Let's scrap the term organic, says Monty

THE new president of the Soil Association has called for the term "organic" to be scrapped on food labelling.

Monty Don, the former BBC Gardener's World presenter who has just become chief of the food certifying body, said that the word may be off-putting to many buyers.

Mr Don said: "It's an albatross. Organic is loaded with a sense of rightness, with a set of rules. I would much rather someone bought food that was local and sustainable but not organic, than bought organic food that had to be shipped across the world."

He would like to replace it with the term "sustainable" to express a similar idea. In an interview with The Guardian on Saturday, he said he aims to tackle the perception that the Soil Association is "for wealthy, middle-class people indulging in their penchant for peasant food".

Mr Don will take up his post this week at the association's annual food awards. Due to a minor stroke this February, he put off taking up the role to spend the summer recovering at home.

He intends to use his new position to shake up the association and become a high-profile campaigner. He will start by encouraging Britain's 11 million gardeners to grow as much of their own food as they can.