FOOD LABELS GO 'ORGANIC' USDA-MANDATED STANDARDS FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTS TAKE EFFECT MONDAY.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

The fight for chemical-free food that's been waged by health-conscious Californians for years is finally being recognized by the federal agency that regulates the agricultural industry.

New national labeling standards will go into effect Monday, the latest development for an industry whose products the Organic Trade Association estimates will bring in $20 billion annually within a few years. Fueled by a hefty 20 percent annual growth rate since 1990, organics are still dwarfed by regular foods, accounting for only 2 percent of national food consumption, but have gained widespread exposure in past years.

With the new standards, only products without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics and hormones get the 100 percent organic tag. Those with 95 percent or better can still call themselves organic, while those with at least 70 percent of the unmodified contents get a ``Made with organic ingredients'' label. Those not meeting that standard can only list their organic ingredients on the package.

This presents an interesting challenge for food giants looking to join in the feeding frenzy, since most have not made major investments in marketing their products.

Major chains carrying goods like Whole Foods and Wild Oats have been on the expansion in recent years, with their traditional competitors rushing to increase store space for the products. Huge producers like ConAgra Foods, Heinz and General Mills, once the antithesis of small organic farmers, have added divisions to cash in on the growing interest.

While once the domain of only the strictest health food fanatics, the goods are on the verge of gaining widespread approval as increasingly food-savvy shoppers seek them out for their perceived health benefits and premium appeal.

This means that after nine decades, Robert Bootzin will soon get his wish. A lifelong proponent of healthy eating, the wizened entertainer has sold fruit, picked it and snacked on wheat grass long before it was trendy. Though he's not quite sure of his age, which he estimates between 91 and 95, he still can throw a mean spiraling football and looks far younger. His secret: a strict regimen of organic foods, eschewing chemical additives at all costs.

``Don't panic, go organic,'' said Bootzin, known to his friends as Gypsy Boots, from his usual haunt at Canoga Park's Follow Your Heart Natural Foods. ``That's always been my motto. I've always been trying to get people to eat organic stuff.''

The new national guidelines for organic labeling, developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deal with the burgeoning market, could help Bootzin's quest. It's been a long road, according to Barbara Haumann, a senior writer for the OTA, which represents farmers, processors and retailers. The USDA has been developing the standards for better than a decade, following the 1990 passage of the Organic Food Production Act. After lengthy delays, while Haumann said consumer advocates and processors argued with regulators over what exactly constitutes an organic product, the newly labeled product will begin showing up in stores soon.

``Typical organic consumers seek them out,'' said Susan Rolnick, director of marketing for ConAgra Foods' Lightlife division. ``The organic shopper already knows what they're looking for. But that may change with the new regulations.''

On the retail side, upscale market Trader Joe's hasn't invested additional dollars in spreading the word either, instead quietly selling organics alongside regular goods.

``We haven't gone out of our way to promote them through advertising - we market them on the shelves with the rest of our products,'' said Pat St. John, a spokeswoman for the chain. ``Our customers know where to find them, no matter where we put them in the store.''

Food expert Phil Lempert, editor of Santa Monica-based Supermarketguru.com, says the raised prominence could lead manufacturers to push more products into the market. Heinz's organic ketchup, introduced this summer, was a major step for pesticide-free foods, raising interest among new consumers.

``We're going to see a boost because now that there's federal regulations, companies like Heinz will introduce organic products,'' Lempert said. ``How big depends on how many new consumers come into the fray. Will we have the same ones buying more organics, or attract new shoppers?''

Indeed, Lightlife's Rolnick said her company is looking to expand its organic offerings from its current 42, mostly meat-replacement foods. And while major processors generally oppose greater federal regulation, she praised the new USDA guidelines.

``It's going to have a positive effect on the business,'' she said. ``It'll help raise the general consumer's consciousness of organic products. There was a lot of confusion before, so everyone in the industry sees this as a positive.''

In the past, the untreated, nongenetically modified food carried a hefty markup, but with more farmers growing under the standard, the premium produce has become more affordable. At Follow Your Heart, prices still run slightly high, with heads of romaine lettuce selling for $1.59 and bunches of spinach going for $1.19, compared with 95 cents apiece at Albertsons.

``Prices will come down as it becomes more mainstream,'' said Ryan Lewin, Follow Your Heart's manager. ``It's already come down to be comparable in some ways.''

Though his present shoppers are already fairly label-conscious, Lewin figures the new regulations will aid novice organic shoppers.

``I think it'll help tremendously to have people know what they're getting,'' he said. ``There's too much trickery going on right now, where people bill something as organic, but it's only got one ingredient in it. This way it's more honest.''

Lempert wasn't so sure, however.

``Because of the regulations, it'll be very confusing to the average consumer,'' he said. ``When they're in a regular store, they can't get an appropriate answer to their question, which may make them shy away from the organics.''

But St. John, an organic shopper herself, disagreed.

``For a novice, I think it makes it simpler,'' the Trader Joe's spokeswoman said. ``If I'm a brand-new shopper and I go to look for this, now I don't have to decide what the percentage is myself. It's either organic or made with organic ingredients.''

At Whole Foods, whose internal standards already exceeded the USDA standards, marketing director Elizabeth Carovillano said the government seal of approval could only help bring in new consumers.

``Now that there's a USDA label, you can be confident,'' she said. ``You know someone's looking out for it. But just like now, if you don't see the label, you look on the side and see what's in there.''

At major chains, the products have gotten increased shelf space as interest has heightened. Most chains have separate segments of the produce section for organics, along with small racks for dry goods.

``It's a segment that's important to us,'' said Stacia Levenfeld, public-affairs director for Albertsons. ``As consumer demand for more organic products grows, Albertsons tries to respond to meet their need.''

She didn't have specific numbers of products or average shelf-space figures, saying the numbers fluctuated by market.

Bootzin had his own reservations about the labels, but figures that anything to boost awareness of his preferred lifestyle will be a boon.

``People used to make fun of me for eating organic wheat grass,'' he said, polishing off a hefty meal in Follow Your Heart's cafe. ``But if they ate the way I do, maybe they'd still be living today.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) New national labeling standards for organic foods go into effect on Monday, and goods for sale at stores like Follow Your Heart Natural Foods in Canoga Park will soon carry much more information.

(2 -- color) Robbin Miller shops at Follow Your Heart Natural Foods. New federal labeling requirements for organic food go into effect Monday.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer