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The history of cane sugar has been shaped to a large extent by the plantations of the West Indies, Pacific Islands, and several regions within Latin America. Iturbe, Paraguay has recently distinguished itself as the official headquarters of the Asociación Agricola Cañera del Sur. Since the emergence of democratic government in 1989, agricultural cooperatives have become central to the lives of Paraguay’s primary producers, including those involved in the organic sugar sector. For a variety of reasons, most sugar producers are not in a position to raise the capital required to modernise operations and secure their access to international markets where organic products are desperately sought. Smaller producers have generally missed out...

To follow up recent comments on the importance of cooperatives within the organic sector, it seems fitting to identify then describe a selection of these. Organic Valley is the US based producer’s cooperative which is currently representing more than 1100 farmers, or approximately 10% of the organic farming community nationwide. Together, these farmers contribute organically certified foods such as milk, cheese, eggs, meat, soy milk, juices, and gluten free products. In their promotional material, Organic Valley are prepared to distinguish themselves from the corporate influences which control many of the food resources distributed throughout the US today. Based on their alternative business model, Organic Valley seeks to support the...

A Cooperative model appears to assist the majority of organic producers in developed and emerging economies. Advantages of establishing a legal producer’s cooperative include the improvement of supply and an enhanced capability to negotiate with wholesale agents. Cooperatives are ideal for smaller organic producers who can benefit from distributing some of the expense involved in hiring staff, training, equipment, marketing and promotion. Every now and then, I encounter lending agents who continue to distrust proposals associated with an ‘organic cooperative’. The seventies were, unfortunately, a decade of badly conceived agricultural ventures. While most participants were well meaning and earnest in pursuit of their philosophy,...

It’s hardly surprising that a majority of organic producers in the United States favour group rather than individual certification. Group certification enables producers from the same industry or geographic regions to collectively market their products as organic under a single protocol. I’m not entirely convinced that Group Certification will attain the levels of credibility required by consumers in general or those focused on an international trade for organically certified goods and services. At the same time, Group Certification has some potential to assist developing nation participants. For those already receiving fair access to markets, the short-term advantages of Group Certification are unlikely to be sustained or translated...