ABSTRACT
Organic consumption in North America has grown at a rate of 20" per year for over ten years and was valued at $10.4 billion in 2003. Our research into the Toronto organic industry points out that some of this growth is linked to producer and consumer fears about the risks involved in eating from the industrial food system. The vertically integrated nature of their organization enables them to control product quality and consistency from seed selection through to processing and packaging. The military's interest in organics is a fascinating one, as it demonstrates how eating organic in an age of insecurity is part of a new state regime that emphasises eating organic as part of a broader state social and military policy. The military's current concern with the health of the population reflects a deep historical interest in the role of diet as it relates to military preparedness.
