Welcome to our collection of articles relating to organics, wellness, nutrion, toxic free living, alternative parenting and ethical business. Explore our main Miessence Organic Home Page here . Alternatively explore our Organic Health Blog here.

Organic Industry Enjoys Harvest

By: Karen Fernau
Burlington Free Press
October 24, 2006

The demand for organic foods -- from fruits, pizza, breakfast cereals and cookies to pasta, ketchup, sirloin steaks and baby food -- is growing stronger:

Sales of organic food have grown about 20 percent during the last five years, with this year's tally expected to top $15 billion, the Organic Trade Association reports.

More than one-fourth of Americans are eating more organic products than a year ago, according to a 2004 survey by Whole Foods Market. At the same time, more than half of Americans have tried organic products.

The food industry has responded at breakneck speed. Mainstream retailers led by Safeway, with more than 150 products under its line of organic foods, now carry respectable inventories of organic food.

Organic grocers have multiplied. Meantime, the biggest food manufacturers have bought up some of the best-known organic brands and started their own lines: Coca-Cola owns Odwalla. General Mills owns Muir Glen and Cascadian Farm. Smuckers bought Knudsen and Santa Cruz Organic.

Vermont has seen a 15 percent to 20 percent annual growth in organic farms, according to The Northeast Organic Farming Association.

Why the boom?

The most obvious consumer motivation is health. Most buy organic foods to protect their bodies from toxins and hormones. These consumers believe certified organic -- foods produced without toxic pesticides, sewage sludge, antibiotics, growth hormones and irradiation -- are better for their health than conventionally produced foods.

In 2003, the federal government made buying organic easier by instituting strict regulations on what can be labeled organic.

The U.S. government, however, allows conventional farmers to use up to 200 synthetic chemicals. The debate continues over whether these toxins are harmful. Organic advocates argue that toxins, hormones and chemicals in conventionally produced food are linked to allergies, cancer, headaches and asthma. Research, however, remains inconclusive.

The American Dietetic Association refutes any health claims, saying the amounts of toxins allowed by the federal government are far below toxic levels. The ADA recommends organic for pregnant women only.

"There might not be strong science yet behind eating organic, but I think we intuitively know that eating toxic chemicals over a period of time is dangerous," said Janet Little, a San Diego-based nutritionist for Henry's Farmers Market.

An increasing number of parents, however, are unwilling to wait for scientific evidence. Organic food for children, once available only in health food stores, quickly has become a top seller. Sales of organic baby food jumped nearly 18 percent last year, according to ACNielsen, a marketing information company.

Shoppers also turn to organic to help heal the Earth. The use of conventional pesticides can damage the Earth by leaching into the groundwater and local streams, advocates claim.

About five years ago, former corporate executive Jennifer Miranda decided to say no to food on drugs.

She converted to organic.

"My health was not the best," says Miranda, "I was not suffering from a terrible disease, but had weird allergies, broke into hives and was fatigued most the time. I felt it was time to eat clean -- no chemicals."

Miranda's hunch, and subsequent commitment to organic, paid off. Today, the owner of Mandala Tearoom, a vegan organic restaurant in Scottsdale , Ariz. , is free of nagging aches and illnesses.

"My story is not all that unusual today," she says. "Lots of people are like me, concerned enough about their health to go organic. When retailers like Wal-Mart sell organic foods, it's safe to say organic has gone from fringe to mainstream."

Buying smart Here are tips from the pros to help make buying organic affordable: Make the transition gradual. Take at least a year, becoming familiar with prices and products. Plan each week's meals around the most affordable produce, meat and grains. Meat and dairy products contain the highest concentration of pesticides, so if your grocery budget is tight, choose organic meat, cheese and milk over produce, grains, cereals and other foods. Scout farmers markets for organic growers and avoid paying the "middleman" by buying direct from the farmer. Eating produce out of season is expensive, but if you must have strawberries in winter, buy frozen. Frozen organic produce is now available in bulk at warehouse stores. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group studies pesticide residue on produce and recommends spending your shopping dollars on organic to replace conventionally grown produce with the highest amounts of chemicals. No pesticide levels exceed federal standards, but the highest offenders include strawberries, spinach, bell peppers, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe from Mexico , celery, apples, green beans and imported grapes. Despite regulations, labels can mislead

The label "natural" doesn't mean "all natural."

The label implies food as close to nature as possible.

But, according to government regulations, "natural" for meat, poultry and dairy means that the food does not contain ingredients, colors or preservatives considered artificial and not natural to the product. It has nothing to do with how the animal was raised or what it ate.

"Natural can give consumers a false sense of security, because most of the labels have no meaning, no regulation behind them," says Ronnie Cummins, director for the Minnesota-based Organic Consumer Association.

"Organic" is the only label certified by U.S. inspectors, and certified products must carry a United States Department of Agriculture organic seal.

Other common food labels -- "all natural," "cage free," "range free" -- are simply unregulated guidelines. That said, experts recommend consumers pay close attention to labels before buying.

Here are a few of the most confusing label categories:

Grass fed: This label implies that the animal was raised roaming fields and hills eating grass and hay, but grass fed does not necessarily mean pasture raised. They can be fed harvested grasses. For more information, see Eatwild.com, which lists about 800 grass-fed beef ranches.

Natural beef: This label means various things, depending on the producer. It can mean beef without food coloring or artificial additives. Or it can mean that cattle were raised without being fed antibiotics, hormones or animal proteins.

Free-range poultry or eggs: Birds raised for meat, mainly chickens and turkeys, can be sold as free range if they have access to the outdoors. No other criteria apply.

Cage-free eggs: These birds are not raised in traditional cages, but that does not mean the birds are raised outside or allowed to run free. They can be raised on the floor of a poultry house or barn, and not be allowed to roam in outdoor pens.

Farmed fish: Also called ocean raised, farm-raised fish are raised in pens in the ocean or freshwater ponds and fed antibiotics. Scientific studies report trace amounts of chemical contaminants in both farmed and wild fish.

Find Out About Our Organic Home Business Opportunity

Work from home Support Wellness & the Environment Spend as little as 5 hours / week Low start up costs Join a booming and ethical industry An education culture with no "hard sell" Support & tailored solutions from a successful and friendly team View our ORGANIC HOME BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY OVERVIEW or listen to a five minute audio presentation about ONE Group, Miessence and our organic business opportunity (the second link opens in a new window).

x