Foundations of production and consumption of organic food in Norway: Common attitudes among farmers and consumers?

In Norway, the production andconsumption of organic food is still small-scale. Research on attitudes towards organic farming in Norway has shown that most consumers find conventionally produced food to be good enough. The level of industrialization of agriculture and the existence of food scandals in a country will affect consumer demand for organically produced foods. Norway is an interesting case because of its small-scale agriculture, few problems with food-borne diseases, and low market share for organic food. Similarities between groups of consumers and producers of food, organic and conventional, when it comes to attitudes concerning environment, use of gene technology, and animal welfare have implications for understanding market conditions for organically produced food. The results of our study indicate that organic farmers and organic consumers in Norway have common attitudes towards environmental questions and animal welfare in Norwegian agriculture. Conventional farmers have a higher degree of agreement with the way agriculture is carried out today. Unlike organic farmers and consumers, conventional farmers do not see major environmental problems and problems with animal welfare in today's farming system. But like the organic farmers and consumers, and to a stronger degree than conventional consumers, conventional farmers renounce gene technology as a solution to environmental problems in agriculture. These results are discussed in relation to their importance for the market situation for organically produced foods.     

Socio-cultural processes behind the differential distribution of organic farming in Denmark: a case study

Conversion to organic farming, along with its associated driving forces and barriers, has been explored intensively over the past decade, while studies on the distribution and impacts of local socio-cultural processes in relation to conversion to and diffusion of organic farming have been scarce. The concentration of organic farms in Denmark differs according to county and, moreover, there appears to be large within-county variation in the density of organic farms. The present study explores local aspects of conversion to organic farming and the factors that may help explain variation in density and concentration of organic farms within smaller areas. The study is based on nine qualitative interviews with organic farmers from two neighboring areas, referred to as “mainland” and “island,” respectively. Three farms were situated in the high-density area (mainland) and the remaining six in the low-density area (island). Furthermore, five advisors with connections to the area provided information with regard to their local experience and perceptions. Three main, and to some extent interacting, issues are discussed. The first is the price of land related to local scarcity of land, in the context of structural development and the effects of agricultural policies. The second is distance – both physical and social. Cooperation and exchange of experience among organic farmers was frequent on the mainland side, while isolation and lack of interaction was more common for the island farmers. Third, the role of the agricultural advisory service and the existence of champion farmers are important: pioneer farmers on the mainland have been supported by committed agricultural advisors, while lack of organic champion farmers and low priority granted to organic farming among agricultural advisors were found on the island. Marie-Louise Risgaard has an MSc within the field of organic agriculture. Her research interests are organic farming and rural development with the present occupation as innovative partner at a small-scale organic enterprise. In this capacity she is responsible for creating links between the organic enterprise, the gastronomic sector and organic markets, locally as well as nationally. Pia Frederiksen, PhD, is a geographer and senior scientist with research skills in rural development, sustainability, landscape analysis, and agri-environmental indicators. Pernille Kaltoft, PhD, is an environmental sociologist and senior scientist whose work focuses on organic farming and farmers’ perceptions. Dr. Kaltoft’s general research interests include values, perceptions, and views of nature related to agricultural and environmental issues.     

The cultural model of “the good farmer” and the environmental question in Finland

Farmers' relationship with nature isdetermined by the significance of agriculturefor human beings. When agriculture is definedas human activity that uses renewable naturalresources and aims to produce usable food andfiber products, agriculture is explicitlydefined as production. Farmers' relationshipwith nature is based on the principle ofproduction. This article discusses thecontradiction between the peasant values ofprotection of nature that many farmers inFinland still have and the environmental harmtheir production-oriented farming style causes.When farmers interpret their farming practicesas harmonious co-operation with nature, it isdifficult for them to see the polluting effectsof their work. Paul B. Thompson's suggestionthat three religious–philosophical doctrines(hard work, the doctrine of grace, and the mythof garden) have made it easy for farmers toadopt productionist farming strategy is used asa framework to interpret farmers' narrativesconcerning their relationship with nature. Theresearch is qualitative and biographical. Thedata include life stories and biographicaltexts farmers wrote for a competition in1997.     

论有机农业目标体系的整体性

本文从农业生产中人与人之间的关系、人与自然的关系,以及人与自身的关系角度,对农业效益的目标体系进行了全新的诠释,同时,建立起农业中不同利益主体目标的关联.有机农业通过政府粮食安全目标、生产者生计安全目标和消费者食品安全目标的有机整合,最大限度地实现农业经济效益、生态效益和社会效益相互间的均衡,是农业可持续发展的必然选择.     

Organic agriculture and the conventionalization hypothesis: A case study from West Germany

The recent growth in organic farming has given rise to the so-called “conventionalization hypothesis,” the idea that organic farming is becoming a slightly modified model of conventional agriculture. Using survey data collected from 973 organic farmers in three German regions during the spring of 2004, some implications of the conventionalization hypothesis are tested. Early and late adopters of organic farming are compared concerning farm structure, environmental concern, attitudes to organic farming, and membership in organic-movement organizations. The results indicate that organic farming in the study regions indeed exhibits signs of incipient conventionalization. On average, newer farms are more specialized and slightly larger than established ones and there is a growing proportion of farmers who do not share pro-environmental attitudes. Additionally, a number, albeit small, of very large, highly specialized farms have adopted organic agriculture in the last years. However, the vast majority of organic farmers, new and old ones included, still show a strong pro-environmental orientation. Henning Best holds a MA in Sociology, History, and Ethnology from the University of Cologne, Germany in 2002. He acquired a PhD in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Cologne in 2006. From 2002 to 2004 he was research associate at the Research Institute for Sociology, University of Cologne. Since 2004 he is researcher and lecturer at the Institute for Applied Social Research, University of Cologne. His research interests include environmental sociology, social inequality, and quantitative methods of social research.     

Farmer-Community Connections and the Future of Ecological Agriculture in California

While questions about the environmental sustainability of contemporary farming practices and the socioeconomic viability of rural communities are attracting increasing attention throughout the US, these two issues are rarely considered together. This paper explores the current and potential connections between these two aspects of sustainability, using data on community members’ and farmers’ views of agricultural issues in California’s Central Valley. These views were collected from a series of individual and group interviews with biologically oriented and conventional farmers as well as community stakeholders. Local marketing, farmland preservation, and perceptions of sustainable agriculture comprised the primary topics of discussion. The mixed results indicate that, while many farmers and community members have a strong interest in these topics, sustainable community development and the use of sustainable farming practices are seldom explicitly linked. On the other hand, many separate efforts around the Valley to increase local marketing and agritourism, improve public education about agriculture, and organize grassroots farmland preservation initiatives were documented. We conclude that linking these efforts more explicitly to sustainable agriculture and promoting more engagement between ecologically oriented farmers and their communities could engender more economic and political support for these farmers, helping them and their communities to achieve greater sustainability in the long run. Sonja Brodt is a former program evaluation specialist with the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program. Her current research focuses on extension and adoption of integrated pest management strategies by California growers and the impacts of pesticide safety training programs on farmworkers. Gail Feenstra is a food systems analyst at the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP). She coordinates SAREP’s Community Development and Public Policy grants program and conducts outreach and education to academic and community-based groups to build their capacity and leadership skills for developing sustainable community food systems. Robin Kozloff is a social science researcher and consultant in agricultural and land use policy. Karen Klonsky is an extension specialist at the University of California at Davis in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Her research focuses on the economic viability of organic and sustainable farming systems as well as the evolution of the organic market. Laura Tourte is county director and farm advisor at the University of California Cooperative Extension in Santa Cruz County. Her research and extension activities currently focus on farm management and marketing for small-scale growers.     

基于农场核心业务角度的国外有机农业发展研究

基于环境保护、食品安全与健康、国际绿色壁垒和产业价值等方面的有机农业在全球范围内迅猛发展,引起了国内外学术界的普遍关注。目前国内研究大多侧重于对有机农业发展现状和产业的总体宏观发展,而较少关注活动的相关实体———有机农场。基于有机农业农场核心业务的形式,笔者认为可以将有机农业的发展类型划分为初级生产、加工营销和非农业务三类,从这三类角度出发,不同国家和地区的有机农业发展状况各有差异与特色,也对我国有机农业的发展提供了有益借鉴。     

江西省万载县有机农业的发展进展

发展有机农业是可持续发展战略的重要措施,是满足人们食品质量安全需求、促进农民节本增收的有效途径。万载县在有机农业发展中扬长避短,逐步探索出一条欠发达地区发展现代有机农业的新路子,积累了宝贵的经验。但也存在资金不足、有机食品品种单一、知名度不足、服务相对滞后等问题。笔者在调查研究的基础上,首先分析了万载县发展有机农业的优势与机遇;接着,简述了万载县有机农业发展的成效和历程;之后,在肯定已取得的成绩的基础上重点分析了万载县在有机农业发展中存在的问题;最后,提出了推进万载县有机农业发展的对策和措施。     

医用农业发展初探

探讨了医用农业的概念、基本涵义和主要类型,在考察国外医用农业发展的基础上,展示了医用农业广阔的发展前景。初步研判提出,医用农业是现代农业发展的新趋势,发展医用农业是我国特别是沿海发达地区现代农业发展的必然抉择。     

Towards a third food regime: behind the transformation

Food regime theory focuses upon the dynamics, and agents, of change in capitalist food and farming systems. Its exponents have been able to identify relatively stable periods of capital accumulation in the agri-food industries, along with the periods of transition. Recently, scholars have argued that—following a first food regime based upon colonial trade in bulk commodities like wheat and sugar, and a second food regime typified by industrial agriculture and manufactured foods—there is an emerging third food regime. This new regime is one that is lead by global corporations that are profiting from the re-organisation of agri-food chains. The delivery of ‘fresh/healthy’ foods is one manifestation; another is the sale, by supermarkets, of ready-meals and other own-brand products. This paper argues that behind the movement to a putative Third Food Regime are changes to the financial system. ‘Financialisation’—the increased influence of finance capital on the agri-food system—not only provides new opportunities for profit-making by hedge funds and private equity consortia, but also creates a situation in which agri-food companies, including food manufacturers, international commodity traders and supermarkets, may benefit. Supermarkets for example, are moving into banking, and are altering their role as they move from being retailers of products, into the provision of capital. Food regime theory needs to consider what lies ‘behind’ the transformation of food and fibre production, to examine not only the role of finance capital in re-shaping relations up and down the agri-food supply chain, but also investigating the tendency for agri-food capitals to seek profits from financial transactions.     

Cultivating citizenship,equity, and social inclusion? Putting civic agriculture into practice through urban farming

Civic agriculture is an approach to agriculture and food production that—in contrast with the industrial food system—is embedded in local environmental, social, and economic contexts. Alongside proliferation of the alternative food projects that characterize civic agriculture, growing literature critiques how their implementation runs counter to the ideal of civic agriculture. This study assesses the relevance of three such critiques to urban farming, aiming to understand how different farming models balance civic and economic exchange, prioritize food justice, and create socially inclusive spaces. Using a case study approach that incorporated interviews, participant observation, and document review, I compare two urban farms in Baltimore, Maryland—a “community farm” that emphasizes community engagement, and a “commercial farm” that focuses on job creation. Findings reveal the community farm prioritizes civic participation and food access for low-income residents, and strives to create socially inclusive space. However, the farmers’ “outsider” status challenges community engagement efforts. The commercial farm focuses on financial sustainability rather than participatory processes or food equity, reflecting the use of food production as a means toward community development rather than propagation of a food citizenry. Both farms meet authentic needs that contribute to neighborhood improvement, though findings suggest a lack of interest by residents in obtaining urban farm food, raising concerns about its appeal and accessibility to diverse consumers. Though not equally participatory, equitable, or social inclusive, both farms exemplify projects physically and philosophically rooted in the local social context, necessary characteristics for promoting civic engagement with the food system.     

南方发展草畜业的几点思考

世界农业由子实体向营养体的转型、北方休牧还草政策的出台以及南方理想的自然条件和市场空间,为草畜业发展提供了千载难逢的机遇;南方发展草畜业不失为一条帮助农民快速致富的有效途径;只要破解观念更新、资金筹措、技术传授三大难题,草畜业定能成为南方农业的主要板块。     

山西省有机旱作农业存在问题与对策研究

有机旱作这种方式作为山西农业的一种带有传统性技术特色的方法。在目前的新发展形势之下,对于山西旱作农业需要去进一步的升级成为包含着绿色的、健康的、生态性模式。能够形成可以持续发展新型企业的有机旱作农业。通过进一步的分析山西的有机旱作农业目前的发展过程之中存在的一些问题,之后在针对性地去提出一些对策,对其进行进一步探索,能够帮助山西省有机旱作方面的农业去突破其实际的发展瓶颈。     

Saving the small farm: Agriculture in roman literature

Roman agriculture suffered traumatic changes during the 2nd century B.C. The traditional farmers who tilled their few acres and served family, gods and community were being squeezed out by large estate owners using slaves for investment farming. Politicians, scholars and poets tried to revive the ancestoral rustic life. In 133 B.C. the Gracchi legislated land reform to relieve the distress of the farmer soldiers who had won the empire. Although their efforts led to political confrontation that deteriorated into civil war, programs for the traditional farm became a permanent part of government policy from the late Republic until the end of the empire in 476 A.D. Scholars and poets made a contribution to the revival of agriculture with knowledge for improving the farm and by encouraging an agrarian mentality. The agricultural manuals (e.g. Cato (c. 150 B.C.), Varro (c. 50 B.C), and Columella (c.65 A.D.), defined the nature of the desirable farm and gave practical advice. Profit was the goal, but good farming practices made for pleasure and virtue as well. The image of the ancestoral farmer was perpetuated as was the notion that farming was the only honorable and respectable occupation for a Roman gentleman. In the Augustan Age (34 B.C.—14 A.D.) poets were encouraged by the government to adopted a rustic theme in hopes it would stimulate a return to the land and aid in the rebirth of Rome and Romans. In the GeorgicsVirgil begins with the practical details of farming, but uses myth and philosophy to explore the nature and meaning of life. He admits that Jove made life perilous. But Jove also gave man the art of agriculture and with hard work man could know the pleasure of a simple, virtuous, productive life. Horace directed his poetry against the allure of city life and in praise of rustic living. Epicureanism and Stoicism, in the guise of life on the farm, could show that although fate was unpredictable, the world was orderly and, if one recognized and accepted its limits, one could make a garden of the world and live a simple but happy life. By 300 A.D. Rome missed the peasant-farmer-soldier and by the 470's life had returned to an agrarian condition. Bishop Sidonius, trying to furnish meaning and perspective for the emerging new age, resorted to the Roman agricultural traditions still cherished as that world disappeared.     

The In Situ Conservation of Rice Plant Genetic Diversity: A Case Study from a Philippine Barangay

The conservation of rice plant genetic diversity is particularly important for resource-poor farmers in economically marginal areas of the Philippines. This paper discusses the state of rice plant genetic diversity in the Philippines and the reasons behind the decrease in diversity witnessed over the last 30 years. A case study describes the in situ management of rice plant genetic diversity by resource-poor farmers from the Philippine island of Bohol, throughout the traditional, green revolution, and post-green revolution periods. This analysis demonstrates that farmers tend to favor genetically heterogeneous varieties that adapt to varied environments. The case study also reviews an NGO-sponsored agricultural biodiversity project that demonstrates that rice plant genetic diversity can be increased by empowering farmers – providing them with access to varieties, knowledge of varietal trials, varietal selection, and varietal breeding, as well as increasing the linkages they have with other farmers and institutions. David Carpenter is a PhD candidate in the School of Resources, Environment and Society at the Australian National University. His current research focuses on organic rice farming, social capital, and agricultural change in the Philippines. He recently published an article in Agriculture and Human Values 20(2) on the transition from high input agriculture to organic agriculture by resource-poor farmers from the Philippine Island of Bohol.     

From burgers to biodiversity? The McDonaldization of on-farm nature conservation in the UK

This paper uses George Ritzer’s account of McDonaldization – the socially transformative process of rationalization – to undertake a critical analysis of agri-environment schemes, the dominant form of on-farm nature conservation in England. Drawing on a wide range of evidence, including social surveys of the participants and non-participants of agri-environment schemes, government files, and interviews with government officials, the four key dimensions of McDonaldization – efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control (through non-human technologies) – are applied to the analysis of agri-environment schemes. The irrationalities emerging from a McDonaldized approach to nature conservation are discussed together with their implications for farmers, nature, and society. In conclusion, the paper points to the emergence of alternative models of on-farm nature conservation that may offer ways of resisting and displacing the McDonaldized version. Carol Morris is Professor of Geography at the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. Her research is broadly concerned with the application of social scientific approaches to the critical analysis of issues and problems affecting the rural environment and agro-food system in British and European contexts. Matt Reed is Research Fellow in the ESRC Centre for the Study of Genomics in Society (EGENIS), University of Exeter, UK and a visiting Fellow in the Centre for Rural Research at the University of Exeter, UK. The main focus of his research has been the organic food and farming movement, but he also has conducted research on family farming, rural protest movements, and the local food economy.     

公共财政支持"三农"发展的对策研究

中国自古以来都是以农业大国闻名世界,精耕细作、小农经济是传统中国经济的象征。所 以,中国政府也一直致力于农业的发展建设。目前,“三农”问题是中国共产党所要改善和提升的主要 对象。国内基层群众大部分都属于农民。由此可见,推动农业的发展是当前中国共产党势在必行的 任务。     

中国绿色食品发展现状及展望

绿色食品发展的理念和宗旨完全符合现代农业发展的要求。20多年来,绿色食品在中国开辟了一片新天地,与无公害农产品、有机食品、农产品地理标志并称为"三品一标",成为中国优质、安全农产品的示范性品牌。介绍了目前中国绿色食品产业发展状况,分析了绿色食品在现代农业发展进程中的贡献,并对如何进一步拓展其作用提出了建议。     

农户的技术创新与农业技术进步

农户的技术创新是农业新技术与农业技术进步的桥梁。农户的技术创新作为一种经济行为，是否采用新技术取决于农户对新技术预期成本和效益的比较。农户技术创新的市场导向决定了农业技术选择倾向于使用替代资木的农业技术，因为这种技术符合我国农业要素察赋的特点。政府的责任是在多方面鼓励农户的技术创新。     

有机农业产业化与贫困地区农业发展对策

介绍了有机农业的起源及发展现状与趋势 ,讨论了我国贫困地区的农业形势 ,提出有机农业产业化是贫困地区农业发展的对策 ,并对贫困地区实行有机农业产业化发展的优势和不足进行详细分析 ,提出有机农业产业化的战略要点。