www.frontiersinecology.org © The Ecological Society of America

Profitable organic farming enterprises are emergingaround the world in response to burgeoning consumer demand and concerns about human and environmental health (Maeder et al. 2002; Kristiansen 2006). Previously restricted to health food stores and farmers ’ markets, organic food is now a mainstream commodity. In 2000, US consumers purchased more organic food in supermar-kets than in any other venue (Dimitri and Greene 2002). The amount of land under organic management in many European Union countries has risen dramatically in the past decade, and is expected to increase further due to market opportunities and various government mandates and incentives (Stoltz 2005; Ryden 2007). Organic agri-culture is now considered a viable option in food security discussions (Badgley et al. 2006; Zanoli et al. 2007). Research support for these alternative farming operation