Snapshot Of Organic Agriculture in the U.S.

What is the latest snapshot of the nation's organic Ag sector? USDA research economist Sharon Raszap Skorbiansky provided the look at this year's Ag Outlook Forum. She starts with latest annual sales figures for 2023, provided by the Organic Trade Association.

“When we're looking at it in nominal terms, we see that retail sales increased from $67.4 billion to $69.7 billion, but once the account for inflation, we see that retail sales decreased by just .6% for 2023.” 

Indicating continued declines in sales from the peak in 2020, yet at a lower rate. 

“There are three categories that experienced increases in 2023," she noted.  "These are adjusted for inflation, so these are increases in the volume of sales and the three categories are the grocery category, this is a wide category, with products across the grocery aisle like nut butters, shelf stable soups or dry breakfast goods.  Also increases in the dairy and egg category and the meat, poultry and seafood category.”

In terms of acreage treads for organic agriculture, Skorbiansky says Argus data indicates.

“In recent years, we have seen drops in total organic land lead mainly by decreases in pasture and rangeland. But we also did see a decrease in field crop and non-field crop acreage in 2023.”

Yet mid-February, data from Argus reveals.

"A reversal in pasture and rangeland, and in field crop acreage. Organic land is up to 7.9 million acres. Up from 7.7 million acres in 2023.”

Turning to the trade side of U.S. organic agriculture.

“Organic imports are increasing because we're also tracking more organic products at the same time, the imports of some very high value commodities like blueberries have been increasing as well during the past 10 years.”

Skorbiansky  notes our nation imports organic commodities for several reasons.

“We import commodities that we can't grow, that is, the United States is not suited for production and much of the United States. So, for example, tropical fruits like bananas, which we import from Ecuador, we also import commodities that we do grow domestically, but domestic demand surpasses supply like soybeans which we import from Argentina as well as commodities that we're import to keep a consistent supply during the off season like blueberries, which we import from Peru and Mexico.”

As for U.S. organic exports?

“We have few organic specific export codes called Schedule B administered by the Census Bureau. Our tracked exports have been fairly stable since 2011, with a slight upward trend.”

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