Iowans are showing their increased interest in organic foods and their benefits by paying more for them.

Officials at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture have found many Iowans are becoming more aware of, and inclined to buy, meat products that are pasture-raised, a form of organic food, according to a Leopold Center survey.

According to the survey, 10 percent of those surveyed had purchased organic dairy or beef products, and 10 percent indicated they would pay a 36 percent premium for organic foods. The survey also stated 42 percent were interested in locally raised dairy products being delivered to their homes.

Organic foods are raised naturally with no pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or genetically modified organisms. Farmers use organic methods to meet national standards, said Richard Pirog, program manager of the Leopold Center.

Pirog said the increase in awareness is not necessarily due to the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease, that occurred earlier this year.

Generally, pasture-raised animals could be beef or dairy cattle that were raised or grazed in a pasture and were not fed any grain or other animal byproducts — the conventional method of raising and feeding, Pirog said.

The “pasture-raised” label serves as an indicator to consumers the product has come from an animal that has not been fed food that contains additives or growth hormones. Instead, the animal has been fed “all natural” ingredients, a preference that has been steadily growing among grocery buyers, he said.

Pirog said products from animals that have not been fed such additives and hormones tend to be leaner and lower in fat and cholesterol than conventionally raised grain-fed beef. Researchers have found people who consume pasture-raised animals are at a lower risk for heart disease and some forms of cancer, he said.

People are becoming more aware and interested in organic foods for three reasons: they are concerned with their health, with the environment and with the local family farm, Pirog said.

“People want to know what they are eating and where it came from,” he said.

Buying organic foods also allows consumers to give back to their local farmers.

“People are very supportive of locally grown food,” Pirog said. “They want to have a connection back to the land, so they are attending local farmer’s markets looking for fresh, healthy foods.”

Stacey Brown, produce manager at Wheatsfield Grocery, 413 Douglas Ave., said the store’s sales of organic products are steadily increasing.

“People are realizing they need to be aware of what they are putting into their bodies,” Brown said.

However, these organic foods tend to cost more.

“The production time and management time is higher because farmers aren’t using cheap inputs,” Pirog said.

Organic farming can be a huge benefit for farmers because more farmers are using organically raised products as a marketing strategy, stressing the importance of locally grown foods, Pirog said. The more people who buy at the local and regional level, the more money that goes back to support the farmer, Pirog said.

“Research has shown that if just 10 percent of the food people bought was from locally grown organic farms, it would generate up to $54 million in that region,” Pirog said.

Stacy Tremel is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee, 640 Lincoln Way. She said organic foods are becoming a lot more popular among shoppers.

“It is becoming more apparent that people want to take better care of their health,” Tremel said.