Poll finds strong public support for organic foods

WASHINGTON — Advocates of organically grown fruits and vegetables say a new poll shows that the popularity of produce grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides is more than just a passing fad.

The Louis Harris poll being released Monday does show that national publicity about possible pesticide dangers has prompted more people to try organic produce.

The 1989 survey found that 84 percent of Americans would prefer organically grown fruits and vegetables, the same percentage as in a similar poll conducted in 1988.

The first poll was taken before a deluge of negative publicity about Alar, a chemical used in growing apples that was taken off the market after reports that it might cause cancer.

“This shows that the organic mandate is not a passing fad fueled by fear, but a clear preference fueled by reason,” said Stevie Daniels, executive editor of Organic Gardening magazine, which commissioned the survey.

“With organic food gaining faster acceptance, the lack of a federal organic standard is often cited as the reason why such foods are not more readily available at large supermarket chains,” said Organic Gardening analysts.

“The large retailers are looking for a USDA label to make sure they have a label the consumers will understand,” Daniels said.