8. US Organic Operations Organic is a $29 billion per year industry, with more than 16,000 certified operations nationwide
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10. Its farms’ annual organic sales, at nearly $73 million, placed Vermont ineighth position in organic sales by state. Twenty-threepercent of Vermont vegetable farms are certified organic About 20percent of Vermont dairy farms are certified organic. Vermont’s 15,929 organic maple trees represented half of the 31,340 maple trees managed organically in the United States in 2008.
14. Newly Organicfamilies, those who only began purchasing organics in the past two years, comprise about 3 in ten US households (32% in 2009, 36% in 2010).
16. Seasoned Organics have been buying organics for more than 5 years and in some cases up to 15 years. They represent about 2 in 10 households (21% in 2009, 16% in 2010.)
18. The size of each buyer segmentremained consistentwith 2009 findings.Newly Organic ExperiencedOrganics Seasoned Organics Non-buyers Q. When did you first buy organic products, if ever? (n=1197) (n=763)
19. US Families are buying more organicsthan ever before 14 Purchases of Organic Foods Compared to 12 Months Ago Compared to 12 months ago… Buying more Buying same amount Buying less Do not buy organics in this category 2009 (n=1197) 2010 (n=763) Base: Total parents Q: Compared to 12 months ago, are you buying more, less or the same amount of organic foods in general?
20. One third say trust in organic products has increased over the past year 15 Changes in Trust of Organic Labeling Increased Decreased Stayed the same Total parents 87% 2009 92% * 2010 Organic Buyers 85% 2009 2010 91% * Base: Total parents Q: Compared to one year ago, has the extent to which you trust that products labeled as “organic” really are organic…
23. Reports Cause Consumers to Question According to a ground-breaking report released by the President’s Cancer Panel in May 2010, choosing organic helpsreduce exposure to environmental chemicals that can increase the risk of contracting cancer.
24. Reports Cause Consumers to Question Studies identify link between prenatal exposure to common pesticides and delayed cognitive development in children Three independent studies found that children whose mothers are exposed to common agricultural pesticides are more likely to experience lower IQ, as well as impaired reasoning and memory Organic agriculture prohibits the use of these pesticides, and all other toxic and persistent chemicals
27. GE Alfalfa Decision Obama Administration approves the unrestricted cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa, sugar beets and amylase corn in three weeks GE alfalfa can now be planted without any federal requirements to prevent contamination of organic and non-GE crops OTAcontinues work to protect organic Consumer Action Alert distributed via email, social media, blogs, newsletters 28,000+ messages (and counting!) messages sent to the White House
28. Consumers Want GMO Labeling A recent MSNBC Health poll asked the question, “Do you believe genetically modified foods should be labeled?” Nearly 90 percent of respondents, representing more than 9,000 votes, answered “Yes. It’s an ethical issue — consumers should be informed so they can make a choice!”
29. Organic Can Feed the World “We have to maintain a supply of healthy food when there is mounting pressure on every element affecting the farming process. Soils are being depleted, demand for water is growing even more voracious, and our entire system is at the mercy of the increasingly fluctuating price of oil.” Organic an integral part of the long-term solution to global food security
30. Buying Organic is Easy and Affordable TIPSBuy in bulk Shop in season Check out private label Explore farmers markets www.OrganicItsWorthIt.org/Blog/
The market for organic foods has rebounded in 2010 after slowed growth during the reception.SPINS typically reports organic sales based on items with 70%+ organic content. organic growth across all channels: +9.9% Units and +9.9% Dollars. organic growth just in FDM: +11.1% Units and +10.9% Dollars Note: PVL continues to help drive organic sales in FDM.100% organic content items are the fastest growing subset of organic in the Natural channel.
What is the impact of growth in the “industry” on US agricultural sectorThe 2008 Organic Production Survey conducted as a follow-on to the 2007 Census of Agriculture counted 14,540 organic farms and ranches in the United States, according to figures released Feb. 3 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
