Study Says Media Misrepresents Organic

A new study published in the British Food Journal finds U.S. media coverage of organic agriculture and organic food are more likely to be positive than negative and inaccurately claim organic food is safer.

Researchers from Kansas State University explored how topics of organic food and agriculture were discussed in five North American newspapers. Using the content analysis technique, the 618 articles collected were analyzed for topic, tone and theme regarding food safety, environmental concerns and human health. The prominent topics of the articles were genetic engineering, pesticides and organic farming.

The researchers found 41.4 percent of the articles had a neutral tone toward organic agriculture and food; 36.9 percent had a positive tone; 15.5 percent were mixed; and 6.1 percent were negative.

"We concluded that articles about organic production in the selected time period were seldom negative," said lead author Doug Powell. "Organic agriculture was often portrayed in the media as an alternative to allegedly unsafe and environmentally damaging modern agriculture practices. That means organic was being defined by what it isn't, rather than what it is."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has repeatedly stated that the organic standard is a verification of production methods and not a food-safety claim, Powell said.

"Food safety was the least important in the media discussion of organic agriculture," he said. "The finding that 50 percent of food safety-themed statements in news articles were positive with respect to organic agriculture, while 81 percent of health-themed statements and 90 percent of environment-themed statements were positive toward organic food, indicates an uncritical press."

Sources:

* Kansas State University: STUDY FINDS MEDIA MAY BE OVERHYPING BENEFITS OF ORGANIC FOOD, AGRICULTURE