All you need to know about... air-freighted organics

Will changes to the Soil Association’s certification criteria sayisfy the demands of the conscientious food shopper?

Why is it in the news?

The Soil Association, Britain’s leading organic inspection body, has proposed stripping air-freighted organic produce of its certification unless it delivers genuine benefits to farmers in developing countries. Following a four-month public consultation, the charity announced that from the beginning of 2009, it will certify only air-freighted organic food that meets its own Ethical Trade standard – which requires producers to follow fair-trade and employment practices and make positive contributions to their local communities – or the internationally recognised Fairtrade standard.

 

Does it matter how organic food reaches our shelves?

Although less than one per cent of organic imports enters the UK by air, the method can generate 177 times more greenhouse gases than shipping, wiping out the environmental benefits of growing food organically. While accounting for only one per cent of UK food miles, air freight creates 11 per cent of the CO2 emissions from UK food transport.

 

Why not place a ban on all air-freighted food?

Many environmentalists argue that importing produce from across the world goes against the sustainable ethos at the heart of the organic movement. However, this would deprive farmers in developing countries of valuable income and other benefits. In Ghana, for example, the export of pre-cut organic pineapple employs 1,500 farmers, contributes £2 million to the local economy, finances access to drinking water and enables farmers to send their children to school.

 

How much comes from developing countries?

Eighty per cent of the UK’s air-freighted organic imports are grown in low or lower-middle income countries such as Kenya, Ghana, the Dominican Republic and Egypt. The speed at which aeroplanes can transport food around the globe allows Third World producers to earn a premium for fresh produce that is too perishable to endure several weeks on a container ship. It also enables them to add value to crops by cutting, processing and packing on home soil.

 

Should we boycott air-freighted goods?

While no one disputes that aviation is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gases, the case against air-freighted produce is not black and white. Encouraging poor countries to practise organic methods reduces pesticide use, which brings health benefits as well as environmental ones. Furthermore, trade bodies such as the International Trade Centre, an agency of the UN and World Trade Organisation, argue that it is unfair of the Soil Association to penalise countries whose tiny carbon footprints are dwarfed by those of western nations, while continuing to certify home-grown organic food produced using energy-intensive technology such as heated greenhouses, farm machinery and road transport – much home-grown organic produce travels hundreds of miles by road before it reaches the supermarket. Another point to bear in mind is that 60 per cent of air-freighted organic produce currently travels on passenger aircraft. This doesn’t change the amount of CO2 emitted, but it might affect how guilty you feel next time you buy a pack of Mexican avocados.

 

The Country Living verdict

This is not a stark choice between protecting the planet and helping Third World farmers. There’s more to the eco-credentials of organic foods than where they are grown. The Soil Association has attempted to clarify a murky area, and the result is an imperfect compromise. But its Ethical Trade standard is useful for conscientious consumers. There’s no substitute for fresh, seasonal, local produce when it comes
to flavour, nutrition and eco-friendliness. But, from January 2009, if you choose to buy a packet of Soil Association-certified green beans, you can be confident you’re benefiting African farmers, their families and their environment.

 

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