Date of Award

2009

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Clark, Maribeth

Keywords

Organic Food, Agriculture, Language

Area of Concentration

Humanities

Abstract

The language of certified organic food lacks clarity. As the organic industry has blossomed, so has the myriad of available organic products, yet the term "organic" has remained the label to describe all of these items. Since these items are certified "organic" in accordance with regulated standards, it is assumed that all organic industry participants mean the same thing when using the term "organic." By examining the founding organic ideals and comparing these ideals to the manifestations of certified "organic" practices, this analysis suggests that not all organic foods are produced, processed and distributed equally. The term "organic" has environmental, social and political connotations, but industrial organic agribusiness has infiltrated the industry and drastically changed the food label�s meaning. The term "organic" does not suggest a sustainable, alternative type of agriculture anymore; now, it denotes a process. It is important that the public is aware of this definitional disparity in order to make educated food decisions and purchases.

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