Where does our confidence in the organic industry come from?

If you’re a farmer, why do you grow organic food? If you’re a consumer, why do you buy organic food?

I’m guessing that you do so because you feel confident that it’s a better option. If you’re a farmer, it probably gives you more opportunity, either directly or indirectly, to market and sell your produce. And if like me you’re a consumer, organic food provides you and your family with an opportunity to enjoy food the way it’s meant to be – free of GMOs, pesticides, hormones, and other nasties.

But where does our confidence in the organic industry come from? Is it something that’s intuitive? For some the answer to that is probably yes. But for most of us, myself included, our confidence in organics is gained through experiences, opportunities and, in no small part, through what the media tell us!

Unfortunately, in a world where bad news sells it’s often easier for mainstream media interests to throw stones than promote constructive discussion. This is best highlighted by the speed at which any bad news story concerning the organic industry travels.

That’s why the work performed by The Organic Center is so important. The Organic Center advances peer-reviewed, verifiable scientific research and information behind the human health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming. They then communicate these benefits to society. In doing so, they provide both growers and consumers alike with the confidence they need to continue their support for the organic industry.

I don’t believe it to be an overstatement to say that, without The Organic Center, the organic industry would not have grown anywhere near as quickly as it has. And it certainly wouldn’t be enjoying anything like the level of consumer support that it now does.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with The Organic Center’s site I strongly encourage you to pay it a visit. For those of you who are, there are some neat things going on there that are well worth checking out…

The Organic Center Blog – with some of the sharpest minds in the organic community contributing to it, including Dr. Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., this blog is set to become a really useful addition to the blogosphere.

Organic Essentials – a free pocket guide explaining how to reduce dietary exposure to toxic pesticides.

Serious Science, Serious Benefits – a new educational video providing a comprehensive overview of why living organically is so important.

Without confidence, there is no organic industry!