The organic food industry is growing at 20% per year for several -- off a small base, to be sure, about 1% of the US market, but in the face of a soft economy, that ain't hay... so to speak. (Similar pattern of rapid growth on small base in the worldwide wind energy industry.)
Consumers seem more motivated by health concerns than environmental ones, but it's all cash in the bank for the large agribusiness companies moving strongly into the market. Which in turn poses a big challenge for long time sustainable ag diehards -- the thrill of victory or the agony of co-optation and dilution?
Related story, "Buying food local is better than global," (in print but not on web site): "Hang around some of the elite chefs and farmers on the cutting edge of Nrothern California and before long they're talking about 'food miles' and 'food sheds' -- that is the notion that food grown closest to where one lives is best."
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