Shopping for organic food
By Melanie Chambers • Bankrate.com

Have you noticed that strawberries are gradually becoming the size of apples? Thanks to growth hormones, consumers now have more of their favourite vegetables, fruits and meats.

But here's the million-dollar question: Should we be eating food with these kinds of chemicals? Or are organic products, those grown without a slew of chemical additives, a better option?

According to Statistics Canada, Canadians are becoming more and more curious about chemical-free food, as organic farming is one of the fastest growing segments in the agriculture sector.

To help make sense of how organic products differ from conventional produce and meat and for tips on how to find genuine organic produce at the best price, read on.

What organic means
Currently, Canada does not regulate how organic meat and produce are grown or labelled. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, British Columbia and Quebec's organics are regulated provincially, and the rest of the country is starting to catch up. In the meantime, there is a voluntary standard that many growers meet.

Generally speaking, genuine organic products are labelled as either certified organic or verified organic. This means they were grown or cultivated without synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, additives or artificial colouring or flavouring.

For beef and chicken, being organic also means the animals were not fed steroids, antibiotics or hormones to increase their size. This label also ensures that the farms are inspected by a third-party certification agency, independent of the government.

To ensure you're buying true organic food, check the label for a lot number, shown on a sticker on the produce, tracing it back to the area it was grown, or the name of an inspection agency.

According to Janine Gibson, national president of the Canadian Organic Growers, says it's easy to check out growers by looking them up online to see if they're part of an organic association. But because Canada does not have national regulations, it is still buyer beware to some extent.

Why buy organic?
There are lots of good reasons to buy organic produce -- but added nutritional value isn't necessarily one of them. Gibson says there are an increasing number of studies that indicate there are pesticide residues left on the food produce we eat, which can be bad for everyone but especially for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and young children.

But other experts disagree. "From a nutritional standpoint, there is no absolutely no difference between organic foods and non-organic," says Harvey Anderson, a professor in the faculty of medicine's department of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto.

That said, he says the growing popularity of organic food is a good thing: "The positive thing is that all these kinds of movements and claims raise awareness about better diet and better eating."

Everyone agrees that organic farming is better for the environment, though. "Organic farms don't release synthetic chemicals into the environment," explains Jonathan Woods, an organic farmer in Surrey, British Columbia.

And although he admits he's biased, Woods says organic food tastes better than its mass-produced counterparts. "For produce, this is often because it is fresher and the grower chooses tastier varieties," he says. "I notice a more marked flavour difference with meats, especially chicken."

Paying for quality
Organic produce and meat are more expensive than conventional groceries. According to Statistics Canada, the average cost of organically grown apples in British Columbia between 2001 and 2003 was 30 cents a pound, compared with 21 cents for non-organic apples. These days, Gibson says the price difference between organic and conventional food varies from 20 percent to more than 100 percent.

The reason organic products cost more is organic farming is more laborious and takes more time to grow. An organic farmer can spend an entire year of production raising a crop to use as fertilizer for the following year.

Conventional farms produce en masse, using chemicals to speed up production, so they can sell it at a cheaper price.

Woods adds that high demand for organic food and an often limited supply also bumps up the price. According to the Canadian Organic Growers, organic agriculture grows 20 percent annually, with Saskatchewan leading the pack, producing 34 percent of all Canadian organics. But at a little more than one percent of Canada's farms, organic farming is still a niche market.

Tips on where to find organic food
Most grocery stores sell some organic products. But if you're looking for a better selection, check out your local natural food store or farmers' market.

An alternative to buying in stores is delivery. Antony John, who appears on Food Network Canada as The Manic Organic, delivers a box full of goods to residents near his farm, called Soiled Reputation, in Stratford, Ontario.

For between $30 and $40, customers receive half a pound of salad greens, a fresh baked loaf of bread, half pound of mushrooms and a pound of a seasonal vegetable. It may cost more than the what you'd pay in a grocery store for the same foods, but many consumers are happy to pay the extra cost for organic.

Nancy Santos, of London, Ontario used to pay $27 every two weeks for an organic delivery service. She chose from an extensive list of produce and emailed in her order. It wasn't cheaper than grocery store produce, but "it was so easy to get fresh organic food at your door" that she says she couldn't resist.

There are other ways you can cut down on the price you pay for organic food. Gibson recommends buying produce when it's in season to keep the costs down. She also suggests buying in bulk then freezing or preserving what you don't intend to use right away.

Also, organize a group of friends, so you can get a bulk discount, or look online for food groups or buying clubs that buy large quantities.

Gibson says you can also get a deal by getting to know local organic growers. "Develop a relationship with [farmers] locally and buy direct," she says, adding that it's cheaper because it takes out the middleman.

Melanie Chambers is a freelance writer who eats her veggies in London, Ontario.