Photo Courtesy of USDA NRCS.

Organic agriculture, a worldwide growth industry, can be a profitable, sustainable business for agricultural producers interested in going through the certification process necessary to enter this market. Organics have grown at a rate of nearly 20 percent per year for the last seven years, and industry experts are continuing to forecast slowing but steady growth.

Rapid growth in the organic sector has highlighted issues that need to be addressed: shortages of organic raw materials such as organic grain and organic sugar, product sales in a weak U.S. economy and competition from food marketed as “locally grown" or "natural." A shortage of affordable organic ingredients or products, such as corn and soybeans for livestock feed, left organic producers unable to meet market demand.  (ERS 2009)  February 2010 . . . Organic Food Trends

Marketing

• 2009 Organic Market Report, Soil Association, United Kingdom.
• 2008 Organic Farm Performance in Minnesota, University of Minnesota, 2009.
• Accredited Certifying Agents, National Organic Program, Ag Marketing Service (AMS), USDA - Current listing of certification agencies.
• Alternative Markets for Fruit: Organic and IFP (Integrated Fruit Production), Washington State University, Wanatchee - This document reviews two major market niches: organic foods and fruit from Integrated Fruit Production.
• Australian Organic Market Report 2008, Organic Research Centre, University of New England, Australia, 2008 - This report attempts to define the size and extent of the organic industry in Australia.
• Biofuels send organic meat prices soaring, Natural Foods Merchandiser, 2008.
  
• Conventional, Mixed and Deregistered Organic Farmers: Entry Barriers and Reasons for Exiting Organic Production in California, California Institute for Rural Studies, 2007.
• Economic Research Service (ERS), USDA
  • Data Track the Expansion of International and U.S. Organic Farming, Amber Waves, 2007.
  • Emerging Issues in the U.S. Organic Industry, 2009.
  • Marketing U.S. Organic Foods: Recent Trends From Farms to Consumers, 2009 - U.S. organic-industry growth is evident in an expanding number of retailers selling a wider variety of foods, the development of private-label product lines by many supermarkets and the widespread introduction of new products. Retail sales of organic foods have jumped from $3.6 billion in 1997 to $21.1 billion in 2008.
  • Market-Led Growth vs. Government-Facilitated Growth: Development of the U.S. and EU Organic Agricultural Sectors, 2005 - This report compares organic agricultural policy in the United States and European Union
  • Organic Agriculture: Innovations in Organic Marketing, Technology, and Research, 2006.
  • Organic Briefing Papers and Research - Statistical information about production and markets.
    
  • Organic Dairy, Livestock, Dairy, & Poultry Outlook, 2009.
  • Organic Foods: The Marketing Chain, 2009 - This publication examines what types of consumers buy organic food; how structural change has affected retailing, distribution, and manufacturing; and why the farm supply of organic products lags behind retail demand.
  • Organic Prices, 2009.
  • Organic Produce, Price Premiums and Eco-Labeling in U.S. Farmers Markets, 2004 - This research describes the significance of farmers' markets as outlets for organic farmers.
  • Organic Production - This site includes data on the certified organic farmland acreage and livestock in the United States.
  • Price Premiums Hold on as U.S. Organic Produce Market Expands, 2005 - Fresh produce has long been an important component of the organic food sector and a significant contributor to the organic industry's growth over the last decade.
    
  • U.S. Organic Farm Sector Continues To Expand, Amber Waves, 2007 - Explains how most segments of the U.S. organic farm sector have expanded since USDA set uniform organic standards in 2000.
    
  • The U.S. Organic Handling Sector in 2004: Baseline Findings of the Nationwide Survey of Organic Manufacturers, Processors, and Distributors, 2008.
• Executive Summary, 2009 Organic Industry Survey, Organic Trade Association, 2009 - The results of this survey show organic food sales grew in 2008 by 15.8 percent to reach $22.9 billion, with organic food sales now accounting for approximately 3.5 percent of all food product sales in the United States.
• Executive Summary, 2009 US Families' Organic Attitudes and Beliefs Study, Organic Trade Association and KIWI Magazine, 2009 - This survey of 1,200 U.S. families suggests they are not giving up their purchases of organic products, with nearly 75 percent buying organic products at least occasionally.
• Fourth National Organic Farmers Survey: Sustaining Organic Farms in a Changing Organic Marketplace (Full Report), Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), 2004 - OFRF's National Organic Farmers Surveys have collected data about organic farmers and farming for 1993, 1995, 1997 and 2001.
  
• Global Organic Agriculture: Continued Growth, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), 2009.
• International Developments Related to Organic Agriculture, New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2005.
• Market Trends, Organic Trade Association.
• Midwest Organics, Iowa State University, 2006 - Total acres for grains, fruits and oilseeds.
• National Organic Program, National Agricultural Law Center, University of Arkansas, 2009.
• Natural Products Research Report, Organic and soy sales lead category, Gourmetreailer.com/, from the Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association's 2002 Trend Report - The article includes top motivators for organic food and beverage purchases.
  
• Organic Agriculture in the 2007 Farm Bill, Farm Bill Brief #3, Agricultural Issues Center, University of California, 2007 -  The 2007 Farm Bill is likely to address issues important for producers and consumers, especially research and development and additional support to facilitate the growth of the organic industry.
• Organic Agriculture in the United States: Program and Policy Issues, Congressional Research Service, 2008.
• Organic Ag in Wisconsin--2007 Status Report, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, University of Wisconsin-Madison - This report includes a focus on organic dairy production in Wisconsin.
• Organic Demand: A Profile of Consumers in the Fresh Produce Market, Choices magazine, American Agricultural Economics Association, 2007 - This article examines the organic produce segment of the organic food market.
• Organic Farmgate & Wholesale Prices, AMS, USDA - Provides wholesale prices for select conventional and organic fresh produce items in the San Francisco and Boston wholesale markets, based on USDA surveys.
• Organic Farming in the EU, Eurostat, 2007 - In 2005, organic land accounted for 4 percent of the total agricultural land in the EU-25.
• Organic Feedgrain Producers and Handlers, National Organic Program, AMS, USDA - This partial list identifies certified feedgrain producers and handlers in the United State and Canada.
• The Organic Food Market, Strategic Marketing Institute Working Paper, Michigan State University, 2007 - This research analyzes the aspects and barriers of the organic food market.
• Organic Food Production, Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, National Ag Library, USDA.
• Organic Foods: Are they safer? More Nutritious? Mayo Clinic, 2008 - This online article explains the difference between food grown organically vs. conventionally.
• Organic Food Labeling Confusing, Says Consumer Survey, The Gourmet Retailer, 2007 - This article reviews results of a recent consumer survey on organic labeling.
• Organic Food Processing, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University.
• Organic Food Sales Feel the Bite from a Sluggish Economy, USA Today, 2008 - This article examines the effects of the economy on organic food purchases.
• Organic Industry, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland, Australia.
• Organic Link, International Trade Centre - This Web site provides a database for importers and exporters of organic products.
• Organic Marketing Resources, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), NCAT, 2004 - A listing of resources, including prices, sales data and trends, for organic food and fiber products.
• Organic Price Index, Rodale New Farm Institute - Price Index on fruits, grains, herbs and vegetable in several U.S. market places. 
• Organic Production, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
• Organic Products, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), USDA.
  
• Organic Trade Continues to Grow, FAS, USDA, 2008.
• Organics, Food Navigator-USA - Organic news topics on food and beverages are featured.
• Profile of organic crops in Washington State – 2008, Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University, 2009.
• Protecting the integrity of organic grains during harvest, Rodale Institute, 2004 - Develop strict cleaning protocol for harvesting and handling equipment to keep grain clean, pure and uncontaminated.
• Statistical Review of California Organic Agriculture 2000-2005, Agricultural Issues Center, University of California, 2007.
• U.S. Organic Information - Standards, FAS, USDA.
• U.S. organic sales grow by a whopping 17.1 percent in 2008, Organic Trade Association, 2009.
  
• Willingness to Pay for Locally Produced Foods: A customer intercept study of direct market and grocery store shoppers, Ohio State University, 2006.
  
• The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics & Emerging Trends 2009, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), Foundation Ecology & Agriculture (SÖL) and Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Bonn, Germany - Valued at more than $20 billion U.S. in 2007, the North American market accounted for 45 percent of global revenues. The largest market for organic products that year was the country of Germany, followed by the United Kingdom, France and Italy.

Transitioning to Organic

• Farmer Transition Hotline, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) - Call 888-551-GROW (4769) to get an answer to your questions about organic farming and soil building, weed and pest control, livestock and certification paperwork.
• Guide to U.S. Organic Certifiers -  A resource tool/guide provided by the Organic Farming Research Foundation and the New Farm Institute where farmers can find detailed information about organic certifiers accredited by the USDA National Organic Program.
• HowToGoOrganic.com, Organic Trade Association - This website offers two pathways to organic certification: one for producers and one for processors.
• International Certification Services, Inc., Medina, North Dakota - This company, a premier certifier in the global organic industry with operations in several countries, was created to address a cornerstone in the organic movement: fostering strong relationships and trust between the producers and consumers of food.
• Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) - Through a toll-free organic farmers’ hotline, workshops, organic certification services and other methods, MOSES provides educational resources for organic farmers. Specific resources include the "Guidebook for Organic Certification" (26 pages of common certification questions and answers).
• National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), NCAT - Practical production and planning guides and information on organic agriculture with workbooks and other resources.
• Rodale New Farm Institute - Resources and training on transitioning your farm to organic.

Links to Other Sites

• National Organic Program, AMS, USDA.
  
• Organic Agriculture Program, Iowa State University Extension, Dr. Kathleen Delate, organic specialist, Iowa State University - The Organic Agriculture Program educates producers, consumers and policy makers in the research and extension activities in organic agriculture both on-farm and in the universities.
• The Organic Center - A center that seeks to "generate credible, peer reviewed scientific information and communicate the verifiable benefits of organic farming and products to society."
• Organic Trade Association

Links checked March 2009.