U.S. Organic
Farming in 2000-2001: Adoption of Certified SystemsU.S.
farmland managed under organic farming systems expanded rapidly
throughout the 1990s, and that pace has continued as farmers strive
to meet consumer demand in both local and national markets. An increasing
number of U.S. farmers are adopting these systems in order to lower
input costs, conserve nonrenewable resources, capture high-value
markets, and boost farm income. This report updates USDA estimates
of land farmed with organic practices during 1997 with estimates
for 2000 and 2001, and provides new estimates on the number of certified
organic operations in each State. AIB-780 (4/03).
The national program, authorized under the Organic Foods Production
Act of 1990, facilitates domestic marketing of organically produced
fresh and processed food, and assures consumers that such products
meet consistent, uniform standards. USDA's Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS) published the final rule implementing this legislation
in December 2000. On
October 21, 2002 the final rule went into effect, requiring
that all but the smallest organic farmers and processors must be
certified by a State or private agency accredited under national
standards. The program establishes:
- National production and handling standards for organically
produced products, including a National List of substances
that can and cannot be used.
- A national-level accreditation program for State and private
organizations who must be accredited as certifying agents
under the USDA national standards for organic certifiers.
- Requirements for labeling products as organic and containing
organic ingredients.
- Rules for importation of organic agricultural products
from foreign programs.
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Organic Agriculture
PosterOrganic Agriculture PosterPrepared to publicize
the new organic rule's implementation, this poster gives the USDA
definition of organic agriculture and presents summary data on growth
in organic markets and the location and size of U.S. organic production.
The Economic Research Service (ERS) has a complete program of research
and publications on the economics of organic production and marketing.
Recent products include:
Research
Reports
U.S. Organic Farming in 2000-2001:
Adoption of Certified SystemsU.S. farmland managed
under organic farming systems expanded rapidly throughout
the 1990s, and that pace has continued as farmers strive to
meet consumer demand in both local and national markets. An
increasing number of U.S. farmers are adopting these systems
in order to lower input costs, conserve nonrenewable resources,
capture high-value markets, and boost farm income. This report
updates USDA estimates of land farmed with organic practices
during 1997 with estimates for 2000 and 2001, and provides
new estimates on the number of certified organic operations
in each State. AIB-780 (4/03). |
Recent Growth Patterns in the U.S.
Organic MarketOrganic farming is one of the fastest growing
segments of U.S. agriculture. As consumer interest continues to
gather momentum many U.S. producers, manufacturers, distributors,
and retailers are specializing in growing, processing, and marketing
an ever-widening array of organic agricultural and food products.
This report summarizes growth patterns in the U.S. organic sector
in recent years, by market category, and describes various research,
regulatory, and other ongoing programs on organic agriculture in
the U.S. Department of Agriculture. AIB-777 (10/02).
U.S. Organic Farming Emerges in
the 1990s: Adoption of Certified SystemsFarmers have been
developing organic farming systems in the United States for decades.
State and private institutions began emerging in the 1990s to set
organic farming standards and provide third-party verification of
label claims, and legislation requiring national standards was passed
in the 1990s. U.S. producers consider organic farming systems in
order to lower input costs, conserve nonrenewable resources, capture
high-value markets, and boost farm income. Organic farming systems
rely on practices such as cultural and biological pest management,
and virtually prohibit synthetic chemicals in crop production and
antibiotics or hormones in livestock production. This report updates
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates of land farmed with
organic practices during 1992-94 with 1997 estimates, and provides
new State-and crop-level detail. AIB-770 (8/01)
Organic Food Markets
in TransitionFor the past several years, the organic foods
industry has been growing at a rate of 20 to 24 percent annually.
Such growth has led to a transformation in the organic foods industry.
A major focus of this report is to determine how new and established
firms are faring in this entrepreneurial climate, and whether they
can expect to coexist and thrive in what is a unique market.
Economics of Food LabelingThe
National Organic Program is a U.S. effort in environmentally-friendly
food labeling for production agriculture. Federal intervention in
food labeling is often proposed with the aim of achieving a social
goal such as improving human health and safety, mitigating environmental
hazards, averting international trade disputes, or supporting domestic
agricultural and food manufacturing industries. Economic theory
suggests that the appropriate role for government in labeling depends
on the type of information involved and the level and distribution
of the costs and benefits of providing that information. This report
traces the economic theory behind food labeling and presents three
case studies in which the government has intervened in labeling
and two examples in which government intervention has been proposed,
including organic labeling. AER-793 (1/01).
Articles
Organic Food
Industry Taps Growing American MarketAmerican consumer
interest in organically grown foods has opened new market opportunities,
leading to a transformation in the organic foods industry. Organic
food is currently sold in a wide variety of venues, including farmers'
markets, natural foods supermarkets, conventional supermarkets,
and club stores. New national organic standards will facilitate
the marketing of organic products to consumers. Agricultural Outlook
(10/02).
Tracking Wholesale
Prices for Organic ProduceOrganic agriculture is one of
the fastest growing segments of the U.S. food sector. But collection
of price data for this segment has lagged the industry's growth.
Wholesale prices for organic produce are occasionally provided in
Market News Service reports published daily by USDA's Agricultural
Marketing Service covering terminal markets in 15 U.S. cities. A
more complete picture of industry price patterns will emerge if
and when data become available for other terminal wholesale markets.
Agricultural Outlook (10/01).
Organic
Marketing Features Fresh Foods and Direct ExchangeIndustry
sources estimate that organic food sales reached $7.8 billion in
2000. Conventional grocery stores began integrating a wider selection
of organic products in the late 1990s and accounted for 49 percent
of total organic sales in 2000, about the same as natural food stores
(48 percent). Direct markets, such as farmers markets, captured
3 percent of total organic sales to U.S. consumers in 2000. Food
Review (7/01).
Data
Certified Organic FarmingProvides
data on organic acreage, and producers for crops and livestock by
State, region, and nationally for 1997, 2000, and 2001, with overall
trend data from 1992. These data accompany U.S.
Organic Farming in 2000-2001: Adoption of Certified Systems AIB-780,
listed above.
Organic Wholesale PricesProvides
wholesale prices for select conventional and organic fresh produce
items in the San Francisco and Boston wholesale markets, based on
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service surveys for 1995-2001.
Briefing
Rooms
Organic Farming and MarketingOffers
an indepth discussion synthesizing ERS research on economic issues
and data that frame analysis of organic production and marketing.
Highlights recent ERS research developments, readings and data,
questions and answers, and related links on organic farming.
Information PolicyThis
briefing room outlines the theory behind information policies such
as labeling and provides links to ERS's work in this area, including
work on organic certification and labeling under the National Organic
Program.
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