Food System Consolidation in the Organic Industry

eOrganic authors:

Garry Stephenson, Oregon State University

Debra Sohm-Lawson

The development of the USDA National Organic Standard in place of differing state/regional standards was widely predicted to accelerate trends of increasing consolidation in this sector. The first draft of the standard was released in 1997. What changes in ownership and control have since occurred?

Phil Howard, Assistant Professor in the Department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies at Michigan State University has mapped the consolidation taking place in the Organic Industry.

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Published January 19, 2009

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