Don't preach it, sell it' MPs urge The all party Commons agriculture committee has urged the organics industry to "move away from messianics to marketing". In a strongly worded report published as this issue went to press, the MPs said: "Organic farming is now a mature sector. Some of its apostles still proselytise with an almost religious fervour and, occasionally, a sectarian spirit. This helps nobody. The past perhaps belonged to messianics; the future belongs to marketing." The committee said the industry must develop its marketing effectively, so that its products appeal "not to sentiment but to proven benefits". The MPs praised organic producers for revitalising the sector at a time of grave recession in the agricultural industry, but they question the extent to which the government should offer support. They add: "We believe that there is a strong case for caution. There are also fears that the growth in organic demand is leading to a loss of control by the industry over its traditional values and principles, as larger and more commercially orientated farmers and the supermarkets become dominant in the market." The MPs say these difficulties can be resolved by the sector acknowledging the fears and by working towards better supplier relationships and stronger producer-controlled co-operatives. They also had reservations about the claims made for organics and believed more work should be done to establish their scientific credibility. And they called for research into technical issues which could lead to advances by organic farmers and growers. The MPs added: "It is vital that consumers get what they believe they are paying for." Despite their criticisms of the sector, Soil Association director, Patrick Holden welcomed the MPs' report, saying the government was at last "catching up" on organics. He said: "Until now the government has played a passive role towards organic farming. Governments in other EU countries have pledged to make organic farming a strategic priority and we should do the same." {{NEWS }}