Johannes Michelsen

Recent Development and Political Acceptance of Organic Farming in Europe

Organic farming has experienced a major break through in Europe during the 1990s. The suggestion here, is to see it as an implantation of post-modernist values into agriculture and as representing a break in the agriculture self-rule,which developed during the 20th century. This rather unusual situation needs an open theoretical framework. Such a framework is suggested. It focuses on institutionalization and combines institutional theory with social movement theory and theory of coalition making. The need for a non-deterministic view on organic farming development is further justified by referring to a comparative analysis of the development of organic farming in eighteen European countries. It emphasizes the need for a distinct organic farming identity and suggests that the growth in European organic farming is neither explained by political support nor by pure market forces. Rather organic farming growth is promoted through a continuous series of initiatives originating in different parts of society.

Organic Farming in a Regulatory Perspective. The Danish Case

Organic farming aims at developing self-regulating sustainable farming systems and seems to be an important example of environmental self-regulation with a strong basis in values. Political acknowledgement of organic farming included the introduction of public certification, but this may disturb self-regulation. This issue is discussed on the basis of Danish experiences, which include major increases in organic farming and domestic organic food markets. Originally public certification of organic products was introduced on the basis of close co-operation with the organic farming movement, but the introduction of eu certification gradually undermined co-operation, and the organic social movement has now lost control over production standards. Danish organic farmers seem on the other hand prepared to develop and use new methods of self-regulation. The farmers accord well with the fundamental values of organic farming, they do not violate the standards, and they are interested in active use of organic farming values in farm management.

A Europeanization deficit? The impact of EU organic agriculture regulations on new member states

Abstract Member states’ implementation of European Union regulations is often analysed in terms of ‘implementation deficit’ and ‘transposition delay’. New member states have to transpose the acquis communautaire in formal terms, while implementation deficit is expected regarding policy impact on issues of ecological modernization, especially in the former socialist states. A comparison of the implementation of two regulations on organic agriculture in six old member states and five new member states accessing in 2004 shows this proposition to be invalid. Policy impacts show similar levels and parallel variations in both the old and the new member states. Variation in policy impact is explained by the level of conflict in the food sector and by the level of institutional change. The impact of the EU in member states thus depends on domestic institutional processes rather than on member states’ ascribed position as more or less ecologically modernized.