Organic U.S.A.

"The realization came slowly, but with ever- mounting evidence pointing to the correlation between unhealthy eating habits and rising instances of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses, Southwest Georgia — and the nation — has begun to take notice.

Seemingly overnight, Publix supermarkets’ organics section grew from a handful of items to shelves loaded with produce and goods containing no preservatives or additives. Area Wal-Mart supercenters, never slow to react to national trends, now carry a large supply of organically-grown items.

And in Albany, a small co-op started by a mother looking for healthy foods for her family has grown into a stand- alone business that is attracting an increasingly large base of health-conscious customers.

“It was definitely slow in coming, but people in this region are starting to get the message,” Cardiologist Steven Wolinsky said of the growing number of people choosing to eat healthy. “You see nationally that organic products and other healthy foods are becoming a bigger part of the market, and that trend has started to trickle into our area."

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