Back to basics: what's new in the world of organics

Two years ago, finding truly organic fruits and vegetables could be time-consuming, but today, there's no shortage of foods grown without the use of chemical pesticides. Since the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) fully implemented national standards for organic production--standards that dictate the way organic foods are grown and processed--the organic industry has grown. With increased distribution, organic products are continuing to penetrate American households.

Health Benefits

One reason for this growing popularity is the perceived health benefits of organic foods. Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), a group that represents the organic industry, thinks the perceived health and nutritional benefits of organic foods will be seriously explored in the coming years because consumers want more information.

"As people know more, they will be more proactive in terms of long-term health and environmental practices," she says. "The more people know, the more they'll mm to organic products that meet their needs and lifestyles."

Consumers who start by purchasing organic foods often branch out to purchase other organic products such as personal care items and textiles, DiMatteo says. Such products accounted for $440 million in sales in 2003, up 20 percent from the previous year, according to the OTA.

There must, therefore, be a variety of products available in different locations, DiMatteo says. "Organic products are now sold in a wide variety of stores--not only at farmers' markets or natural foods stores---and that availability makes it easy for people to make the choice to buy organic." Prod they are.

Strict Standards

"As the market grows, the supply will become more plentiful, and it will drive down organic prices," says Bob Burke, founder of Natural Products Consulting in Andover, Massachusetts.

As interest increases, there will be demand for a diverse range of organic products, including meats, which come from animals that are fed a 100 percent organic diet. Sales of organic supplements and body care products will also increase, Burke says, but there still needs to be uniform standards set for those items.

High standards are important in organics. In April 2004, the USDA'S National Organic Program issued several directive documents that could have undermined the national organic standards. The agency later rescinded those statements under pressure from organic growers, manufacturers and consumers.

DiMatteo says consumer understanding or what "organic" means is increasing, and the more information people have about organic products regarding health, agriculture and the environment, the more they will demand those products. "We are building a population of people who are more interested in going organic," she says.

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