organic

Governor Brad Little has declared July 16-22, 2023, as Idaho Organics Week, a dedicated time to formally acknowledge and celebrate Idaho’s organic agriculture.

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 we...

Organic fresh produce sales grew by 3% last year while total volume dropped by 3.7%.  The Organic Produce Network said total sales topped $9.4 billion for the year.  The 2022 Organic Produce Performance Report says the fresh berry category was the top organic produce category with more than 16% of organic fresh produce dollars in 2022.  Fresh berry sales...

The USDA announced additional assistance for dairy producers, including a second round of payments through the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program.  The agency also announced a new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program.  USDA sa...

Last week, USDA’s National Organic Program published the Strengthening Organic Enforcement final rule.  The update to USDA organic regulations strengthens oversight and enforcement of the production, handling, and sale of organic products.  The final rul...

In the fight against pests, the University of Idaho is looking to the skies.  Jason Thomas said University of Idaho Extension has a long-running project, building, distributing and monitoring wooden houses for nesting barn owls, primarily in the SE corner of the state.  Roughly...

Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representatives Jared Huffman and Chellie Pingree led 25 colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral letter this week asking Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack for immediate assistance for organic poultry and dairy producers.   “We’re writing on behalf of the organic and poultry sectors to request emergency relief in response to skyrocketing feed costs that are impacting the future viabi

What do growers, and consumers, need to know about the organic fruit industry?  We put that question before Mark Powers, President of the Northwest Horticultural Council.     If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsqu...

Ongoing inflation resulted in higher retail prices of organic fresh produce during the 3rd quarter of this year.  The Organic Produce Network says that generated a 4.1% increase in total organic dollars but also contributed to a decline of 4.5% in org...

While pandemic restrictions have been lifted, and the area is inching toward normal, the University of Idaho’s Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center has announced it will host the Heritage Orchard Conference on-line again this year.  School officials say under the virtual format, the conference grew into an international affair for apple growers and researchers, drawing 20 times the number of parti