The question never ceases to divide the convinced and the sceptical: why eat organic? The former will say that favouring organically-farmed products is not just a trend or a lifestyle, but rather a way of becoming a ‘consumer-actor,’ based on the principle that customer purchases will influence the market. But on the other hand--and even more so in a context of inflation--the price argument wins out, and some consumers prefer ‘common sense’ to the label itself.

From an environmental point of view, organic farming has many advantages. Without pesticides or other chemical inputs, the soil in which our vegetables grow and in which the water we drink is stored are better protected from chemical toxins. For the Vereenegung fir Biolandwirtschaft Lëtzebuerg (the association for organic farming in Luxembourg), the stakes are very clear: “engaging in the process of transforming agriculture is a necessity if we are to ensure a sustainable and resilient food supply in the future. Organic farming shows the way in this direction.”

At the 2nd Bio Woch a few weeks ago, Daniela Noesen, director of the Vereenegung für Biolandwirtschaft Lëtzebuerg, summed up the benefits of organic farming and breeding methods: animal welfare, healthy soils, cleaner drinking water, preserved biodiversity and healthier food, with three basic principles: “care,” “preservation” and “maintenance.”

Ibla (the organic farming research institute) and associations such as natur&ëmwelt and Co-labor go even further to demonstrate the benefits of organic farming. In August this year, they unveiled their joint project “2,000 m2 for our food.” They are looking at the amount of agricultural land available in Luxembourg for food production, and what would be needed in terms of surface area if organic farming were to become widespread. “Theoretically, 2,000 m2 would be enough for a healthy organic diet, provided that consumers reduce food waste (1/3 of the food produced) and significantly reduce their consumption of animal products. Instead of producing fodder, this land would then be used to produce food directly for human consumption. So it’s up to us, as consumers, to adapt our habits,” said the three organisations this summer. Ibla is also behind the Vision 2050 project, which is modelling a series of scenarios for the transition of Luxembourg agriculture to 100% organic production.

In Luxembourg, organic farming has a long tradition, with farmers already incorporating sustainability and quality into their products. To date, 7.2% of Luxembourg’s farmland is certified organic. A national action plan, PAN-Bio2025, has also been launched by the government to drive further progress in the sector.

For your health

As well as the benefits of organic farming for the planet, the impact of these products on human health is also the subject of increasing research. Pesticides and other chemical products are often accused of having a harmful effect on health, particularly by influencing the hormonal system. In theory, therefore, organic products should be healthier. According to Dr Torste Bohn, food chemist and nutritionist by training and a researcher at the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), it has been proven that the pesticide content of organic food is lower, as he has already explained in his publications.

However, he also noted that “the absence of pesticides can lead to fungal attack, which can encourage the appearance of toxic or carcinogenic substances--careful monitoring during production and before sale, as is generally the case in Europe, can prevent this. It is also interesting to note that rearing animals outdoors can lead to an increase in environmental pollutants. This is the case, for example, if the animals absorb more heavy metals or organic contaminants from their pastures than they would if they were reared intensively in cowsheds.”

Organic food could also influence the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance, described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “one of the most serious threats to global health.” One of its main causes is the excessive, even systematic, use of antibiotics in conventional livestock farming. This is prohibited in organic farming. Bacteria then tend to become more resistant, and can then be transmitted to humans through meat consumption or via the environment.

And the wallet?

There are many advantages to organic farming, but there are still obstacles. Not least the price of produce, which is generally more expensive than conventional farming. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), there are four reasons why prices are higher: a limited supply of products; higher production costs due to higher labour inputs; yields that are often lower than in conventional farming; and the fact that the marketing and distribution chain for these products is “relatively inefficient, with higher costs due to relatively low volumes.”

Paperjam went to a supermarket in Luxembourg City to compare the prices of organic and non-organic products. In most cases, organic products are indeed slightly more expensive. But for some more specific products, the price can double, such as white mushrooms, which cost €10 more per kilo. The FAO explains: “Organic mushroom yields are generally lower than those of conventional mushrooms due to the absence of chemical inputs that increase productivity. Natural growing conditions can lead to more frequent losses due to disease or pests, which affects the final price.”

But according to the FAO, prices could fall, provided that demand increases, and that farmers try to meet it by converting more of their farms to organic farming. So organic advocates seem to be right when they say that the “consumer” can influence the market. “Technological innovations and economies of scale should make it possible to reduce the costs of producing, processing, distributing and marketing organic products,” says the FAO.

Another point often raised is the question of labels and their relevance. It’s not enough to simply slap an ‘organic’ label on a product. To obtain official certification, producers must meet strict standards, and are inspected to do so. They must keep detailed specifications, which vary according to the label, for each stage of their production and processing. The conditions for certification depend on the label. In Luxembourg, there are several such labels, some of which are purely local, such as Bio Lëtzebuerg, Bio Green Beef, the result of cooperation between Cactus and the Convis cooperative, and Bio Maufel, which focuses exclusively on meat. There are also other certifications: Euroleaf at European level, Demeter (biodynamic agriculture), Biogarantie in Belgium, Bioland in Germany...

But in many cases, common sense takes precedence over labels. So, between a product bearing the organic label but coming from thousands of kilometres away and therefore with a high carbon footprint, and a non-organic product from a farmer who may not have the label, but who grows his crops just a few kilometres from the consumer in a sustainable way, the value of the label may be put into perspective.

Another observation made by the FAO highlights the current limitations of organic farming, especially in terms of food security, i.e., guaranteeing that everyone has enough to eat, but also the means to access it. The FAO also notes that “land tenure remains a major constraint on the investment in labour needed for organic farming.” To cope with falling yields and optimise production, organic farms have every interest in growing a variety of crops. As things stand, organic farming could find it hard to keep up with growing demand.

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(Look out for the final instalment of our series of articles linked to the Alimenterre Festival on the theme of sustainable food on Friday).

This article was originally published in .