US organic food market holding firm

US organic food doing well

The organic food market has taken a series of blows in recent years with growth slowed by the global recession and studies that cite organic products are no better for you than GM-modified foods, however in the US, the organic food market has shown more resilient that anywhere else in the world.

According to Ben Cooper of Just-Food, important regulatory changes in the US have given organic producers hope that other markets haven't provided, and it is because of that that the US organic food market has endured.

These changes included the arrival of Kathleen Merrigan as deputy secretary at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Miles McEvoy’s appointment last year as deputy administrator of the National Organic Program (NOP), which administers organic certification in the US. Both have extensive experience of the organic field, and their knowledge of the market has won them support from organic advocates and producers.

It also helps that current administration seems to be fan of organic farming, be it First Lady Michelle Obama setting up a vegetable garden in the White House grounds or the fact that the NOP’s budget has increased from US$3.9m to $6.9m for the current fiscal year, while its workforce is set to rise from 16 to 31. There are also rumours that the budget make rise to $10 million in the coming fiscal year. 

US organic food sales

In April, the OTA reported that US food sales grew in 2009 by 1.6 percent, but in comparrison organic food sales rose by 5.1 percent. This was atrributed by organic advocates to the "resolve of core organic consumers."

OTA spokesperson Barbara Haumann described the 5.1 percent growth in rise in organic food sales as “very healthy growth in a tough time”, citing core organic consumers who are loyal to the sector who would “sacrifice in other ways before they would even think about not buying organic products”.

However when times are still tight for many people, spending more on organic produce is becoming less of an option.

To read Ben Cooper's full article, "Reform and consumer resilience buoy US organic sector", click here.

Relevant articles:

Organic sales take a hit | Is organic the answer to the food crisis? |  Organic food hoping for a revival

Timon Singh

Timon Singh is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History. He has previously worked for BBC Magazines on BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, the publication for the popular genealogy show.

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