The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released results of the 2021 Organic Survey.  Sales value of organic agricultural products increased by 12 percent to $11.2 billion.  Hubert Hamernass, NASS Administrator stated, “A continual rise in interest for updated organic data is consistent with the growth of this important sector.”  He added, “These comprehensive and essential national, and state-level data are critical for producers, businesses and policymakers in determining growth and trends in the organic industry.”

Organic products undergoing changes in sales value during 2012 included:

• Milk – up three percent to $1.63 billion

• Vegetables – down eight percent to $1.91 billion

• Fruits, Nuts and Berries – up nine percent to $2.2 billion

• Broiler meat – up 35 percent to $1.51 billion

• Eggs – up 38 percent

It is noted that in an inflationary environment with a 12 percent average rate through the first three quarters of 2022, the value of organic sales for some commodities was under the rate inflation.

Values for organic eggs in 2021 did not reflect the unprecedented rise in price in 2022 from March onwards due to depopulation of flocks as a result of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Readers are referred to the posting on the AEB Nielsen Survey accessed under the STATISTICS Tab.