A farmer in northern Illinois grows high-quality tomatoes for upscale restaurants in Chicago. Another in southeastern Illinois markets a variety of produce to consumers in Evansville, Ind., on a subscription basis. A third in central Illinois sells soybeans at more than three times the normal market price for export to Japan. All three farms are certified organic.
Conventional agriculture is a tough business.
Organic agriculture, which involves giving up chemical defenses against pests and weeds and adopting other practices in their stead, is even tougher. A few states have certification programs, but in most, including Illinois, growers must apply to one of various private agencies for certification. In 1994 a USDA survey found that just one-third of one percent of U.S. cropland in production was certified organic. These questions have intrigued Leslie Duram , an assistant professor of geography, since she was a doctoral student. They're especially relevant now, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture soon to announce the first uniform certification standards.