Times are so bad for organic farmers in the United Kingdom that the whole market for organic foods could collapse, according to research published today by the National Farmers Union. According to the data, one in three organic farms in Great Britain is losing money. If there is hope, it lies in the Organic Action Plan for England, a national effort to improve the market for organically grown goods that was also unveiled today. The 21-point plan includes substantial government financial assistance and a commitment from supermarkets to increase British farmers’ share of the organic market. The latter is a critical component because, although the demand for organic produce in the U.K. has grown dramatically in recent years, about 70 percent of such produce sold in supermarkets is imported (compared with just 30 percent for conventionally grown produce). That makes the U.K. more dependent on imported organics than any other European country.
