Phil Howard, post doctoral researcher from The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems reveals the corporate players in the organic marketplace. This is a great chart!
It shows that what started as a social movement has become an industry with companies like General Mills, ConAgra and Kraft as major players. For some, this represents a victory for organics. Others worry that success will compromise the ideals of the movement, myself included. I noted with great interest that Organic Valley is NOT listed on this chart. :)
Who Owns What
Hi Tiffany,
This chart is great. I already knew alot of this but this chart is really good at putting the information all in one place.
And yes you’re right Organic Valley is NOT on the list because they are still a coop of small farms, they are not owned by a big ag company.
If you want to read more about this issue you have got to read two really great books: Organic, Inc by Samuel Fromartz and The Omnivore’s Dilemma; A natural history of four meals by Michael Pollan.
I am just finishing up the Michael Pollan book it is very insightful. The first section of his book talks about industrial Corn and it will blow you away when you read it. Corn is an insidious component of the world today. You will not believe how much corn there is in EVERYTHING and how it has impacted the world in a negative way.
He also tells you about the “organic” rosie chicken…something that I did not know. The “organic” rosie chicken is raised the same way as an industrial chicken it’s just given organic feed….that was an eye opener for me too.
I don’t know if you know about the Bioneers organizaton: http://www.bioneers.org . Michael Pollan will be a key note speaker at the upcoming conference this October. Something I am really looking forward to.
If you want to learn more about the bioneers go to their website: http://www.bioneers.org
Regards,
Erin
I just ran across this article today:
Lion Capital to acquire Kettle Foods as natural snack market expands
http://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/news/ng.asp?n=69789&m=2ICT812&idP=9&c=xpbrqekmqztnomp
Regards,
Erin
Erin as usual you and I are the same page of the same book! I just got this book yesterday and plan to start reading it today during my three hour chemo infusion at the Doctor’s office. I am so excited to read it! Last time I was there I listened to an interview about him so I knew I needed to get that book. Great minds think alike. :)