Organic Farming in Austria:

Idealism vs. market realism in the
organic farming movement
Authors:
Christian R. Vogl
Rainer Haas
Susanne Kummer Contact:
Institute for Organic Farming
University of Applied Life Sciences, (BOKU) Vienna, Austria
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Corresponding author:



of the impact, problems and ideas of the organic farmers themselves.

Too much emphasis, Hans felt, was being placed now on economic issues and information for
consumers. In the past, discussion had focused more on values, on ideas that expressed how
the advocates of the organic movement were at the same time proponents for an alternative
way of production and living. But this period seemed long ago. Bio Austria – this new organic
association – clearly was striving to become the ‘locomotive of ecological agriculture’ and to
start a new period of organic farming in the country. Hans acknowledged his yearnings for
earlier times when each of the eleven organic farmers associations, who both competed and
worked together, could be heard and distinguished. Now they all were expected to melt
together to “Bio Austria”. Those critical voices that warn sooner or later the identity of these
small associations is going to be assimilated and blurred seem to be right, Hans lamented. 2
When Hans Mader changed to organic farming back in 1980 he had been called a ‘Bio-freak’
– a man focused on developing alternatives for the future of agriculture. His main reason for
converting had been the unpleasant feelings that were aroused in him when he used chemical
fertilizers, pesticides and huge machines on his farmland. At that time he had noticed that the
fertility and vividness of the soil diminished more and more. When he had recognized these
changes it became essential to re-establish natural cycling systems on his farm and to feel the
basic but subtle connections in life and nature again. So he made his decision. From now on
he would never return to any kind of intensive or industrial agriculture. This decision had
been firm and comprehensive, the result of intellectual as well as emotional considerations.

Hans had not been the only one. In his region he had found a group of people with the same
attitude. Together they had founded a small, local organic farmers association. During many
years a lot of ideas had been born and discussed. Some of them had taken shape and had been
put into practice. One of the most important projects had been the implementation of a local
marketing network, consisting of farmyard shops (Hofläden), green shops and farmers
When Hans had attempted to talk about his apprehensions in meetings, his colleagues were
increasingly critical of him. They pointed out that things had changed a lot. It was necessary

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to adapt to the needs of market and to be more consumer oriented. Nowadays people were not
interested in moral preaching. It took some effort for the organic movement to leave behind
the ascetic image of the “muesli freak”. The consumption of organic products increasingly
was being associated with enjoyment and convenience. Hans didn’t oppose enjoyment; his
generous body measurements were an obvious sign for this fact. For him though, this
argumentation was not valid. He was even more able to enjoy his meal, when he knew that
there was more behind the food on his plate than romantic pictures. In the organic farmers
association, Hans was said to be old fashioned, a diehard. His colleagues couldn’t understand
that he was much more interested in the crop rotation of his fields than in a homepage for his
farm.

Hans heard the door of the pub open again. When he turned around he saw that Michael was
just leaving the meeting. Michael Maier was quite new in the association. He had converted to
organic farming only three years ago. He was one of the innovative ones, a good
businessman. Hans didn’t believe that Michael had a lot of practical agricultural know-how.
For sure he was convinced that Michael followed the legislative regulations for organic
farming. He liked Michael, but it seemed that his own reality and Michael’s were far apart. Michael Maier
When Michael arrived at the organic farmers’ meeting his thoughts were still revolving
around the telephone conversation he had had some hours ago. He had called a sales manager
of a supermarket chain this afternoon, to speak about his supply contract. Michael still
remembered his euphoric feelings when they had signed his contract only two month ago. A

nerve-racking and his comments seemed to repeat themselves all the time. But Michael knew
that Hans was right in important respects. That was the reason in fact, why it was so hard to
discuss with him. It was unrealistic for Hans to try to hide from the needs of the present
though. The best ideals for organic products have no worth, if you cannot sell them.
Nowadays, who had the time to do shopping in four different shops or on five distinct farms
to buy local, sustainably produced food that had its own, individual identity? And who was
actually interested in this?

Consumers suffered from information overload and time pressure. Obviously they were
looking for convenient and time saving ways of shopping, one-stop shopping with the car was
becoming more and more the successful concept. In a supermarket you could buy everything
you needed within a short time. Right there, organic products should be offered.

In Michael’s opinion, the recent development – to offer organic products on shelves of big
retail chains – was not negative. To the contrary, the more consumers bought these products,
the better it was. Organic products have become especially well known to the consumers,
because they are now also sold in supermarkets. Today the consumers know organic farming,
and are were positive about it. This familiarity enables an extension of the market: In recent
years, organic food increasingly was being offered in restaurants and large kitchens/canteens.
The use of organic products was even embodied in resolutions of the different federal
governments of Austria. Depending on the specific resolution, organic food had already
reached a share of twenty to fifty percent in the kitchens of public institutions like schools,
hospitals, homes and barracks.

The more farmers converted to organic farming, the better it was for the whole country.
Because of this, a voluntary “ecologisation” (Ökologisierung) of agriculture could be reached.
In addition, the organic movement became more diverse and colourful with every new
protagonist. Hans argued the converse. He didn’t see a movement from conventional farming
towards the ecological farming system, but rather a ‘conventionalisation’ of the organic
movement. This pragmatic view of organic farming is evident in the fact that the Annex II of

presentation of a national action plan for organic farming in the Austrian parliament. He was
really curious what this plan would look like. Some intense discussions with Hans Mader
were already predictable.

2. Background
2.1. What is Organic Farming?
Organic farming is an approach to producing food and fibers that is intended to overcome the
negative impacts of the Green Revolution on soil, air, water, produce, landscape, and humans
worldwide. Organic farming methods are continuously being developed by farmers, scientists
and concerned people all over the world. A central element of the organic farming approach is
the efficient use of on-farm and local resources such as farmyard manure, indirect crop
protection and local seed. Organic farming pursues a course of promoting the powers of self-
regulation and resistance which plants and animals possess naturally. Organic management
relies on developing biological diversity in the field to disrupt habitat for pest organisms, and
the purposeful maintenance and replenishment of soil fertility. Organic farmers are not
allowed to use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers
. (Organic Farming Research Foundation,
2005). Organic agriculture is not just for more affluent countries but is applied in every
climatic region. In poorer countries especially, it can contribute to purposeful socio-economic
and ecologically sustainable development (Kilcher 2002, Mc Neely and Scherr 2002, Willer
and Yussefi, 2004).

In recent years public discussion on the use of antibiotics in animal foodstuffs, on Mad Cow
Disease (BSE), and on Foot and Mouth Disease has focused the interest of the civil society
and of European governments on the capacity of organic farming. It is being discussed as one
possible solution for a wide array of problems in agriculture (e.g. Watson and Redman 1999,
Mc Neely and Scherr 2002). Organic farming therefore has become an issue of public
concern, but it has also become a big business. This business is being supported by legislation
and governmental standards on organic farming which include rules for processing, trading,
monitoring, and certifying agricultural produce (e.g. European Council Regulation on Organic

capita shows again that Asia is further behind the US and Europe in consumption of organic

7
products. .
Per Capita Organic Sales US $
117
73
49
47
45
40
32
31 30
28
26
23
13
4
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
S
witzerl
a
nd

e
l
a
nd
J
a
pa
n
US $ per year2.3. Philosophy and legal background
Organic agriculture is based upon traditional sustainable agriculture, farmers’ innovations and
the results of scientific research. Organic farming practices are embedded in local cultures and
their ethical values and beliefs. Therefore organic farming movements around the globe are
diverse and colorful. Most initiatives began in the absence of private standards and legal
norms. In many developing countries, traditional sustainable agriculture has been applied for
centuries and still today provides a pool of locally adapted solutions for agriculture.

Also in Europe, organic agriculture originated on the basis of local farmers’ knowledge and
experience. Farmers’ groups led by Rudolf Steiner and Hans Müller were important pioneers
of organic farming in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Until the 1970’s, organic farmers organized
themselves step by step in associations in many places throughout the world. They began
setting their own private standards, which were binding for the members of the organic
farmers’ associations and controlled directly by the standard-setting associations. Organic
agriculture until the beginning of the 1990’s was based completely on private standards that
documented trade practices. Organic farmers defined what organic agriculture was in a
democratic process. Private standards, e.g. the IFOAM-standards (International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements,
www.ifoam.org), were originally laid out on the basis of

and to regulate international trade and certification.

Council Regulation 2092/91:
• Protects producers from unfair competition,
• Protects consumers from pseudo-organic,
• Protects labels such as “organic“, and “biologic“,
• Sets rules for production, processing and trade,
• Sets rules for monitoring and certification,
• Sets rules for import.
BOX 1: CONTENT OF ORGANIC FARMING EUROPEAN COUNCIL REGULATION 2092/91

The discussion on the impact of globalization on standards and regulations in organic farming
is highly controversial. Willer and Yussefi (2001:33) believe, that of considerable importance
for further growth of the organic market “is the implementation of harmonized worldwide
standards for organic agriculture“. In opposition to this, Singh (Singh 2001:2) believes, that
“Globalisation, as it is currently practiced, will undermine organic farming by forcing
farmers, processors, and certifiers to submit completely to the inexorable forces of the so
called free markets; homogenization and the dictates of the market will erode both
biodiversity and the diversity of cultivation, which is so vital for organic produce; … The
essential variations dictated by local ecosystems and cultures, will be eliminated by the push
for uniformity”. Evidence and examples for both can be found easily.

2. 4 Organic farming in Austria
Based on the percentage of land area under organic management, Austria with 11,3% is
number two among the top ten worldwide (see below).

9Organic farming has a long history in Austria. Rudolf Steiner, the founder of the bio-dynamic

The first retail chain began about ten years ago to sell organic food. All organic products in
this retail chain are offered under one common brand name (“Ja natürlich”, which means “Yes
naturally”). Nowadays more than 600 products are sold in more than 13 commodity groups
(milk, milk products, meat, sausage, fruits …). The mentioned retail company sells in Austria,
which has 8 M. inhabitants, organic products worth 200 M. Euro. Seventy percent of this
value are bread and cone products, 20% yoghurt products and 10% organic milk products.

2.5. Perspectives for organics in Austria
The number of organic farms in Austria can be taken as an indicator of the fact that, after the
rapid expansion in the late 1990s, organic farming is currently facing a plateau phase. The
domestic market seems to be saturated in most product groups and additional production is
mainly exported. Because of this, new approaches and concepts must be found if organic
farming is to grow further.

As far as organic institutions are concerned, currently re-structuring is taking place. Indeed,
the organic farmers’ associations, which used to represent an ‘alternative’ and were at the
centre of a dynamic development, are now evolving into an established partner for both actors
in the market and in the agricultural policy. The various institutions involved with the organic
movement, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and the farmers’ cooperatives, are currently
striving for unification. The new organization ‘Bio Austria’ is now representing all Austrian
organic farmers and cooperatives.

3. Images of the Austrian agriculture Photos courtesy of BMLFUW, Austrian Ministry for Agriculture (www.lebensministerium.at)
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4. References

Altieri, M. 1990. Why study traditional agriculture. In: Agroecology - Biological Resource
Management. A series of primers on the conservation and exploitation of natural and
cultivated ecosystems (Caroll, C.R., Vandermeer, J.H. and Rosset, P., eds.) pp. 551-564,
McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, New York/USA.
Altieri, M. 2000. Enhancing the productivity and multifunctionality of traditional farming in
Latin America. Int. J. Sustain. Dev. World Ecol., 7, 1-12.
Inglis, J.T. 1993. Traditional ecological knowledge-concepts and cases. International
Program on Traditional Ecological Knowledge. International Development Research Center.
Canadian Museum of Nature; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Kilcher L. 2002. Production and Trade Constraints for Organic Products from Developing
Countries. In: Proceedings of the 14
th
IFOAM Organic World Congress, August 2002, pp. 23
Krautgartner, R. 2004. Organics in the United States. Presentation at BOKU, University of
Applied Life Sciences Vienna.
Mc Neely, J.A. and S.J. Scherr. 2003. Ecoagriculture - strategies to feed the world and save
wild biodiversity. Island Press; Washington, USA.
Organic Farming Research Foundation, 2005.
Pichón, F.J., J.E. Uquillas and J. Frechione. 1999. Traditional and modern natural resource
management in Latin America, University of Pittsburgh Press; Pittsburgh.
Scialabba, N. 2000. Factors influencing organic agriculture policies with a focus on
developing countries. Paper presented 29 of August at the IFOAM (International Federation
of Organic Agriculture Movements) Scientific Conference, Basel, Switzerland, 28 – 31
August 2000.
Singh, G. 2001. Challenges to Organic Farming in the 21
st
Century. Keynote speech at
Malaysian Organic Farming Seminar 2000 on 26

US National Organic Program
/>
Organic Center for Education and Promotion
/>
For further details about the US and international organic market
see also the presentation by
Roswitha Krautgarnter “Organics in the United States”, December 9, 2004, BOKU, Vienna
(US organics.pdf). (in the Global Seminar blackboard-webpage, Cluster 2)
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