The moment you realize “organic” has been co-opted
Nathan Wild
If Doritos can become certified organic, what does “organic” mean anymore?
When the organic movement first appeared it was in direct response to the Green Revolution. Our agricultural system was quickly becoming industrialized, centralized and chemicalized. With no way to know if your food was grown naturally or grown on a factory farm and being doused with toxic chemicals, the organic movement sought to make the distinction clear.
The movement stood for holistic farming, biodiversity, soil health and sustainability. Since its inception the movement has made tremendous gains. But something has happened to it the past 5 years.
Certified organic food is now the fastest growing grocery category. Between 2020 and 2021 the sales in the US reached over $57.5 billion and globally they’re expected to reach $380.84 billion by 2025. With that much growth the movement has attracted some of the biggest companies in the world.
Organic has gone from a small hippie-lead movement to the board rooms of multinational corporations. Organic has become an industry. Corporations now have their hands in the movement and they're using them to manipulate what the term “organic” means to better suit their business models.
When the organic movement first appeared it was in direct response to the Green Revolution. Our agricultural system was quickly becoming industrialized, centralized and chemicalized. With no way to know if your food was grown naturally or grown on a factory farm and being doused with toxic chemicals, the organic movement sought to make the distinction clear.
The movement stood for holistic farming, biodiversity, soil health and sustainability. Since its inception the movement has made tremendous gains. But something has happened to it the past 5 years.
Certified organic food is now the fastest growing grocery category. Between 2020 and 2021 the sales in the US reached over $57.5 billion and globally they’re expected to reach $380.84 billion by 2025. With that much growth the movement has attracted some of the biggest companies in the world.
Organic has gone from a small hippie-lead movement to the board rooms of multinational corporations. Organic has become an industry. Corporations now have their hands in the movement and they're using them to manipulate what the term “organic” means to better suit their business models.
