Organic Agriculture

Organic agriculture is a method of producing crops without synthetically derived chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Indeed, soil fertility is the central goal of organic farming, as healthy soil produces abundant crops and diminishes the occurrence of pests. Preemptive measures focusing on soil quality are the main way that organic farmers reduce the need for chemical inputs.

Organic farmers use techniques such as crop rotation (changing the crops grown in a field each season) to build healthy fertile soil that has fewer pest problems. Organic farming techniques may also include the use of beneficial insects such as ladybugs to destroy crop-eating aphids. Likewise, companion cropping of certain plants together helps ward off pests.

Organic farming is also based on diversity: Growing a large number of crops both for ecological diversity and for sales diversity. Organic farming is unique in terms of crop choice, planning, harvesting, and marketing. Marketing is accomplished through specific channels as farmers seek out independent sales outlets, often selling to numerous wholesalers, brokers, or directly to consumers. Such direct marketing activities are exemplified in organic farmer participation in farmers' markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), both of which have increased rapidly in the past decade.

Organic farming is distinct from “conventional agriculture,” which is based on chemical applications and large-scale specialized production of one or two crops. Indeed the geographic distribution of organic cropland varies substantially from the patterns of conventional production. For example, 80 percent of U.S. conventional cropland is in just four crops: Corn, wheat, hay, and soybeans, but these crops represent less than half of certified organic cropland. On the other hand, organic vegetables comprise 12 percent of certified organic cropland, compared to only 1 percent of total U.S. cropland.

These cropping variations are seen in regional variation as well, with the Pacific and mountain regions comprising two-thirds of organic cropland, but only one-third of total U.S. cropland. The opposite is seen in the Corn Belt, which comprises only 11 percent of certified organic cropland, but represents 25 percent of total U.S. cropland. Overall, organic farmers grow more types of crops and more diverse crops that are not common among conventional farmers in the same region. It is a challenge for organic farmers to identify reliable, distinct organic marketing avenues that will provide the necessary price premiums on the numerous crops they grow.

Estimates place the growth of U.S. organic markets at 20 percent annually since 1990. The year 2000 marked the first year that more organic foods were sold in mainstream supermarkets than in any other venue. In fact, three-fourths of conventional grocery stores now carry some organic food. Natural food stores and direct marketing continue to play a role in the distribution of organic products. Organic food sales are led by fresh produce, nondairy beverages, breads and grains, packaged foods, and dairy products. Organic dairy items increased by 500 percent in the 1990s as a result of consumers seeking to avoid rBGH, a genetically engineered hormone injected to increase milk production in convention dairy cows. Sales of organic snacks, candy, and frozen foods have increased by 70 percent in recent years.

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