Organic food sales in the U.S. were estimated at $37 billion dollars last year. The Nutrition Business Journal says organic sales accounted for five percent of overall food sales in the country.
This increase comes as USDA reports the number of certified organic operations in America increased 12 percent to 21,000. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the top-selling category, followed by dairy products. Most of those fruits and vegetables don’t travel far before they’re sold. The first point of sale for 80 percent of those products less than 500 miles from the farms. The top ten states for sales in 2014 accounted for 78 percent of products bought, and California led the list at number one. A seperate survey also found that almost 700 farms with no current organic production are transitioning into full-time organic production.