PRODUCTION
“ Farmers are seeing there is a demand for it , there is support from the local community . I think more people are becoming aware that buying local is that much more important .”
The evidence is not just anecdotal , and neither is the demand — analysts and industry experts agree that the organics industry is growing , in no small part as a response to changing diet trends and increased consumer interest . The USDA notes that today organic products are a $ 35 billion business , available at 3 out of 4 grocery stores in the United States and comprising 4 percent of total US food sales ( up substantially from 1 percent in 2007 ). In 2014 , the USDA encouraged this growth
by nearly doubling federal support to organic agriculture to a total of $ 180 million with the latest Farm Act incarnation , providing even further incentive for growers to consider allotting some ( or even all ) of their production to organic methods .
Investment research firm Morningstar is also optimistic about the potential of this current trajectory — in a newly published report , the firm predicts further single digit sales growth annually over the next 25 years , with organics reaching 14 percent of total sales by 2038 . But while that growth seems certain , it ’ s not even or effortless . As consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers are enticed further into the
12 March 2015