Origins of the Organic Agriculture Debate

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Summary: A Thought Provoking Book - A review by John Purcell, Ph.D.
Review: Thomas DeGregori has written a thought-provoking book that explores the historical foundations of the fundamental views toward science that some advocates of organic agriculture harbor. In his book, "Origins of the Organic Agriculture Debate" (Iowa State Press, 2004), DeGregori asserts that 'vitalism', the eighteenth century belief in the mystical nature of life that "set it off from the non-living world" is at the core of the organic movement. A fundamental tenet of such beliefs is that these vital elements cannot be explained by science. DeGregori lays out how scientific advances in chemistry and biology have demonstrated that vitalism was just a form of mysticism that should hold no place in serious scientific circles. He maintains that still today, anti-science and anti-technology sentiments fuel the organic movement's disdain for modern agricultural methodologies.

The author uses organic agriculture's view on fertilizers as one example of vitalism's link to current organic practices. DeGregori points out that the use of organic fertilizers are a necessary component in organic agriculture as only these molecules can deliver the 'life force' necessary to promote growth. Because of this belief, nitrogen based fertilizers are not allowed in organic agriculture. Obviously this runs counter to decades of practical experience that have clearly demonstrated that nitrogen based fertilizers are an extremely valuable tool for agricultural productivity that help address the massive food demands of a growing population. This is just one example cited by the author of how organic agriculture eschews modern, efficient agricultural practices for purely ideological reasons.

DeGregori asserts that the rejection of modern science and technology lies at the heart of the organic movement's rejection of biotechnology as a tool for agriculture. His belief is that anti-modernists blame science and technology for many current environmental and social ills and see biotechnology as just the latest technology waiting to unleash its horror on the planet. The author stresses the irony of such a position when it is science and technology that have provided the advances necessary to keep a population of "six billion who are living longer, are better fed and are in better health than ever before". He clearly rejects the "romanticizing" of the past and lays out cogent arguments on how an unhealthy level of reverence for the past is problematic when it impacts social policy decisions.

Thomas DeGregori has used an examination of the origins of the organic agriculture movement as a gateway into a discussion on the merits of using modern technology versus a retreat into the methods of the past. He lands squarely on the side of technological progress, arguing "modern science and technology gives us the opportunity, as never before, to create a better world for all".