Trends Point To Growth For Organic Food And Farm Markets In 2011

The Organic Consumers Association has published its opinions on the leading trends in organic food and agriculture for the coming year. With consumer spending likely to be constrained for a while yet and the “new frugality” possibly here to stay, organic marketers have to communicate value and added benefits. Organic food also needs to tie in with broader environmental and sustainability trends. For example, the President's Cancer Panel reported in 2010 that babies were being born with up to 300 synthetic chemicals in their systems; other studies show that schoolchildren have 10-13 pesticides in their systems that almost disappear when switched to an organic diet. Additional issues to be addressed include demand for sustainable packaging, the leeching of cancer-causing chemicals from packaging, avoiding animal testing, and the effects of pesticides and GMO. Organic farming is growing, with more acreage being given over to it, younger people entering farming by focusing on organic agriculture, and urban agriculture based around organic food. These trends are supported by non-profit Slow Money, which has invested $3 million in sustainable food businesses.