Sales of organic products were up 13% in 2021 compared with 2019, a new organic survey from the USDA reports.
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service said the 2021 Organic Survey showed total sales of $11.2 billion in organic products, an increase of $1.28 billion, or 13%, from 2019, according to a news release. There were 17,445 certified organic farms in the 2021 survey, a 5% increase from 2019, the survey said.
California continued to lead the nation in certified organic sales with $3.55 billion, representing about 32% of the U.S. total, according to the release.
California also led all states with 3,061 certified farms and 813,710 certified acres, the release said. Washington ($1.14 billion), Pennsylvania ($1.09 billion), Texas ($572 million) and Oregon ($386 million) round out the top five states for value of organic sales, the survey indicated.
“The continual rise in interest for updated organics data is consistent with the growth of this important sector,” NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer said in the release. “These comprehensive and essential, national- and state-level data are critical for producers, businesses and policymakers in determining growth and trends in the organic industry.”
The USDA said top sectors and commodities in value of sales in 2021 were:
- Livestock and poultry products: $2.86 billion, up 15%
- Milk: $1.63 billion, up 3%
- Vegetables: $1.91 billion, down 8%
- Lettuce: $276 million, down 31%
- Fruits, tree nuts, and berries: $2.2 billion, up 9%
- Apples: $629 million, up 32%
- Livestock and poultry: $2.20 billion, up 32%
- Broiler chickens: $1.51 billion, up 35%
- Field crops: $1.50 billion, up 27%
- Corn for grain: $424 million, up 53%
The survey said other top organic commodities with the greatest gains in value of sales from 2019 were soybeans (122%), blackberries (42%), eggs (38%), onions (24%) and broccoli (24%).
The survey found $2.02 billion in organic products were sold directly to retail markets, institutions and local or regional food hubs. Another $310 million in organic products were sold directly to consumers at farmers markets, on-farm stores and stands, roadside stands or stores, pick-your-own operations, community-supported agriculture farms, and online markets, the release said.
The value of processed or value-added products, such as jam, wine, cheese and meat, accounted for $707 million, the report said.
The survey also asked producers about plans for future production. Twenty-eight percent of farms plan to increase their level of organic production. A total of 1,558 certified organic farms have 196,923 additional acres in the multiyear transition period required for land to become certified as organic, according to the survey. An additional 657 farms not currently certified reported 62,069 acres of land transitioning to organic production, the release said.
The 2021 Organic Survey, conducted in coordination with USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), is a survey of all known U.S. farms and ranches with certified organic production in 2021 as well as those transitioning into organic production.
Additional survey results, as well as the results of previous NASS organic surveys, are available at www.nass.usda.gov/organics and in NASS’ online Quick Stats database, the release said.
