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Here’s another one from Pooja Mottl, our newest guest blogger, who was lucky enough to get over to Europe a few weeks ago. Enjoy!

During a recent visit to Europe, my taste buds couldn’t help but take note of some fantastic organic produce and meats while my eyes couldn’t believe how many listings of “free-range” and “organic” I saw on menus, particularly at the reasonably priced Parisian bistros. So what can we learn from the prevalence of organic and sustainable food choices of our Old World compatriots?

One glaring statistic is that more than three times as many hectares of agricultural area are devoted to organic farming in Europe in comparison to the U.S. and this land is managed by approximately 190,000 farms while only 12,000 farms are responsible for organic agriculture in America. In 2005, Europe accounted for the highest percentage share of the organic market in the world valued at nearly $13-14 billion.

What gives Europeans a big boost in the organic movement may lie in something called the European Action Plan on Organic Food and Farming, which was instated in 2004 by the European Commission. This government-backed plan not only provides for rules of engagement over the organic trade and improvement in production standards, but more impressively, it also funds a EU-wide promotional campaign to inform consumers, schools and other public organizations of the bountiful benefits of organics.

On top of that, European policy has also called for a budget valued between $60 and 70 million each year to be set aside for research on the organic foods sector.

America’s counterpart to the Action Plan is what the USDA coins the National Organic Program (NOP). It was instated in 2002 and regulates the standards for selling organically produced agricultural products. It requires that all farmers or food processors that wish to use the label “organic” on their products must be certified via a detailed array of rules and guidelines. According to the USDA, “efforts to boost organic production have focused primarily on developing national certification standards to assure consumers of consistent product quality and on streamlining interstate commerce in organically grown products”.

So although standards are clear, the NOP does not specifically state a budget of funds used to promote the organic label in public media and federally funded research on organic production methods is minimal. USDA agencies have, however, started pilot projects to help various farmers with production and marketing obstacles. According to The World of Organic Agriculture’s 2007 report, in the U.S. there is “little or no government support for being organic”. Less than 1% of America’s total agriculture area is designated for organics.

In spite of all that, the value of the organic market in the U.S. came in a close second to Europe in 2005 at €11.5 billion and our growth rate for these products continues to soar. In the U.S., organic products are all the rage and according to industry professionals, the market is at a new tipping point with regards to overall consumer acceptance and mainstream interest. It is projected that organics will experience double-digit growth in America in the foreseeable future.

By taking a look at how our European counterparts are faring in their support of organic agriculture, we can round up even more enthusiasm for the future growth and dynamism of the global organic food industry and we can state with confidence that this sector of the market is here to stay. By focusing more on informing the masses via campaigns and publicity, and supporting private and public research, in line with the EU’s Action Plan, America’s organic market could be poised to reach incredible heights. At some point, in the not-so-distant future, it may be possible to read the words “organic” and “sustainable” on even the most basic menus of our neighborhood haunts. Now that’s something to look forward to!