An organic industry data service says the U.S. now has 6.5 million acres of organic certified land. A report from Mercaris (Meh-CAR-us) reveals that, as of August 2018, there are 17,648 U.S. farms certified as compliant with the USDA National Organic Program standards for organic row crop production. The total represents a three percent increase from 2017 or 460 new operations across the country.
Total land increased two percent from 6.4 million acres. States along the East Coast, through the Corn Belt, and through the West reported the largest gains in total certified operations, with the three regions adding a combined 430 certified organic crop operations.
The data company calls the report the only trusted information source on organic farmland statistics because the Department of Agriculture?s National Agricultural Statistics Service will not be issuing data on organic acreage for 2018.
