Food system orientation and quality perception among consumers and producers of organic food in Hedmark County, Norway

To explore the potentials of organic agriculture, it is important to know how consumers, as well as producers, relate to food quality and food system issues. A consumer survey from the Hamar region in Southern Norway provided information on a number of these issues, and a rapid food system appraisal and a seminar revealed concerns among organic farmers in the region. Multivariate analyses showed that traditional food quality aspects such as freshness and taste, called observation traits, were important to all consumers. In addition, those who purchased organic foods were more concerned about ethical, environmental, and health issues, called reflection traits'. Three consumer orientations in the food market were identified. Consumers with a practical orientation were less likely, and those with a local orientation in the food market were more likely, to buy organic food, while social considerations were equally important to all. The results indicate that many interests of organic farmers coincide with concerns among those who buy organic food, and that these are more complex than the formal rules for organic agriculture. This may provide a basis for identifying common goals and improving communication and cooperation between consumers and producers in order to further develop the organic food system. [Note that organic agriculture is called ecological agriculture in the Nordic Region.] (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.