MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT
Consumer demand drives growth in the organic food sector – Markets for organic vegetables, fruits, and herbs have been increasing for decades in the United States, and fresh produce is still the top-selling organic category in retail sales. Although the annual growth rate for organic food sales fell from the double-digit range in 2008 as the U.S. economy slowed, its 7.4-percent growth rate in 2012 was more than double the annual growth rate forecast for all food sales in 2012.
Virginia Organic Agriculture – Census of Agriculture Report 2007
USDA Organic Production Survey - The 2008 Organic Production Survey provides acreage, production, and sales data for a variety of
organic crop and livestock commodities as well as information on organic production expenses and organic production and marketing practices. It is the first organic production and practices survey conducted on the national level by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Organic Certification in Virginia
Virginia Certified Organic Resource Guide
Virginia Certified Organic Producers
The Organic Center - The Organic Center’s mission is to generate credible, peer reviewed scientific information and communicate the benefits of organic farming and products to society.
Opportunities in Agriculture ~ Transitioning to Organic Production
NRCS EQIP: What You Need to Know About the Organic Initiative
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) program is administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The program provides assistance for new and existing organic producers to implement conservation practices new to their farm, including conservation crop rotations, cover cropping, nutrient management, pest management, prescribed grazing, and forage harvest management. The 2012 EQIP Organic Initiative provides financial and technical support to help producers plan and implement conservation practices to support their organic operations in being more environmentally sustainable.