Do inspection practices in organic agriculture serve organic values? A case study from Finland

Summary

In many European countries, organic agriculture has rapidly been transformed from a farmers' movement to an institutionalized part of agricultural policy. In certification, compliance with published organic standards is verified through annual inspections on farms. In Finland, the role of advice in organic inspections has been the subject of debate. Two inspections are used here to show how the term organic was defined and what the role of advice in relation to compliance was. Both compliance and advisory types of interaction between the inspector and the farmer were identified along an axis from “input substitution” to “system redesign.” The findings illustrate the heterogeneity of the processes and definitions of the term organic in connection with inspections. System redesign was less obvious in compliance than items in inspection documents suggest. The physical surroundings and the methods used affect inspection practices. Institutionalization is not merely negative, but may also provide resources for system redesign. Whether advice is part of a new and emerging way of enforcing inspections is considered. The findings suggest that dialogue and negotiation are necessary in promoting system redesign and in enhancing the developmental functions of organic inspections.