Organic Demand Growing As Is Cropland

Demand for organic agriculture is continuing to climb quickly and producers are working hard to keep up.

USDA Economist Gustavo Ferreira said there is interest in all parts of organic ag.

“If you combine fruits and vegetables, they account for the largest share. But then livestock and poultry products alone are the largest category and the largest amount of sales.”

Organic cropland has risen each year since 2002.

Ferreira said organic production, though, is pretty focused on just a few areas.

“All The certified organic operations, the geographic concentration on the West Coast, Northeast, and Upper Midwest, also around urban areas. The top states in terms of farm sales, they match to a certain degree the location of the certified operation. Together all these states account for about 80 percent of total organic sales.”