Organic agricultural production has become a household name in the United States with the total domestic market valued at more than $39 billion. Globally, organics account for over $75 billion.
Data released as part of the recently debuted Organic Integrity Database shows current certified organic farms in the U.S. now number 21,781, while globally that number sits at 31,160 farms. Dairy fits in as a comfortable piece of this as the new database shows 2,600 operations provide dairy handling or livestock as an organically certified product.
Between 2014 and 2015, the number of organic farms both domestically and globally grew 12 percent. Since the inception of tracking in 2002, the number of certified farms has grown by 300 percent.
Where are these farms located?
The most organic operations call California home. There were 4,460 organic farms in that state in March. Wisconsin, Mexico, New York and Washington round out the top five locations for organic farms.
The introduction of the Organic Integrity Database means consumers and industry people alike can research up-to-date information on organic operations in the country and abroad. The database is updated monthly and details certifiers, operations, locations and organic products offered. It is searchable by each of these criteria.
(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2016
April 11, 2016
