Many supermarkets and natural food stores around the country proudly feature slightly higher priced products on their shelves bearing the label "organic." Shoppers often speculate whether or not these products are indeed better for the body and therefore worth the associated extra cost, or whether the organic label is just another marketing ploy.

According to Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade Association (OTA) based in Greenfield, Mass., organic foods are not only healthier for the body, they are better for society -- and actually cheaper in the long run.

What is Organic?
The term "organic" refers specifically to how something is grown or produced. Organic farmers refrain from using chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and their crops are minimally processed to maintain product integrity without using artificial ingredients, preservatives or irradiation. Organic meat and dairy products are derived from animals that are fed only organic grain, and are not given antibiotics, hormones or supplemental medications. The official certification system involves an extensive inspection process that includes detailed record keeping and periodic testing of soil and water quality to ensure that growers are meeting standards set by a governing body. Currently, any substance bearing the label "Certified Organic" is verified to be so by an independent government or private organization.

The federal government set out to create a national standard for organic food certification in 1990 with the Organic Food Production Act. Though the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) was established as a result, there is still no single industry-wide standard for organic production. Today, more than 6,000 farmers and 800 handlers are certified by one of 33 private or 11 state agencies, and more than 2.5 million American families regularly choose to buy organic products.

Is Organic Really Better?
"Organic foods are not only better for you, they are better for the environment, and they're actually not more expensive," says DiMatteo. "The shelf price of organic products may be a bit higher because farmers must deal with the same costs of conventional food production -- such as harvesting, transportation and storage -- but they also have to adhere to stricter handling and production standards. In the end, if you add up the indirect costs of conventional Agribusiness, like cleaning up sludge, replenishing depleted soils, and the expense of health care for workers exposed to toxic pesticides, organic foods are considerably cheaper."

While there is some disagreement over whether or not organic foods really taste better (Consumer Reports recently conducted a taste-test between conventionally grown carrots, apples and tomatoes, and organic ones purchased directly from a farmers' market; the panel failed to identify any significant differences in flavor), there is little argument that organic farming is friendlier to both livestock and the environment.

"Organic foods are certainly better for you, but organic farming has a lot more to do with sustainable agriculture," says Karen Armstrong-Cummings, managing director of the Commodity Growers Cooperative in Lexington, Ky. "Organic systems don't use toxic pesticides or fertilizers. Rather, they are based on the cultivation of biological diversity and replenishment of soil nutrients. The damage Agribusiness inflicts on the environment is abundant and compounds itself every year. Organic techniques are viable over the long term."

Just When You Thought It Was Safe
Of course, when weighing the options between purchasing conventional and organic foods, consumers generally assume that all the food they eat is safe, regardless of price. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), based in Washington DC, released a study called Forbidden Fruit in which samples from the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) own records were analyzed. Not only were there major discrepancies in the FDA's reported contamination figures, but nearly half of the registered contaminates were illegal pesticides that have been banned due to their carcinogenic/toxic properties.

According to the report, the 10 most contaminated non-organic foods (in order) were: strawberries, red/green bell peppers, spinach, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe, celery, apples, blackberries and green peas.

According to the EWG, "A person eating the USDA's recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day will consume illegal pesticides at least 75 times per year. By contrast, the average consumer must eat 100 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables in order to eat from a shipment tested for pesticides by the FDA. Which means that the average American is 15 times more likely to eat an illegal pesticide than to eat from a shipment tested by the FDA."

If that's not enough to give you pause before picking up a bag of produce at your local market, consider that there are also 40 types of genetically engineered (GE) crops approved for marketing in the U.S. Because many of these crops are essential grain and soy products, more than 60 percent of the food on your local grocery store shelves now contain genetically altered elements that require no labeling.

For the past four years, the National Organic Program, in conjunction with the USDA and the NOSB, has been working to create a single national standard for organic foods. Not surprisingly, the issue has been extensively debated by all parties. The USDA's original 600-page draft was considerably revised in response to a highly successful grassroots campaign to maintain strict certification standards and exclude the use of GE and irradiated products in foods bearing the organic label. The USDA will present the final version by the end of the year. Implementation will begin in the early part of 2001.

Shoppers who do not have access to organic foods, or can't afford the slightly higher price, may wonder what alternatives they have. Though washing and peeling are not enough to completely eliminate pesticide residue or compensate for GE altered foods, there are measures that concerned shoppers can take.

"If price is the issue, shoppers should spend the energy to look around," says DiMatteo. "Natural food cooperatives often have very competitive pricing on organic products, especially for members, and careful shoppers can often find stores where organic prices are competitive with non-organics. Families may also choose to buy organic products for the foods they consume most, like milk or bread -- which, even though it's only one product, contributes considerably to the organic economy -- or purchase organic foods that are, according to EWG's Forbidden Fruit study, most likely to be contaminated [e.g. spinach, strawberries, apples etc.]. If availability is the issue, speak to the manager where you shop. Often, supermarkets will acquire organic foods at the customer's request."

DiMatteo also suggests that, after the USDA's national standards are implemented, organic products will receive a new level of credibility and become more attractive to farmers and markets, thereby driving down prices as more people choose to buy organic.