Abstract
The connection between globalization and organic food is well debated. Some may see the emergence of organic food as a vocal opponent of globalization. Others see globalization as its main cause of change from an anti-industrial social movement to a conventional global agro-industry in itself. But is globalization separate from the realm of organic food or are globalization and organic food interrelated? This article testifies to the centrality of globalization within the organic marketplace. From the beginning of the national-Zionist project, conventional agriculture was a main symbol of localism and national independence. The founders of Israeli organic agriculture, which began in the early 1980s, operated in symbolic manifestation against conventional agriculture, but realistically strengthening it and, without proclaiming any alternative. Capitalistic-global trends (post-Zionism) catalyzed opening Israeli economy to the world. Thus, all organic agricultural produce was directed to export through the largest conventional agricultural produce exporter– Agrexco. Two decades later, an increased demand for organic food emerged. This trend is influenced by a global-cultural discourse dealing with life-style, health and environmental care. Thus, the Israeli organic marketplace has been shaped in two opposing ways: The first can be termed as commodification of organic food, expressed by extensive export of organic produce, and the appearance of upscale “organic” supermarkets. The second includes adoption of anti-global practices – which are global themselves – such as the appearance of community-supported agriculture.
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Notes
- 1.
Taken from: (Maroz 2010 [in Hebrew]).
- 2.
In the United States, the major retail chain stores specializing in marketing organic food are Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats. Alongside them, the conventional retail chains market over a third of the organic food sold in the United States (Raynolds 2004). It should be noted that in most retail chains in the West, organic food products are sold at a higher price, in the range of 20–40 %, than comparable products that are non-organic (FAO/ITC/CTA 2001).
- 3.
In accordance with Engel’s law (named after the statistician Ernst Engel), as income rises, the proportion of income spent on food falls, even if actual expenditure on food rises (Zimmerman 1932).
- 4.
Typical to religious Zionists, Levi holds an ideology that combines Zionism and Jewish religious faith. Typically as well, he strongly supports Zionist efforts to build a Jewish state in the land of Israel.
- 5.
Organic food products in Israel are 20–25 % more expensive than parallel products that are not organic (according to a survey conducted by Panels Institute for The Marker, published on 8 July 2010). See http://shivuk.themarker.com/news/index.dot?id=49889 [in Hebrew].
- 6.
Tnuva was controlled by the global venture capital firm “Apax Partners”, and since May 2014 – is controlled by the multinational company “Bright food Group”.
- 7.
Post- Fordism is the dominant system of current capitalist mode of production, identified by flexible production (Lash and Urry 1987).
- 8.
Taken from Sikoller (2009 [in Hebrew]).
- 9.
Taken from (Zvi 2010 [in Hebrew]).
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Acknowledgements
The author wishes to thank Uri Ram for his valuable comments and support. Special thanks to Yehudit Shoham. This article greatly benefited from her insights and assistance.
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Grosglik, R. (2015). Post-national Organic: Globalization and the Field of Organic Food in Israel. In: Freyer, B., Bingen, J. (eds) Re-Thinking Organic Food and Farming in a Changing World. The International Library of Environmental, Agricultural and Food Ethics, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9190-8_8
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