Cornucopia’s Take: The new data assembled in the map below identifies locations of organic farms in the U.S.  One perennial concern is the gap between where the farmers are and where the organic sales happen. Texas, even with its comparative dearth of organic farmers, had the fifth most organic sales in the country in 2016. How does Texas account for such high profits with so few organic operations? One has only to look at operations like Aurora’s Coldwater Dairy in Stratford, Texas.


Where are U.S. organic ops concentrated?
Sustainable Food News

USDA map shows regions with highest share of organic ops

U.S. organic farm production and food-handling operations are concentrated in California, the country’s top organic fruit and vegetable producer, the Northeast, home to many small-scale organic farms, and the Upper Midwest, a major producer of organic milk.

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According to the USDA, Northeast states have the highest share of certified organic farmers, particularly Vermont and Maine, where about 5 to 6 percent of all farmers are certified organic.

Organic processors, manufacturers, and other food-handling operations are concentrated around large metropolitan areas, while certified organic livestock operations are located predominantly in the Great Lakes region.

The top 10 states for organic farm sales accounted for about 75 percent of the total value of all U.S. certified organic commodities sold in 2016. California alone contributed 38 percent of total U.S. organic farm sales.

Story courtesy of the influential daily industry newsletter, Sustainable Food News.  For subscription information: https://www.sustainablefoodnews.com/register.php

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