Overview
The vast majority of organic commodities pass through the hands of at least one
middleman, also called a handler, on the way from the farmer to the consumer.
Certified organic handlers are certified to handle organic products in
accordance with National Organic
Standards. Organic handlers perform numerous functions, including
packing and shipping, manufacturing and processing, and brokering, wholesaling,
or distributing.
The ERS organic handler database contains select results from
the 2004 Nationwide Survey
of Organic Manufacturers, Processors, and Distributors,
administered by Washington
State University, Social
and Economic Sciences Research Center. The survey covered a variety
of topics related to the
procurement and contracting
of organic products and
ingredients. Data are available on 9 commodity groups, such as
fruit and nuts, and 45
commodities, such as
berries and citrus. The
procurement data include information from 1,038 facilities; the
contracts data include information from
686 facilities that use
contracts.
Data
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Procurement Data
An interactive dataset that provides information about the procurement practices of organic handlers. Search by commodity or location (national, region, and State). Find details about basic characteristics of organic handlers, their purchasing characteristics, and information about their relationship with suppliers, including important supplier attributes. |
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Contract Data
An interactive dataset that provides information about use of written and verbal contracts between organic handlers and their suppliers. Search by commodity. Find out about common contract provisions such as compensation methods and pricing mechanisms. |
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List of Data Tables
Procurement data tables are listed by commodity group and commodity and by region and State. Contract data tables are listed by commodity group and commodity. |
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Related Links
ERS Organic Agriculture Briefing Room—U.S.
producers are turning to certified organic farming systems as a potential way
to lower input costs, decrease reliance on nonrenewable resources, capture
high-value markets and premium prices, and boost farm income.
ERS Organic Farmgate and Wholesale Prices—Farmgate
and wholesale prices for select organic and conventional produce and poultry
items.
USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service,
National Organic Program—National standards that govern the marketing
of organically produced agricultural products.
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