Wal-Mart, America's largest grocery retailer, has decided to offer more organic food in an attempt to appeal to urban and upscale consumers. Because of Wal-Mart's marketing clout, this move is expected to change the very nature of organic food production.
Some argue that the end result will be more organically farmed land and more available quantities of organic food. But others contend that the move will lower standards and reduce the environmental benefits of organic farming. Many also predict that Wal-Mart's demand for low prices will lead them to outsource their organic food sources overseas to countries such as China, where the standards for organic farming are dubious at best.
Wal-Mart could become America's biggest source of organic foods; it is already the single biggest seller of organic milk.