How is agriculture evolving in your country?

Do consumers care more about food quality?

[Macguru]

We have seen some changes here in Canada. It started some 20 years ago, in reaction to industrial farming and it's ill effects. We are seeing a boom in Family Farming, organic and alternative production. Farming gets more and more diversified and decentralised. Alternative distribution channels are beeing set up, bypassing the giant food chains.

Consumers ask for better quality foods and grocery chains are responding to this demand.
Even industrial producers start to ship certified organic products.

Is it the same in your country?

[Sanenet]

Spain produces some of the best fruit and veg in Europe - however, since it's all shipped off to the rest of Europe, we get left with the tail end of the harvest :( .

I've had an apple in my kitchen now for over 6 WEEKS - it's still as fresh as the day I brought it. I dread to think what chemical saturate it!

[Macguru]

Do you have some organic sections in large grocery store in Spain?

Is mass media carrying information about some 'new' old way of farming?

I am curious about it since I just had an European market study report form a new client in some niche market. It expects growth rates of between 5% and 40% over the medium term, depending on the market in question. Fruit and vegetables first followed closely by cereals and dairy products.

[Sanenet]

Here in the south of Spain we don't really have the same "mass produced" versus "organic" mentality that the US and UK have. While in the big supermarket chains some strange things happens to fruit + veg (we export tomatoes to Italy who then ship 'em back - got to love those CAP subs!), most of the natives + long term residents still buy their fruit from independent grocers and the local markets, which get them from the local farmers.

We have a lot of coops and industrial scale farming down here, (8% of Europes tomatoes comes from just Almerķa [google.com] but most of that stuff is sent elsewhere. Local produce is either tail end of market or local farmers.

Having lived next to some farmers for a few years, I can tell you that they love pesticide and chemicals, although a number of them are starting to revert back to more "organic" methods. The local soil is very dry, and while fertile it doesn't take much to destroy it. Local gov. is starting to offer subs to help small landowners move away from chemicals, which is good.

While still on the subject, although the Malaga region economic boom was based on tourism (the infamous "Costa del sol"), the east and west of Andalucia (Spains southern autonomous region) is mainly agricultural. It's bringing in a lot of (mainly illegal) immigrants who work in the fields, and causing a certain amount of conflict between the farmers, the developers, the immigrants and the government (i.e., see the riots in El Ejido [google.com] in 00).

Let me know if you need any clarification about any specific spanish topics!

[andy_boyd]

In the UK we're getting a big surge in interest for organic food, all the big supermarkets already carry certified organic food.

Regular fruit & veg are still selling, as the organic produce tends to cost more and is out of reach for many on lower incomes. However, it is only a matter of time before the volume of organic produce sold reaches a critical mass and prices will drop, making it accessible for us all.

[lorax]

Here in the NE USA we are big into Organic food. Organic food started with the hippies of the 60s but has matured into a tried and true business now. The USDA finally actually published a common set of standards to define what organic means a year and a half ago. The standards - while not perfect - at least hold the benefit of defining a minimum level of what is considered organic.

The consumers are also looking more and more into the buy local mindset. Our food coops and farmers' markets are more popular than ever and growing.

So all in all, in the Northeast at least, people seem to be more in touch with the quality of their food as well as where their food comes from.