The economic recession has had huge ramifications on both the US and the wider world. One of the most apparent to the average person is the significant drop in income.
The average person in the US now has less to spend on the basics such as food, accommodation and health care than they did in 2007. Therefore, many were surprised to see a significant increase in the purchasing of organically produced food, which can be up to 40% more expensive than mass-produced, un-organic food.
At a recent convention for the organic food industry and organic farmers, Tom Vilsack of the Organic Trade Association said that:
“Organic producers are very entrepreneurial in nature. They’re in a position to create value-added products that provide a wealth of opportunities in rural America.”
Those opportunities have been on the rise since the mid 90s when the industry was valued at just $3.6 billion until the present day, with an estimated industry valuation of just under $30 billion.
Some other interesting figures to emerge, having scrutinized the organic agriculture sector, include the 8% organic growth in 2010 as opposed to the 1% growth of the food industry as a whole and the fact that 40% of farms increased their employee numbers in 2010. 96% of farms plan to either maintain current levels or increase employment in 2011.
While cost cutting measures to increase competitiveness with rival un-organic food companies has been a major concern in the industry, it seems that it might not be much of a problem.
The reason behind the increase in more expensive farming and food production methods is due to societal messages now reverberating in the US and much of the Western world. Global warming and the growing distrust with chemically enhanced food production has led to consumers opting to voluntarily spend more on their shopping bill.
All in all, the future looks very bright for organic farming in the USA.
Dean is our Ireland based journalist and writer with an eye for catching the stories that the mainstream reporters miss. Dean has 56 post(s) at Top Secret Writers
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