This dovetails nicely with growing sentiment against genetically modified foods. Germany, which has one of the most heavily mechanized agricultural sectors in the world, now has a green agriculture minister. The European Commission's agriculture commissioner is also organic friendly. Now, fear about food safety has boosted demand for alternate products. But going green has problems.
Crop yields are considerably lower and the entire process is far more labor intensive.
It is difficult for mechanized farms to make the switch, since for a field to be certified organic it must be free of artificial fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and genetically modified seeds for a period of twp-five years, depending upon the certifying authority. During the transition period, harvests are lower but cannot be sold as organic, making profits negligible. That's why less than 3 percent of Europe's food currently comes from organic sources, despite growing demand. The Union is in the process of absorbing 12 states whose agricultural sectors are dominated by small, manpower-heavy farms that use relatively small amounts of chemical additives or machinery. Conventional wisdom maintains these farms are inefficient and a barrier to EU membership.