Why is organic so much more expensive?

Meaghan Hennessy

As college students, our budget is extremely tight. I’m lucky if I purchase vegetables, let alone organic ones! This got me thinking, if organic foods are made without chemicals or hormones, in theory, shouldn’t they be cheaper? Obviously there are other factors as to why organic foods are expensive, but what I found shocked me.
First, I think the term organic should be defined. According to the FOA (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States), “Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.” One of the reasons the demand for organic food has increased is because people are becoming more concerned about how their meals are being produced, processed, and handled. Also, there are more nutrients and no chemical toxins in organic food, which increases its appeal. Now that we know why organic food is worth the price, lets discuss why it is so expensive.
There are several reasons why organic food has a larger price tag than its conventional counterpart. One of the main reasons is the government doesn’t subsidize organic farmers. Farmers who practice “agrochemical agriculture” get paid and subsidized by the government to make a large amount of product and sell it cheap. This is unfortunate for people trying to go organic on a budget because the government is driving down the price of chemically treated food, but not helping out the farmers trying to stay “green.” Another big reason why organic food is more expensive is because without chemicals, farmers cannot produce as much product. This brings about a basic economic principle of supply and demand. The demand for organic food is increasing, while the supply cannot increase past a certain point, thus driving the price up. Lastly, farmers who want to be certified as “organic,” wishing to use the USDA organic seal on their product must follow certain guidelines. The requirements include expensive soil, expensive feed for animals, and usually techniques that require more labor. As a result, organic farmers have more upfront costs and smaller yields, so price of organic goods has to be higher than conventional food in order for them to make a profit.
Fortunately, there are ways to save money here in Ann Arbor on organic food. Community Supported Agriculture is a way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. It allows consumers to eat ultra-fresh food for cheap. There are tons in the local Ann Arbor area. Also, growing your own vegetables in your backyard is a money saver and may turn out to be a new hobby! Lastly, buying locally produced organic products saves you money and helps support local farmers. The benefits of going organic are worth the extra dollar or two, but if you are on a budget use these alternative and cheap ways to go organic!