A New Incarnation- The Role of the Organic Growers Association in Changing the Production and Marketing of Organic Produce

Summary

Although there is a widespread assumption that organic farming developed in response to the intensification of agriculture in the second half of the twentieth century, a number of scholars have sought to show that the origins of the movement date to the 1920s and 1930s. They argue that that there is continuity in the development of the organic movement and that the ideals and values of the early organicists are the origin of current organic farming discourse. A detailed history of the organic movement indicates however, that a number of social movements converged to contribute to its development. Particular cultural and socio- demographic changes in the last three decades of the twentieth century produced a new ex-urban organic movement with a new organic discourse. The Organic Growers Association (OGA) played a key role in the revitalisation of the Soil Association and organic agriculture generally in the 1980s and 1990s. Drawing on the personal experiences of the authors, plus analysis of contemporary records, this paper presents an analysis of the OGA and evaluates its legacy. This includes a consideration of recent moves to introduce fair trade principles to the production and marketing of organic produce.