This is the twenty-fourth installment of the Organic 101 series that explores different aspects of the USDA organic regulations.
Across the country, more and more people are looking for organic options at their local markets. Thanks to the remarkable growth in the number of domestic and international certified organic operations, Americans now have more choices than ever.
In fact, according to data released today by my agency, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), there were 19,474 certified organic producers in the United States and 27,814 certified organic operations around the world at the end of 2014. In just one year, the number of U.S. certified organic operations increased by more than 5 percent. And since the count began in 2002, the number of domestic organic operations has increased by over 250 percent. You can access the full list of certified operations at http://apps.ams.usda.gov/nop/ or download the list in Excel format going back to 2010.
This year, with funding from the 2014 Farm Bill, the National Organic Program (NOP) is developing a modern certified organic operations database that will be updated on a regular basis. The new system, called the Organic Integrity Database, is a major upgrade. It will allow anyone to confirm an operation’s certification status, support market research and supply chain connections between buyers and sellers, enable international verification of an operator’s organic certification status, and establish technology connections with certifiers to provide more accurate and timely data. The initial launch of the modernized system is planned for September 2015.
USDA’s commitment to supporting organic agriculture has been critical to the sector’s continued growth. In addition to protecting the integrity of the organic seal, we are committed to connecting organic farmers and businesses with USDA resources, including conservation assistance, access to loans and grants, funding for organic research and education, and mitigation of pest emergencies. We also administer organic certification cost share programs, which offset the costs of organic certification for U.S. producers and handlers in all 50 states. Learn more at www.usda.gov/organic.
