A well-researched article by “Consumer Man” Herb Weisbaum on the MSNBC Web site reports that many shoppers whose budgets are being shredded by higher fuel and food prices are saving money by buying fewer organically grown foods than they did before. From the article:

Before the economy went bad, organics were the wonder child of the food industry. There was double-digit growth and everybody was excited about it,” says Bob Vosburg, an editor at Supermarket News. “Now manufacturers realize that organics are potentially on the outs as this economy gets worse and people are starting to become really wallet-conscious.”

This is worrisome news for organic growers and by extension for the sustainable movement. Though the two aren’t synonymous, the premium that people have been willing to pay for organic food has helped support higher prices charged at farm markets and through CSAs, whether the food is certified organic or not.

Upscale consumers may continue to pay a premium, but there are already concerns that farm markets and CSAs are pricing themselves beyond the reach of many urban consumers. My sister shopped at an urban farmers’ market the other day, one that supposedly caters to the low-income residents who live nearby. “There was nothing there you could buy for $2, even greens or onions,” she said. “The shoppers were almost all upscale people from downtown offices, not locals.”

If people feel forced to shop more for price than for freshness and quality, will this threaten the growth of localvore movement?