Abstract: The study focuses on the recent debate about what is, or what constitutes, organic farming and what is the right path for organic farming in the future. The study is based on a critical discourse analysis of the controversy about suspending the private standard for organic farming adopted by the Danish Association of Organic Agricultures

Bransholm Pedersen, Kirsten

Kjærgård, Bente

Land, Birgit

English

Organic Eprints

Values  in organic farmingErosion  or  Renewal?The debate about standardsThe  ideological  discourse  on  organic farmingFrom  the  establishment  of  the  Danish Association of Organic Agriculture in 1981 till the  late  1990s,  the  ideological  discourse  on organic  farming  was  dominant.  It  was  a discourse  based  on  values  and  principles  of resource  management,  recirculation, diversity,  proximity,  health,  animal  welfare and the life quality of the organic farmers. The private  standard  can  be  seen  as  an institutionalization  of  these  values  and principles into a set of practical guidelines for organic  farming.  After  the  establishment  of the  Danish  state  rules  and  regulation  of organic farming in 1987, the private standard for  organic  farming  was  maintained  and enhanced with the aim to secure a continuous tightening  of  the  state  standard  for  organic farming.  The market economic environmental discourse on organic farmingAn interview study of new organic farmers, both  members  and  non-members,  in  1998 indicated  that  the  newcomers  had  another view of the private standard than that of the long-established  organic  farmers.  In particular, the newcomers made the point that “there are too many idealists in The Danish Association of Organic Agriculture” (Organic Farming, No. 185, 1998). For the newcomers the  private  standard  was  not  a  legitimate theme.  The  newcomers  clearly  did  not perceive the state as being an opponent that the organic movement needed to keep under continuous pressure in order to make the state standard more in line with the core organic values and principles.   The  newcomers  represent  four  different themes: 1.  Organic farming shall not be described as    a critique of conventional farming, 2.  Economic growth is not inconsistent with    organic farming, 3.  The state is included in and not an      opponent of  advancing organic farming,    and 4.  Organic farming shall be governed by    environmental and economic         sustainability, and not by idealistic      targets or visions.The ecological modernisation discourse on organic farmingThe  arguments  for  maintaining  the  private standard underwent a major change at the beginning of the new millennium. While the arguments  for  maintaining  the  private standard  in  the  late  1990s  was  related  to keeping the state standard on the right path, at the turn of the millennium the motivation for  maintaining  it  became  linked  to  the weakened demand for organic products and a question  of  furthering  the  sale  of  organic products.  The chairman opposed a proposal from the Danish  Minister  of  Agriculture  about harmonization  with  EU  regulations  on organic  farming  by  proposing  IOAS accreditation as an alternative to suspend the private  Danish  standard.  The  argument advanced was that “it is important that we maintain the ownership to organic farming” (Organic Farming, No. 224, 2001). This idea, however,  was  later  given  up.  In  stead,  the chairman  argued  for  the  suspension  of  the private standard and to replace it with ten prioritized  targets  for  professional development.  The  proposal  was  motivated with the words: “I see it as a victory for the Association that we have got to this point that the state can take over the administration and the bureaucracy, and that we can focus on the idealistic and professional development of our profession, of course in the expectation that we  can  continue  a  close  and  constructive cooperation  with  the  authorities”  (Organic Farming, No. 274, 2002). At  the  annual  meeting  in  spring  2003,  the private  standard  for  organic  farming  was suspended (Organic Farming, No. 283, 2003). The  study  focuses  on  the  recent  debate  about what is, or what constitutes, organic farming and what is the right path for organic farming in the future. With the growth in recruitment of new organic farmers,  the  private  standard  became  a controversial  issue  in  the  debate  about  the practises and values underlying organic farming in the late 1990s. The  long-established  and  the  pioneer  organic farmers considered private rules and inspection of  organic  farms  as  being  a  core  point  and maybe the most important in keeping organic farming on the right path. The newcomers, often having  a  solid  background  in  conventional farming,  questioned  the  rationale  for maintaining  the  private  standard  as  a supplement to the state standard. The  study  is  based  on  a  critical  discourse analysis of the controversy about maintaining or suspending  the  private  standard  for  organic farming  unfolded  in  the  Danish  magazine Organic  Farming  (Økologisk  Jordbrug)  from the late 1990s till the summer of 2005.Discourse can be understood as a way to make sense  of  the  world.  Strategically,  the  analysis aims to identify and analyze how discourses find expression in the strategies which actors pursue, or favour, to further change in a wanted or given direction (Fairclough et al., 2004).ConclusionThe  analysis  indicates  that  the  change  in discourse opened the way for new perspectives and strategies, as it facilitated the initiation of a  dialogue  with  a  larger  group  of  organic farmers. However, the intention of developing organic farming with respect to the original values  will  depend  on  how  the  prioritized targets are set and how they are implemented.In  the  discussion  about  which  targets  to prioritize,  the  Board,  drawing  on  ecological modernisation discourse, tried to balance the economic  considerations  and  the  original values underlying organic farming. The values were  not  debated  in  a  development perspective  about  what  would  constitute organic farming in the future. The  analysis  clearly  indicates  that  a  set  of values that are shared by all the members of the Association do not exist. The  members,  drawing  on  the  ideological discourse,  warn  about  what  they  call  ‘the slippery path’, where the values will erode to the credit of economic considerations.We  agree  that  the  discussion  about  the original values is important in the debate on how to modernize organic farming. However, as  the  values  often  are  implicit  in  the discussions among the farmers drawing on the ideological discourse, and only slightly related to  current  market  conditions,  we  see  a  risk that the values will never come into play. “The good future” of organic farmingcan be understood in different discoursive colours!The market economic environmental discourseThe ecological modernisation discourseThe ideological discourse ReferencesFairclough, N., P. Graham, J. Lemke & R. Wodak (2004): Critical Discourse Studies, Vol. 1, No. 1, April 2004, pp. 1-7.Organic farming (1998-2005), Member’s magazine, The Danish Association of Organic Agriculture. Birgit Land, e-mail: bl@ruc.dkKirsten Bransholm Pedersen, e-mail:kbp@ruc.dkBente Kjærgård, e-mail: bkj@ruc.dkDepartment of Environment, Technology and Social Studies Roskilde University“Those who are organized in the Danish Association of Organic Agriculture, are to be those who will develop organic farming. We are not interested in concept organic farmers that only care about complying with the rules.”“The  goals  have  failed  in-asmuch  as  we  have  moved more  and  more  away  from them the later years.” “I see it as a victory for the Association that we have got to this point that the state can take over the administration and the bureaucracy, and that we can focus on the idealistic and professional development of our profession, of course in the expectation that we can continue a close and constructive cooperation with the authorities”“I know none in the Association that do not want to be an or-ganic farmer by heart. However I know a lot that also need to make a living of it! Heart and mind must live with each other in patient balance.”“It is causing problems and confusion with two set of rules … We ought to suspend our own rules and inspection and comply with the rules laid down by the state and EU.” “There are too many idealists in The Danish Association of Organic Agriculture”

The Future Path of Organic Farming - Values, Standards and Controversy

The study focuses on the recent debate about what is, or what constitutes, organic farming and what is the right path for organic farming in the future. The study is based on a critical discourse analysis of the controversy about suspending the private standard for organic farming adopted by the Danish Association of Organic Agricultures

The Future Path of Organic Farming - Values, Standards and Controversy

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