Soil Quality Management

Organic Agriculture and Resource Conservation

Go to the Publications page for a complete list of NRCS Soil Quality documents, including Technical Notes, Information Sheets, and Conservation Briefs.

According to Agriculture Information Bulletin No. (AIB777) (September 2002), burgeoning consumer interest in organically grown foods has opened new market opportunities for producers and is leading to a transformation in the organic foods industry. Once a niche product sold in a limited number of retail outlets, organic foods are currently sold in a wide variety of venues including farmers markets, natural product supermarkets, conventional supermarkets, and club stores. Since the early 1990s, certified organic acreage has increased as producers strive to meet increasing demand for organic agricultural and food products in the United States. The dramatic growth of the industry spurred Federal policy to facilitate organic product marketing, and is leading to new government activities in research and education on organic farming systems.

To better understand organic agriculture and how the NRCS and organic producers can cooperate, the following resources are offered:

A series of questions and answers:

• What organic growers need to know about NRCS

• What conservationists need to know about organic growers

List of national agencies and organizations related to organic agriculture:

• Organic Organizations