Even though your wallet may take a hit when you load your shopping cart with organic products, the extra cost is worth it.

Because organic food and fiber are grown according to strict standards, you know exactly what you’re getting when you buy organic products. You know, for example, how the soil your strawberry grew in was weeded (most likely by hand) and how many insecticides (none) were used to grow the cotton that’s woven into your T-shirt.

Organic products may also be better for your health. Some studies link pesticide use to health problems, such as birth defects, nerve damage and even cancer. Because organic production restricts the use of pesticides, buying organic might reduce your risk of serious illness. (This also means that organic agriculture poses less risk to farmers, who would otherwise come into frequent contact with such chemicals.)

Another big benefit: When you buy organic products, you’re supporting good stewardship of the earth. Organic farming respects our water supply (by eliminating the use of chemicals that may contaminate groundwater) and is an example of humans working with nature (by the use of such techniques as crop rotation and cover crops). Also, many exotic varieties of food are grown organically, so organic farming helps promote plant diversity.

And because many organic food and fiber operations are small, by buying organic you’re helping to keep family-owned farms – and therefore rural communities – alive and thriving.