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USDA says number of organic producers is at an all-time high

There are more than 19,000 certified organic operations in the USA

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

As the appetite and demand for organic goods continues to grow, farmers in the United States are hearing and adapting their farm operations to keep up with consumer demands.

The Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP) estimates the number of certified organic operations in the United States increased by at least 5% since 2014, and is up an incredible 250% since they started keeping track.

Today there are 19,474 certified organic producers in the United States and 27,814 globally.

"As demand for organic products continues to soar, more and more producers are entering the organic market," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "USDA tools and resources have created opportunities for organic farmers and more options for organic consumers. Growing demand for organic goods can be especially helpful to smaller family operations. The more diverse type of operations and the more growing market sectors we have in American agriculture, the better off our country's rural economy will be."

In an effort to keep the public informed about organic producers around the country, funding from the 2014 Farm Bill will help establish the Organic Integrity Database which will be updated on a regular basis. It’ll be used for initiatives including research, certification and networking. It’s scheduled to launch in September 2015.

Anyone interested in organic certification or where organic producers are located can visit the National Organic Program’s webpage.

Join the conversation and tell us your thoughts about the growing number of organic producers in the United States. Are you currently a certified organic farmer? If not, do you think you would consider making the switch?


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