A key dimension of the policy process involves choosing which standards are to be used to govern the production of organic food. Unfortunately, decision makers faced with these choices know very little about how the public values the various standards that could be used to define organic.

This study evaluates Canadian consumers' preferences for different organic standards. Standards pertaining to pesticide-residue testing, product origin specifications, the standard setting agency, and standard monitoring agency are evaluated using a conjoint method. Key results suggest that consumers place a high value on a pesticide standard that involves regular testing of the end product and that they prefer an organic food standard to include a rule that limits where the good is produced.

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Author Locations and Affiliations
Department of Food, Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada