The organic food industry has been undergoing major shifts in power in the past decade. As America’s largest food retailers have discovered the profitability of the “organic” label, they have been acquiring smaller organic food producers in an attempt to corner the organic market.

Once these markets are taken over by these global corporations, the local organic choices for the consumer become limited. The “organic” designation will become meaningless as large food retailers force smaller independent farms out of the market, either by choosing the cheap products created through factory farming, or charging retail shelf fees so high the local sustainable farm operations won’t be able to afford to buy shelf space for their products.

The “cheapening of organic” seems to be inevitable when mega retailers like Wal-Mart get involved. The Wal-Mart business model of selling products below market prices is in direct conflict with the higher costs associated with organic farming methods. How can Wal-Mart sell organic products below market prices without taking a profit hit? The answer is that WalMart’s definition of what is organic doesn’t always match the national organic standards.

In the Spring of 2006, Wal-Mart announced it would dramatically increase its organic product offerings. While the hope was that the product volume driven by Wal-Mart’s size would help grow sustainable farming, Wal-Mart has instead taken the low, cheap road. Instead of supporting the local small farmer, they have established partnerships with existing major agribusiness companies, most of which have no track record in the organic marketplace.

For instance, look at Wal-Mart’s organic milk offerings. Wal-Mart has a relationship with Dean Foods, the nation’s largest dairy processor, as an outlet for Dean’s “Horizon brand” of organic milk. Dean/Horizon has been under intense scrutiny for sourcing as much as half of its milk from large industrial-scale dairies which milk as many as 10,000 cows in feedlot-like conditions. This is a far cry from the “happy cow in a meadow” image that Horizon wants you to associate with their products.

In addition, the Cornucopia Institute reports that Wal-Mart had entered into a contract with Aurora Organic Dairy, based in Boulder, Colorado, to supply private-label organic milk under the “Great Value” label.

Aurora has a suspicious history in terms of their reputation in the organic industry. Like Dean Foods, their corporate-owned factory farms are currently being investigated for confining their cattle in feedlots with little if any access to pasture as required by the National Organic Standards. They are also being investigated for buying replacement cattle and feed from nonorganic sources.

Aurora, which was the nation’s largest conventional factory-farm operator in the mid-1990s, produces or buys 100% of their milk from giant industrial factory farm dairies, a practice which is in direct conflict with organic consumer wishes.

Wal-Mart’s dependence on factory farms for supplying cheaper organic dairy products in the marketplace is an example of their historic management philosophy of purchasing products from the least expensive supplier regardless of the product quality.

To illustrate the extent of the Big Food’s reach into the organic market, take a look at this page containing a chart created by Dr. Phil Howard of Michigan State University. The chart shows what companies actually own the organic labels you see at your local food store.

So How Do You Buy Real Organic Foods?

The solution is to know where your organic food comes from:
Find out who owns the organic products you buy. Buy produce from your local farmer’s market, or grow your own vegetables and fruit. Raise your own chickens for fresh eggs. Find a local source for raw milk, free range poultry and grass fed animal products. Take a trip to the farms and ranches that offer organic foods. Talk to the ranchers and farmers running these operations. Ask questions about how they farm, how they feed their stock, what methods they use to kill pests or treat sickness. And expect to pay more for the loving care that sustainable farmers use in the production of your food.
It’s well worth it. Whatever extra you pay for this food, you’ll save in the long run in lower medical bills and drug costs.

The word “organic” may appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese and other single-ingredient foods. Certified organic requires the rejection of synthetic agrochemicals, irradiation and genetically engineered foods or ingredients. Literally, of course, the term is a redundancy: all food is composed of organic chemicals (complex chemicals containing carbon). Any materials used in the production or processing of organic food must be proven safe. Awareness is growing about the value of organic foods. But, whether organic chicken or pesticide-free lettuce represents “healthier” alternatives has long been a subject for debate.

Organic farming is one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. Gardening organically is much more than what you don’t do. In fact, sales of organics have surged more than 20 percent each year in the past decade. In terms of number of farms, acreage and value of production, the organic food industry is growing at a rate of 20-30% per year. As commodity programs are eliminated, more farmers have discovered that organic production is a legitimate and economically viable alternative enterprise. The growth in the number of organic farmers has increased steadily, similar to the growth of the U.S.

In current organic production systems, growers are not permitted to use conventional synthetic organic fungicides in their disease management program. Non-organic milk comes from farms that are allowed to use genetically modified cattle feed, along with routine antibiotic treatments and synthetic pesticides. Arguments have long raged as to the effects these hormones and chemicals have on the bioproducts. Growth hormones in cows, pesticides on produce and antibiotics in poultry are among the reasons many Americans are turning to organic foods.

Organically raised animals may not be given growth hormones to or antibiotics for any reason. Producers are required to feed livestock agricultural feed products that are 100 percent organic, but farmers may also provide allowed vitamin and mineral supplements.

The US Department of Agriculture finally put in place a national system for labeling organic food. The new federal rule guarantees you, the consumer, organic products that are grown without toxic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Pesticides derived from natural sources (such as biological pesticides) may be used in producing organically grown food. Limitations in relation to which pesticides may or may not be used, present the organic grower with some unique and very demanding challenges. Food that is at least 70 percent organic will list the organic ingredients on the front of the package. More than 40 private organizations and state agencies (certifiers) currently certify organic food, but their standards for growing and labeling organic food may differ. Even with these labeling rules in place, consumers should be prepared for some confusion when shopping for organic foods. For one thing, organic products are not uniformly labeled because many farmers using organic methods do not pursue certification at all. In addition, the language contained in seals, labels, and logos approved by organic certifiers may differ.

While consumers struggle with the fact that often, the availability of organic materials is limited when large quantities are needed. More and more people have come to appreciate the added dimensions of value and quality available in the organic marketplace.

What you eat has a direct impact on your health, this is a universally known fact. Are you ready to pay that little extra for good health is what we need to think about?

Organic food is the new healthy choice that most of us are turning to considering the immense health benefits that it has to offer. Both for us adults as well as the kids it is the way ahead to a healthy energetic future. Children especially with their growth phase need to eat food that is good for them. If you can completely eliminate the harmful chemicals from their daily diet it would definitely do them a world of good.

Potatoes grown in your own backyard the organic way or bought from a store selling organic food would be the best choice to make. Switching completely to organic foods however, can prove to be demanding on your budget. Is this a price you are ready to pay for good health?

Organic foods are grown without the use of chemical pesticides. Organic manure is what helps these crops provide fruits and vegetables that do not have any harmful effects to the body. There is definitely an increase in the demand for organic food considering the beneficial aspect of the foods. Organic milk, poultry, fruits and vegetables are proving to be the preferred choice for many of us. For instance, do consider your daily consumption of ketchup. How much of ketchup and in turn tomatoes do you consume? If you could replace the regular ketchup with organic ketchup is it not going to make a big difference to your body and overall health? However, are we ready to make a complete switchover?

Organic food is now easily accessible unlike a few years back. You no longer have to hunt for organic products any more. Your local supermarket too, now stocks organic food. So access has proven to be easy. With growing consciousness it is seen that there is a major shift towards the use of organic products.

Why organic food? The reasons for choosing organic foods are many and they make out a very strong case favoring their use:

-Say no to pesticides. Why should you harm your body by slowly poisoning it with the harmful chemicals used for killing insects that destroy the crops?

-Organic foods are good not only for you but for the environment as well.

-A higher level of antioxidants is another added benefit that organic foods offer you. Antioxidants are a must in your daily diet. They help to keep the free radicals at bay and foster a healthy body and mind.

Eat your way to a healthy tomorrow by making the sensible choice of switching to organic foods. It is the answer for a healthy YOU and an healthy environment.