Eating organic food was once thought to be an eccentric, fringe activity, associated with people of a hippie disposition. If someone tried to promote it, they risked the accusation of being a crank. But times have changed. Foot and Mouth Disease, E.coli and Mad Cow Disease have prompted a lot of people to go down the organic road. It has become increasingly trendy over recent years to adopt the organic lifestyle, it's a booming industry, which looks like getting bigger and bigger. The absolute rules, that have to be abided by, governing organic produce is a reassuring comfort for many people. Celebrities such as Jade Jagger and Madonna are known enthusiasts. Of course, going organic is simply going back to the way things used to be.

Whether you're a meat eater or a vegetarian or indeed, a vegan, the principles of eating organically can be followed. Meats, fruit and vegetables, pulses, baked goods and even beer and wine are all readily available in organic form.

In the past, organic food had to be searched for and the only outlets were specialty and natural food shops. Nowadays, it's easy. Supermarkets have responded to public demand and most carry a good stock of products. You can also buy at farmer's markets and from numerous online sources, delivered to your door.

The Second World War and its impact on food shortages in the United Kingdom is a major cause of the dependence on chemical methods used there. Following the war, farmers were given subsidies and the prices they got were guaranteed and took no account of world market prices. Traditionally, farming had been mixed but it developed into the intensive variety we know today. These new subsidies did away with the need to produce a range of crops, which used to insure against poor harvests and fluctuating prices in the world market.

When buying organic food, you can very often buy direct from the producer, and the public enjoy that connection which used to be the norm, in years gone by. Sometime

s, the lack of knowledge amongst children, about where their food actually comes from is quite startling. Urbanization and mass production has put our food into convenient packaging, but reduced our sense of nature providing for us. With the increased reliance on prepared meals, this distance from the source of food is even more apparent.

In the USA, the use of pesticides and fertilizers were blamed for polluting the water and there was panic over energy levels in the 1970's, resulting in the growing movement away from intensive methods. The question was asked, what are we reaping from what we sow?

Regulations covering the use of pesticides were introduced. This decade saw the growers properly organize themselves and government began setting standards for the new phenomena. Research into natural farming practice flourished. The 1980's saw many farmers facing financial ruin, and some managed to save themselves by converting to organic crops. Their economic motives fitted neatly into the premium prices paid in the growing market.

It's been a long battle for organic food to be accepted, and to enter the mainstream. You do have to pay more, but the gap in prices between organic and non-organic is getting better. It's easy to wallow in a nostalgic idyll of hardy farm laborers doing everything by hand, assisted only by good earth and sunshine. But everything has a price and cost has always been a factor. Families living on a budget may be keen to follow a principle but not convinced enough to spend more.

During the 1990's and into the 21st century, standards have been tightened up further, and the future looks rosy for the organic movement.

By: Scott Byers
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Scott Byers is a leading contributor to http://www.allorganicdiet.com along with many other blogs. http://www.allorganicdiet.com is a blog all about the benefits of organic foods and organic diets.
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