Post-national Organic: Globalization and the Field of Organic Food in Israel

The connection between globalization and organic food is well debated. Some may see the emergence of organic food as a vocal opponent of globalization. Others see globalization as its main cause of change from an anti-industrial social movement to a conventional global agro-industry in itself. But is globalization separate from the realm of organic food or are globalization and organic food interrelated? This article testifies to the centrality of globalization within the organic marketplace. From the beginning of the national-Zionist project, conventional agriculture was a main symbol of localism and national independence. The founders of Israeli organic agriculture, which began in the early 1980s, operated in symbolic manifestation against conventional agriculture, but realistically strengthening it and, without proclaiming any alternative. Capitalistic-global trends (post-Zionism) catalyzed opening Israeli economy to the world. Thus, all organic agricultural produce was directed to export through the largest conventional agricultural produce exporter– Agrexco. Two decades later, an increased demand for organic food emerged. This trend is influenced by a global-cultural discourse dealing with life-style, health and environmental care. Thus, the Israeli organic marketplace has been shaped in two opposing ways: The first can be termed as commodification of organic food, expressed by extensive export of organic produce, and the appearance of upscale “organic” supermarkets. The second includes adoption of anti-global practices – which are global themselves – such as the appearance of community-supported agriculture.