organic food.

Former Member · November 2003

sales have topped the one billion pounds a year in the uk for the first time. are you a part of this revolution? this stand against chemical and factory farming? are you buying localy grown and bred produce to cut down on the transport over many miles of your grub? are you making a stand against GM foods?
or ...especialy for hard up students ...would you like to but find it to expensive?

Jaded · November 2003

We do try, but we do get lazy.... Farmers markets are amazing but it does involve getting up quite early on a Saturday morning

Like I said, lazy.......

I have a market close to my work and all the east end market geezers say 'course its organic luv!!' but I'm a bit dubious.

And I do think that it is a bit too expensive unless you are really committed to the idea. But that said, I have lived in student households where organic produce was delivered by the boxful every week, and that worked quite well and wasn't expensive.
I think it does need to be more widely available and cheaper, but as you say Mr Roll, it is a revolution and as demand increases those other things will happen!

Former Member · November 2003

i buy loads of organic stuff, but not everything. I buy organic meat and dairy, but most of my vegetables are from the local grocers, as then i know its locally grown and cheaper, but unfortunatly not organic.

Former Member · November 2003

I'm not totaly convinced by it all, some of the organic stuff I've bought in the past has been pretty crap, little taste and generaly a bit poor.

However I do LOVE my local farmers market, they do a mean buffolo cheese, fantastic.

Mainly I buy most of my meat/veg at Waitrose because I know they have more of an ethical stance than the other supermarkets. That and it actualy has taste unlike virtualy anything bought at Safeway.

Jaded · November 2003

Yes bongbudda, I agree that some of it is tasteless but I put that down to the fact that I've bought it from a supermarket and it is, to a certain extent, mass produced, organic or not. Small and sustainable leads to much tastier food!

Former Member · November 2003

Certainly, thats why I like my farmers market, although I've moved recently and its not as close as it used to be, which is annoying.

Anyway, my point was that just because its organic doesnt mean that its good qaulity as such. They are related but theres quite a bit of shoddy food trading on the 'organic' label if you as me.

I try and buy veg with the LEAF logo on at the moment, its a scheme set up by DEFRA and a few other people, except this time its actualy reasonably well managed and does mean something. Its basicaly sustainable farming, using little if any chemicals and being nice to the enviroment. That and all the stuff I've had with that little logo on it tasted nice.

Jaded · November 2003

Oh, I shall keep an eye out for that one if I am forced to shop at the super

Former Member · November 2003

I know more than anyone really ever should about farming to be honest. My final paper for uni was on the CAP, its reform and what this means for end consumers.

For example have you read The Curry Commision Report into sustainable farming? No? Well done you, dont, its bloody dull.

Jaded · November 2003

I actually find it really interesting to put all the pieces together and see what impact it has on what I buy. It just doesn't make sense to me that we are continuing to farm the way we do.

Edited to add - why would I want to read a boring report when I can just ask you about it??

Former Member · November 2003

Well personally I thought at least some reform of the CAP was on the way, but well the French and the Germans seem to have decided that they really rather like subsidies. Which is a bit odd really because the Germans were pushing pretty hard for reform.

But, something thats quite harsh is that the new members of the EU wont get the same level of subsidy as the others. Poland for example produces quite a bit of wheat and other things, but, well they arent going to get much.

That and the subsidy system has produced far far too many dairy farmers and now they get less for their milk than it costs them. But for some reason they didnt see this coming, even though it was BLOODY obvious to everyone else.

Jaded · November 2003

Is there a way to remove the subsidies without too much disruption to individual producers, or will it just have to be done with a short sharp shock?

The French and Germans seem to have picked a rather confrontational time to pull out, havent they???

Former Member · November 2003

Here organic groceries has been out for many many years. Same with dairys.
Thing is that claims are, that it isn't as healthy as it's made out to be. And that the risks of eating organic can almost be weighed up to the same as non-organic.
Typically I can't remember why exactly.

Former Member · November 2003

bong ...i know what you mean about taste ...i grow a fair bit of veg myself and sometimes it's dissapointing ...this year kwik save spuds were tasier than mine! what went wrong ...don't know. all my stuff is grown in good soil and the shit from my own chickens. and boy do chickens produce a lot of shit! they arent called fowl (foul) without reason.
this year i grew prickly cucumber ...the taste was incredible ...
living in wales is good for buying at farmers markets. no east end wide boys that lady has to put up with!
and jacq ...i have read the same stuff and can't friggin remember either!

Former Member · November 2003

Ladyjade; They are far from removing subsidies, the EU farmers wouldnt survive without them. They just arent giving them to the new EU joiners.

Basicaly things will change with the CAP but it wont change that much, subsidies will still be in place. But they will move from Pillar I (one) to Pillar II support.

This means insted of giving farmers money for each X amount of stuff they produce, they pay farmers per area. In this way its not production led and is thought to be less trade distorting.

Personally I think its in UK farmers interest to aim for the high quality segment of the market, we will never compete fairly against the big producers. But saying that we did end up exporting wheat to Australia last year, which is a bit of a turn about.

Former Member · November 2003

I eat organic food and free range meat, I find is delicious as well as the apples. But yeah, it's deathly expensive for students, I think healthy and ethical living is a very middle class fashion to have... in my opinion.

As for the taste... well I prefer my food chemical free. banana skins are especially good at absorbing the chemicals through their porous skins and it makes me sick to think that cows are pumped with hormones and anti-biotics (thus the danger of superbugs) or that crops are all genetically modified... eeew

But each to his own, eh? Organic eating is waaaaaay too hard to stick to completely.

Oh, organic cider is killer.

Former Member · November 2003

I read an interesting theory sometime back which said that as most organic food sold in this country was imported from around the world, it was just as much damaging to the planet because of the transportation as non-organic.

Mr Roll in answer to your original question, I have recently become a student again and found that budget does affect my principles. Sadly my organic purchases have gone down as have buying from the 'premium ranges'.

Maybe once I adjust to living on a third of the income I'm used to, I won't be so money-concious, who knows its early doors.

organic food.

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