The organic movement broadly refers to the organizations and individuals involved worldwide in the promotion of organic food and other organic products. It started during the first half of the 20th century, when modern large-scale agricultural practices began to appear.
Definition An organic product can broadly be described as not containing toxic chemicals (including synthetic pesticides, arsenic-containing herbicides, fertilization biosolids, chemical food additives, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, and industrial solvents). In addition to the absence of artificial chemicals, "organic" means not genetically engineered, and having not used ionizing irradiation, which can cause free-radicals and the removal of vitamins. For example, USDA organic restricts against such things, including genetic engineering in products or in the products' animal feed, and automatically disallows the use of GMO products as being labelled as Organic and allows the use of "Non-GMO" labelling similar to The Non-GMO Project. In the United Kingdom, the term used with food is natural food.
History
Origins The organic movement began in the early 20th century as a response to synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides emerging in industrial agriculture. Early advocates included Albert Howard, Robert McCarrison, Viscount Lymington, Edgar J. Saxon, and Frank Newman Turner, who emphasized soil health and ecological farming. In 1940, Lord Northbourne coined the term organic farming in his book Look to the Land, describing the “farm as organism” concept that contrasted “chemical farming versus organic farming.” Parallel reform currents developed internationally. Rudolf Steiner’s 1924 lectures at Koberwitz (now Kobierzyce, Poland) gave rise to biodynamic agriculture, which became one of the earliest systematic approaches to organic farming. In Britain, Lady Eve Balfour’s Haughley Experiment (1939) provided the first side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional farming. Her 1943 book The Living Soil helped found the Soil Association (1946). In India, Sir Albert Howard’s An Agricultural Testament (1940) and The Soil and Health (1947) were widely influential, adopting and popularizing the “organic” terminology. In the United States, J. I. Rodale popularized organic methods from the 1940s through his magazine Organic Farming and Gardening (1942) and publishing house Rodale Press. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962) further galvanized public concern about agrichemicals, linking the organic movement to the broader environmental movement.
Natural and Organic Foods Movement (1940s–1970s) By the 1940s, “health food” stores had begun to appear in North America, often influenced by vegetarian, naturopathic, and Seventh-day Adventist traditions. Publications such as Organic Farming and Gardening, Natural Food and Farming (1954), and later East West Journal (1971) provided forums for advocacy. In 1966, Aveline and Michio Kushi founded Erewhon, a Boston macrobiotic store that became the first major U.S. distributor of imported natural and organic foods. It helped introduce products such as brown rice, miso, and sea vegetables to American consumers. Other distributors soon followed, including Eden Foods (Michigan), Janus (Seattle), Westbrae (California), and Lifestream (Vancouver, Canada). These networks supported the expansion of natural foods co-ops and independent retailers during the 1970s. The late 1960s and 1970s also saw the rise of countercultural “back-to-the-land” movements and co-operative groceries. Publications such as Diet for a Small Planet (1971) by Frances Moore Lappé popularized plant-based and organic eating among a broader readership. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) was founded in Versailles in 1972, linking disparate national organizations including Demeter International (Germany), the Soil Association (UK), and Rodale (U.S.).
Commercial Expansion (1980s–2000s) By the 1980s, natural foods distributors had become a significant industry. Meetings of wholesalers and co-ops created standards and distribution networks that fueled rapid growth. United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), founded in 1976 as Mountain People's Warehouse, became the largest natural foods distributor in North America. Retail chains emerged as dominant players. Whole Foods Market, founded in Austin, Texas in 1980, grew through acquisitions of regional co-ops and stores such as Bread & Circus, Mrs. Gooch's, and Wild Oats Markets. By the 1990s it had become the largest dedicated organic supermarket chain in the United States. Similar chains expanded internationally, including Fresh & Wild in the UK and Bio Company in Germany. During this period, government regulation developed. The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 led to the National Organic Program (certification standards implemented in 2002). The European Union likewise integrated organic production into its agricultural policy and subsidy framework.
Global Market and Certification (2000s–present) From the 2000s onward, the organic movement has grown into a global market encompassing not only food but also textiles, body care, and household goods. Certification programs expanded worldwide, with IFOAM and national agencies standardizing production and labeling. By the early 21st century, the organic sector was no longer limited to co-ops and health food stores but had penetrated mainstream supermarkets. Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's, along with conventional grocers carrying private-label organics, made certified organic products widely available. Environmental awareness, concerns over pesticides, and interest in local food systems continue to drive growth. Activists and scholars within the organic movement now focus not only on certification but also on broader sustainability issues, including food miles, Fair trade, and Regenerative agriculture.
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
