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Readings on this page are organized by topic:
Organic Farming
U.S.
Organic Farm Sector Continues to Expand—Organic
agriculture is expanding rapidly in the United States,
as consumer interest continues to gather momentum and
new organic production and marketing systems evolve.
This article looks at changes in organic crop acreage
from 1997-2003. Amber Waves (3/06).
Risk
and Risk Management In Organic Agriculture: View of
Organic Farmers—Organic farmers from different
regions of the United States identified a wide range
of risks to their operations in a series of focus groups
during 2001and 2002 facilitated by the University of
Maryland in cooperation with USDA's
Economic Research Service. Focus group participants saw
contamination of organic production from genetically-modified
organisms as a major risk. Participants who had used
crop insurance, mostly grain and cotton producers, expressed
the need for insurance to reflect the higher prices received
for organic crops. Participants with small fruit and
vegetable farms were skeptical about the usefulness of
crop insurance for their type of operation. (6/04).
U.S. Organic Farming
in 2000-2001: Adoption of Certified Systems—U.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).
Organic
Agriculture: Gaining Ground—Organic agriculture
is expanding rapidly in the United States, as consumer
interest continues to gather momentum and new organic
production and marketing systems evolve. In the wake
of USDA's implementation of national organic standards
in October 2002, continued growth in the industry is
expected. Amber Waves (2/03).
U.S.
Organic Farming: A Decade of Expansion —American
farmland under organic management has grown steadily
for the last decade, with acreage for major crops more
than doubling between 1992 and 1997, and again between
1997 and 2001. Certified organic pasture (including
ranchland) also doubled between 1997 and 2001. USDA's
national organic standards, which took effect in October
2002, incorporate an ecological approach to farming
and are expected to generate further interest in organic
products. Agricultural Outlook (11/02).
U.S. Organic Farming
Emerges in the 1990s: Adoption of Certified Systems—Farmers
have been developing organic farming systems in the
U.S. for decades. State and private institutions
also began emerging during this period to set organic
farming standards and provide third-party verification
of label claims, and legislation requiring national
standards was passed in the 1990s. This report updates
U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates of land
farmed with organic practices during 1992-94 with
1997 estimates, and provides new State- and crop-level
detail. AIB-770 (6/01).
Organic
Wheat Production in the United States: Expanding Markets
and Supplies—Describes
the emerging markets and price premiums for organically
grown wheat crops, as well as the production and
distribution challenges posed by these crops. The
article also
examines the competition for international organic
wheat markets and other U.S. organic export and policy
issues. Wheat Situation and Outlook Yearbook (3/01).
U.S.
Organic Agriculture Gaining Ground—Presents
data on U.S. organic crop acreage and livestock numbers
in 1997, an update from earlier estimates for 1992-94.
During the 1990's, certified organic cropland more
than doubled, while an organic livestock sector began
to emerge. Agricultural
Outlook (4/00).
Organic
Fruit Growers Survey—Shows the results of
a USDA survey of certified organic fruit growers
in the United States in 1995, including the size
of their operation, use of various pest and nutrient
management practices, marketing channels, and information
sources. Resources
and Environmental Indicators Update (6/97).
Organically
Grown Vegetables: U.S. Acreage and Markets Expand
During the 1990's (text only; the special article
is toward the back of the report)—Reports on
the increase in organic acreage in top vegetable-producing
States and the limited amount of publicly available
wholesale price information on organic produce. Vegetable
Situation and Outlook (5/97).
Organic
Vegetable Growers Surveyed in 1994—Shows
the results of a USDA survey of certified organic
vegetable growers in the United States in 1994, including
the size of their operation, use of various pest
and nutrient management practices, marketing channels,
and information sources. More detail is contained
in a 1998 American Journal
of Alternative Agriculture article (vol. 13, no.
2),
"Organic vegetable production in the U.S.: Certified
growers and their practices." Resources and
Environmental Indicators Update (5/96).
Organic Markets and Price Premiums
Organic
Price Premiums Remain High—Recent trends in
price premiums for broccoli and carrots suggest that
even though certified organic acreage is rising rapidly,
demand appears to be growing fast enough so that farmers
and wholesalers are maintaining a large organic premium
for these products. Amber Waves (9/05).
Price Premiums
Hold on as U.S. Organic Produce Market Expands—Price
premiums for organic products have contributed to growth
in certified organic farmland and, ultimately, market
expansion. 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.
This article explores price premiums and market margins
for a limited set of fresh produce items—carrots,
broccoli, and mesclun mix (5/05).
Organic
Food Industry Taps Growing American Market—American
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).
Recent Growth Patterns
in the U.S. Organic Foods Market—As consumer
interest in organic foods continues to gather momentum
in the U.S., many firms are specializing in growing,
processing, and marketing an ever-widening array
of organic products. This report provides economic
research on recent growth patterns in the U.S. organic
sector, by market category, and a description of
the marketing channels for major organic commodity
groups. It summarizes USDA research, regulatory,
and other ongoing programs on organic agriculture.
AIB-777 (9/02).
Tracking
Wholesale Prices for Organic Produce—Organic
agriculture is one of the fastest growing segments
of the U.S. food sector. But collection of data (e.g.,
on prices) 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).
National
Demand for Organic and Conventional Baby Food—Analyzes
sales of organic and conventional baby food in mainstream
supermarkets during the 1990s. National-level scanner
data are used to assess market shares and price premiums,
as well as to estimate price and expenditure elasticities
(7/01).
Demand
for Organic and Conventional Beverage Milk—Examines
the sale of organic and conventional milk in mainstream
supermarkets. National-level scanner data for 1996-99
are used to assess market shares and price premiums,
as well as to estimate price and expenditure elasticities
(7/00).
Organic
Foods: Niche Marketers Venture into the Mainstream—The
organic industry has grown at a remarkable rate during
the past several years. Average annual growth in
organic food sales is expected to continue at 20-24
percent into the next decade. Rapid growth in demand
presents the organic industry with a major challenge--to
ensure an adequate supply while maintaining product
integrity as commodities move along the marketing
chain. USDA’s proposed national
organic standards, expected to be finalized this year,
will provide a national definition of organic production,
which is among the essential elements for assuring
product integrity. Agricultural Outlook (6/00).
Organic
Food Markets in Transition—For
the past several years, the organic foods industry
has been growing at a remarkable 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 (4/00).
Demand
for Frozen Vegetables: A Comparison of Organic and
Conventional Products (text only; the special
article is toward the back of the report)—Presents
analysis on sales growth, market share, and price
premia of organic frozen broccoli, green beans, green
peas, sweet corn, and french fries as compared with
their conventional counterparts.
Vegetables and Specialties Situation and Outlook
(11/98).
Demand
for Organic and Conventional Frozen Vegetables—Compares
the market shares and prices of organic and conventional
frozen vegetables (broccoli, green beans, green peas,
and sweet corn) using national supermarket scanner data
for 1990-96. Price and expenditure elasticities are estimated
using the almost ideal demand system (8/98).
Consumers
Pay a Premium for Organic Baby Foods—Presents
results from an economic study on what product characteristics
consumers consider important when they purchase baby
food. Organic was a major characteristic consumers
value in baby food, as was the lack of added fillers
such as modified starches. FoodReview (5/97).
Direct-to-Consumer Markets
Organic
Produce, Price Premiums, and Eco-Labeling in U.S. Farmers'
Markets—The popularity of farmers' markets
in the United States has grown concurrently with organic
production and consumer interest in locally and organically
produced foods. This research, based on interviews
with 210 market managers, describes the significance
of these markets as outlets for many organic farmers,
and recent shifts in relationships between organic
growers, market managers, and customers (4/04).
Organic
Marketing Features Fresh Foods and Direct Exchange—Examines
the trends in organic food sales through various marketing
channels, including the direct-to-consumer markets,
which are used by a higher proportion of organic farmers
than other farmers. FoodReview (1/01).
Policy
EU
and U.S. Organic Markets Face Strong Demand Under
Different Policies—Many European Union (EU)
countries have
"green payments" available for transitioning
and continuing organic farmers. By contrast, the U.S.
Government has largely taken a free-market approach
to the organic sector. Despite the different approaches,
both regions have large retail markets for organic foods.
For the full report, see Market-Led
Growth vs. Government-Facilitated Growth: Development
of the U.S. and EU Organic Agricultural Sectors. Amber
Waves (2/06), WRS-0505 (8/05).
The
2002 Farm Bill: Organic Agriculture Provisions—Presents
a summary of the provisions to assist organic crop
and livestock producers with production and marketing,
which include several first-time provisions for research
and technical assistance (6/02).
The Economics of Food
Labeling—Traces the economic theory behind
food labeling and presents three case studies, including
organic agriculture, in which the government has
intervened in labeling decisions. AER-793 (1/01.)
2008 Farm Act Program Provisions
Clarkson, Lynn. 2007. Statement of the President of
Clarkson Grain Co., Inc. Subcommittee on Horticulture
and Organic Agriculture—Public Hearing. 2007. "Review
of economic impacts of production, processing, and marketing
of organic agricultural products." 110th Congress
2007-2008, Witness
Opening Statements, House Committee on Agriculture, April 18.
Drinkwater, L.E., P. Wagoner, and M. Sarrantonio. 1998. "Legume-based
cropping systems have reduced carbon and nitrogen losses," Nature 396:
262-265.
Duram, L. A. 2006. Organic
farmers in the U.S.: Opportunities, realities and barriers. Online. Crop Management doi:10.1094/CM-2006-0921-03-RV.
Mäder, Paul, Andreas Fliebach, David Dubois, Lucie
Gunst, Padruot Fried, and Urs Niggli. 2002. "Soil
Fertility and Biodiversity in Organic Farming," Science, Vol.
296. no. 5573, pp. 1694 – 1697, May 31.
Reganold, John P., Jerry D. Glover, Preston K. Andrews
and Herbert R. Hinman. 2001. "Sustainability
of Three Apple Production Systems," Nature 410, 926-930,
April 19.
Sooby, Jane, Jonathon Landeck, and Mark Lipson. 2007. "2007
National Organic Research Agenda—Soils, Pests, Livestock,
Genetics: Outcomes from the Scientific Congress on Organic
Agricultural Research (SCOAR)," Organic Farming Research
Foundation, Santa Cruz, CA.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing
Service. 2000. "National
Organic Program; Final Rule, 7 CFR Part 205," Federal
Register, December 21.
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