Remarkable!
Its no secret that organic foods cost more than their non-organic counterparts, but apparently consumers are willing to pay more for the perceived benefits of these foods
Are you?
If you are considering buying organic, here are a few things you should know. First, check and make sure the food label contains the Certified Organic Seal*.
This seal is your guarantee that the food in question has been grown according to the standards set by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for organic foods and that the grower has passed the scrutiny of a USDA-accredited inspector. This ensures that no synthetic herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers, nor genetically-modified seeds or irradiation treatment was used. Detailed records of the growing practices must also be kept and available anytime for an unannounced review.
There are several USDA - Certified Organic Food Categories; not all foods bearing the Seal are 100% organic. For example, if a product label statement reads "100% Organic", then you can be assured that it is.
However if the label reads simply "Organic", it means the product is only 95 - 99% organic. Likewise, any food that is less than 95% organic cannot by law display the Certified Seal. What appears on the label instead for foods which are only 74 - 94% organic is "Made with Organic Ingredients". Foods which contain even lesser amounts of organic ingredients are permitted to display the organic ingredients on the information panel only.
Notice that none of this addresses the food's nutritional content. Many consumers erroneously believe that by purchasing organic they are getting foods higher in nutrients than the conventionally-grown counterparts. Not necessarily so. Studies designed to address this have yielded conflicting results; some studies show a higher antioxidant content of organic fruits and vegetables, others not. Larger, well designed studies are needed in order to find a definitive answer on this one.
The Organic Seal implies nothing about where the food is grown, either. It is commonly believed that organics are grown in the same locale as where they are sold, but again this is not necessarily so. Organic foods only differ from their traditionally-grown counterparts in the way they are grown, handled and processed.
So why buy organic then?
Its better for the environment. Organically-grown foods conserve, rather than deplete, natural resources.
Are you willing to pay more for organic foods? If so, make sure and read labels carefully so that know exactly what you are buying.
* see http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/Consumers/Seal.html to view images of the Certified Organic Seal