Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the 12th Annual Georgia Organics Conference in Decatur.  The challenges faced by the businesses in the organics farming movement are significant.  First, the costs of production for the organic farmer are far higher than for the "conventional" farmer.  It's simply more expensive to produce a gallon of milk organically than conventionally, and that cost has to be passed along to the consumer in an adverse economic environment. 

More troubling is that we have designed our post-World War II agricultural system to increase yields of just a few cash crops.  That has served us well in part, as it has created vast production of corn, soybeans, wheat, etc., allowing millions to be fed relatively cheaply.  It has a significant downside, as it has overly concentrated resources into just a few crops and has created large agricultural institutions with entrenched political interests.  Thus, "Big Ag" has devoted billions to perpetuating the present system, despite the adverse environmental impact that certain practices have had and despite the fact that our diet has become less diversified.  Michael Pollan, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" made these (and many other) points in his address to the attendees at the conference.  I don't pretend to know all the specifics, but he does make strong points that the chain from "Big Oil" (in the form of fertilizer and transportation) to "Big Ag" has significant societal costs.

Of course, food has to be affordable to the public, and that's the biggest challenge to the organics movement.  Even in good times, few can afford to feed a family on $8.00/lb organic chicken and $6.00/box of raisin bran.  Certainly, policies need to be changed, but mechanisms have to be developed that will lower the cost of production for successful organic farming practices to take hold in the country.

The organic producers I have met are devoted to their craft, perhaps to a fault.  The challenges are immense, but their devotion is admirable.