Beginning as a small protest to the industrialization of agriculture in
the 1920s, organic farming has become a significant force in
agricultural policy, marketing, and research. No longer dismissed as
unscientific and counterproductive, organic techniques are now taken
seriously by farmers, consumers, scientists, food processors, marketers,
and regulatory agencies in much of the world. Organic farming is both
dynamic and forward-looking but is also rooted in tradition. It is these
traditions that can provide valuable starting points in debates over how
organic farming should meet new challenges such as globalization, the
emergence of new production techniques, and growing concern over equity
and social justice in agriculture. Complementing general discussions
with case histories of important organic institutions in various
countries, this comprehensive discussion is the first to explore the
development of organic agriculture.