the certified organic label or a Certified Naturally Grown label, he
has no shortage of customers.
"We got into this thing at a very good time, because there are more and more
people aware of the benefits of grass-fed products," he said.
Right now, he said it doesn't seem necessary to become certified organic. "It is
not that much of an advantage to us," he said. "You have to do an awful lot of
paperwork; everything has to be documented. I've got a lot of weaknesses, but
paperwork is one of my bigger ones."
Contact Rachael Jackson at 856-7373 or rjackson@delawareonline.com.