by Ian Parker published in The New Yorker
Read original on The New Yorker's website
Parker investigates the criminal activities of Ran...Show description
Posted 1117 days ago
Oh boy, I don't even know where to begin. Parker's reporting is phenomenal, and it's absolutely amazing I had never heard about this, or even remotely related to falsifying organic certifications.
When I go to buy produce or meat, I typically look at what is the most local. I would rather choose something from the area or county I live in over something organic from across the country. But, I value the idea of organic, and when presented with two non-local products, I will more commonly opt for the organic one.
This article really made me think about the meaning of purchasing organic products in the store. I think we are still safe to assume the majority are good-hearted believers in organic products, but the fact that Constant sold nearly 10% of all organic corn is frightening.
In 2016, when the entire organic-corn output of Missouri and Nebraska was about 2.4 million bushels, Constant sold 1.8 million bushels of supposedly organic corn. His corn output that year represented about seven per cent of the national organic crop. His soybean sales represented eight per cent.
Could it not be that there are many others, just with significantly less greed than Constant, who are performing similar practices? Being that there is no way to test a product for being organic, what better system can we put in place to ensure this?