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11 Organic Food Industry Statistics and Trends

As more people than ever before become conscious about the foods they are eating, the organic food industry continues to grow globally at a record pace. This fruitful market has some incredible statistics that not only support eating these foods as a healthful approach to life, but that this industry is also a good place to invest your money.

Organic Industry Trends

In just 20 years, the organic food industry has grown from $1 billion per year in sales to $26 billion per year in sales.

The reason behind wanting to buy organic foods is simple: people don’t want to be ingesting chemicals, insecticides, and other pesticides when they eat a meal. Simple produce washing can eliminate some of these items, but it cannot eliminate chemicals that have bonded directly with the food. The fears of eating these chemicals, whether you feel they are justified or not, is at the heart of these explosive organic food industry statistics.

Growth Statistics

1. In 2010, the last year in which reliable data is available, organic food sales grew 11.8% from the previous year.
2. Organic produce accounts for over 11% of total produce sales in the country as of 2010.
3. According to the USDA, there were 4.8 million acres dedicated to the production of organic produce in 2008, the last year for which data is posted.

Takeaway: When people get sick from the foods they eat, it makes sense to look at alternatives to prevent any food-bourne illness from entering their home. Although organic foods also have a risk of creating illness, this sickness won’t be caused by something chemically-based and that relieves consumer’s worries in some ways that traditional groceries just cannot do.

Additional Organic Food Industry Statistics

1. Over 91 million acres of land were dedicated to the production of organic foods and livestock around the world in 2009, which was a 2% increase over the previous year.

2. Australia has the most acres of land dedicated to the production of organic foods with nearly 30 million dedicated acres of land.

3. Global sales of organic foods reached $54.9 billion, which is a global increase of nearly 10% from the previous year.

4. California leads the United States with the most land dedicated to the organic production of food. Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana round out the Top 5 producers in the US.

5. 54% of all organic foods are sold in mass market retailers and grocers.

6. Natural retailers accounted for 39% of the global market for organic food sales.

7. Only 1.5% of layer hens in the United States are certified to come from organic sources, while only 2.7% of US dairy cows are certified to be organic.

8. Denmark, Switzerland, and Austria eat the most organic foods out of any other country in the world today.

Takeaway: The organic food industry is growing, but it has a long way to go in many food sectors, especially animal-based sectors. Despite this, however, sales continue to be strong and grow and this will encourage more growth in all organic food sectors.

Organic Industry Facts

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