Organic values and animal production

Food crises in connection with conventional animal production have led to an increased demand for animal products of organic origin. This applies to pigs and poultry in particular. As a consequence we see a sharp rise in the production of organic pigs and poultry, mainly by new converters. The products are processed and traded by large companies and sold in supermarkets. Prices are kept as low as possible. In a densely populated country like the Netherlands this leads to large-scale intensive organic animal production systems. These developments raise the question whether this still is ‘organic’. Empirical research has shown that different views on ‘organic’ exist within the organic sector. For those who see organic as a market niche only, there is no problem as long as producers stick to legal rules. But many organic producers and consumers think that values related to ecological principles (working with closed cycles, regional production), animal welfare and fairness determine whether it is organic or not, and not the legal rules. These values have recently been formalised by IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) into four ethical principles: the principle of health, ecology, fairness and care. The intensification of organic animal production does clash with at least some of these principles. This raises the question whether the European Regulation should be adapted or not. It could be done at the level of rules (land-based production instead of input-production) or by incorporating ethical principles and ethical procedures within European Regulation.