The continued growth of organic demand is prompting a need to increase organic production. Organic sales hit a new record of nearly $62 billion in 2020, following an overall trend of yearly increases in sales value and volume. Food sales alone accounted for $56 billion of the total value of the organic sector. Co-Founder of the Organic Produce Network, Tonya Antle noted that shifting more conventional acreage into organic may be required to meet the increasing demand for organic products.
“There’s not a lot more land out there. If we’re only one percent of total U.S. farmland, then we’re going to have to look at converting more conventional land into organic. I’ve always been one to invite conventional farmers to learn more about how to become an organic farmer and to learn how to transition from conventional to organic,” said Antle. “Because we need a bigger tent to grow and meet the demands of the future.”
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