title: Organic Industry Challenges in the Face of Negative Media Reports creator: Ismond, Alan subject: Consumer issues description: As the organic industry continues to grow in volume and profile, so too does the resistance to the industry by vested interests, aided by the sensationalist media. Information and misinformation concerning the quality and safety of organic foods is being conveyed to consumers via the mass media and the Internet. Although the organic industry is defined by process standards, detractors of the industry are focusing on product quality and safety issues. Reactive responses by the organic industry may be justified and may or may not include critiquing the disparaging research and the negative media reporting. Proactive responses involving disseminating favourable research are more desirable but must be based on well designed research. Reducing opportunities for critics can be accomplished through rigorous organic product quality control and ensuring that the touted product benefits match the actual product attributes. date: 2007 type: Conference paper, poster, etc. type: NonPeerReviewed format: application/pdf identifier: http://orgprints.org/10331/1/ismond-2007-media-reports.pdf identifier: Ismond, Alan (2007) Organic Industry Challenges in the Face of Negative Media Reports. 3rd QLIF Congress: Improving Sustainability in Organic and Low Input Food Production Systems, University of Hohenheim, Germany, March 20-23, 2007. relation: http://orgprints.org/10331/