Organic Food Making Local Grocery Lists

Transitioning to organic is a no-nonsense decision if working towards a more healthy, sustainable America. Consumers are catching on too--in 2006 organic food made up 0.8 percent more of the entire food supply that it had in 1997. In the last two years, I'm sure it has increased even more than that! This story is about how organics affect producers and consumers and the benefits of being an organic advocate.

Organic Food Making Local Grocery Lists

Sheridan Stephens, a farmer from Upland, is suspicious of pesticides, preservatives and genetic modification. In fact, he said he’s ready to eliminate them from his diet and grow organic produce by keeping additives out of what he plants.

“We’ve always used so much pesticides and herbicides and stuff,” Stephens said. “I’ve always been the kind to do things the natural way, anyhow.”

Stephens is not the only one opting for organic produce. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, organic sales have risen 20 percent each year since 1990. The Organic Trade Association’s 2006 Manufacturer Survey shows that organic food makes up 2.5 percent of total U.S. food sales, up from 0.8 percent in 1997.

Read the entire story here.