Growth in Organic Market Slowing

The organic market has seen continued growth in retail sales in the past decade.  However, according to ERS, the pace of growth has slowed.  U.S. organic retail sales increased by an average of 8% per year and surpassed $53 billion in 2020.  In 2021, sales were $52 billion, which was a 6% annual decline when adjusted for inflation, but a slight increase when not inflation-adjusted.  Additionally, the number of certified organic acres operated increased gradually from 3.6 million in 2011 to 4.9 million acres in 2021.

The number of certified farms with operating organic acres in the United States nearly doubled over the past decade to 17,400 from about 8,900.  Between 2019 and 2021, the number of certified organic farms in the United States increased five percent, while total organic land decreased by 11%, driven by a 36% decrease in pasture and rangeland.

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