Thanks to seemingly unquenchable consumer demand, the U.S. organic industry tallied sales of $43.3 billion in 2015, up 11 percent from the previous year and the latest in a string of records. Nearly 5 percent of all food sold in the nation was organic, said the Organic Trade Association, which complied the annual survey.
Food accounted for $39.7 billion of the sales, up 11 percent. Non-food products totaled $3.6 billion, up 13 percent. Organic fruits and vegetables were the largest segment, with more than one-third of food sales, followed by dairy at 15 percent.
“Farm fresh foods – produce and dairy – are driving the market,” said OTA chief executive Laura Batcha. “The organic market looks like a healthy plate.”
Organic fiber led the growth in non-food products.
Growth in sales was constrained by limits in raw materials. “Dairy and grains were two areas where growth could have been even more robust in 2015,” said OTA. At present, 1 percent of U.S. cropland is organic. OTA said the industry recognizes the need to secure additional organic acreage, help farmers make the three-year transition to organic production, and encourage new farmers to farm organically.