Rising consumer demand reshapes landscape for U.S. organic farmers

Abstract

Total organic-certified land in the United States has trended upward since 2000, reaching 4.89 million acres in 2021. Regional differences in organic agriculture have become less pronounced. Organic acreage and sales historically concentrated in the Pacific region (particularly in California) have expanded across the country, most recently to the Appalachia and Delta regions. As organic agriculture grows, organic producers have experienced increased market access. Conventional grocery retailers have overtaken natural food stores as the most popular outlet for organic food, with 55.6 percent of sales in 2021. Authorized Federal funds to support organic research through USDA projects have increased in the last two decades. Mandatory spending authorization for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative has grown from $3 million in 2002 to $50 million in 2023.