However, small

farmers, organic producers, and consumers from around the world are fighting

back. These groups are at the movement for a healthier food system that

puts people over profits; emphasizes local, organic food, and supports

small farmers.

Consumers can

contribute to a healthier food system by purchasing organic, locally-grown

food. Current U.S. national organic standards prohibit the use of all

synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, antibiotics, genetic engineering,

irradiation, sewage sludge, artificial ingredients, and other practices.

Some of these chemicals and practices have been linked to cancer, immune

system suppression, nervous system disorders, reproductive damage, and

hormone disruption.

Organic food

is not only better for people, it is also better for the environment.

Each year fertilizers from farms in 31 states and Canada drain into the

Mississippi River creating nutrients and algae, which die and decompose,

sucking oxygen out of the water. The dead algae kills bottom-dwelling

organisms and drives away fish. In contrast, studies have shown that runoff

from farms using organic practices contain much lower chemical levels

than conventional farm runoff.

When purchasing

organic, look for the logo. In December of 2000, the U.S. Department of

Agriculture issued standards and created a logo to be used on products

containing organic ingredients. Products that contain 95 to 100 percent

organic ingredients can use the "USDA Organic" logo. Products

made with 70-95 percent organic content can be labeled "made with

organic ingredients" but may not use the "USDA Organic"

logo.

In addition

to organically grown and produced food, locally grown products have many

benefits. Going to your local farmer's markets guarantees you will be

helping the people of your community and not industry giants. Purchasing

food locally also reduces the transportation costs and impacts on the

environment. This also translates into less waste due to packaging, processing,

and refrigeration. For example, fresh peas require only 40 percent of

the energy expended for a frozen carton of peas, and only 25 percent of

an aluminum can of peas, according to Helena Norberg Hodge, Todd Merrifield,

and Steven Gorelick, authors of Bringing the Food Economy Home.

Supporting

local farms doesn't just help your local economy - a decentralized, diversified

food system can be a major impediment to terrorist attacks on our food

supply. "A large number of smaller farms, diversified by size and

type of production and scattered generously throughout all regions of

the U.S., stands as a prudent bulwark against a catastrophic assault on

our nation's food supply," wrote Mark Winnie, executive director

of the Hartford Food System Network in Connecticut in a recent essay.

The game plan

is straightforward - for your health, for the family farmers, for the

environment - choose organic or locally grown food whenever you can.

Best of all,

go for locally grown organic food - and enjoy every bite of summer's delicious

fresh fruit and veggies.

(Amanda

Johnson is the Public Education and Media Coordinator at Co-op America,

a nonprofit consumer education organization for environmentally-wise purchasing

and investing. She can be reached at [email protected]. To learn

more about social and environmentally-wise purchasing and investing, go

to www.coopamerica.org.)

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