The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a significant increase in the number of certified organic operations, continuing the trend of double-digit growth in the organic sector. According to new data, there are now 21,781 certified organic operations in the United States and 31,160 around the world.
“Organic food is one of the fasting-growing segments of American agriculture,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “As consumer demand for organic products continues to grow, the USDA organic seal has become a leading global standard. The increasing number of organic operations shows that USDA’s strong support for the vibrant organic sector is helping to create jobs and opportunities in rural communities.”
According to data released by the Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP), the number of domestic certified organic operations increased by almost 12% between 2014 and 2015, representing the highest growth rate since 2008 and an increase of nearly 300% since the count began in 2002. The total retail market for organic products is now valued at more than $39 billion in the United States and more than $75 billion worldwide.
The data are publicly available as part of the recently launched Organic Integrity Database, a modernized system for tracking certified organic operations. In the past, the USDA published an updated list of certified organic operations once each year. With the new database, made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill, organic certifiers can add new operations and report changes to existing operations at any time, allowing USDA to report updated counts of certified organic operations throughout the year.
