Organic Foods

The Green Guide is a great source of information on organic foods, the certified organic label and organic food recipes. Healthier, organic foods are more widely available and easier to identify, thanks to some new labels. And they're also getting more affordable. According to supermarket-trend analyst Phil Lempert, prices are coming down while our choices increase, as stores respond to consumer requests to stock certified organic foods and other sustainably produced products.

The number of Americans willing to buy foods marketed as "organic" has grown at a rate of about 20 percent a year over the past twelve years, says Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade Association. Correspondingly, "the number of organic farmers has risen from 5,500 in 1997 to 7,800 in 2000, and certified organic acreage nationwide has more than doubled since 1995," DiMatteo says.

What to look for: A federal certified organic foods label. The USDA implemented national standards that outline exactly how foods must be produced and handled in order to be certified organic foods. "Consumers can now have confidence that the label 'organic' means the same thing no matter where the product was produced," DiMatteo says.

For information on organic foods, the certified organic label, organic food recipes and organic food online, click on the links below.

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