Demand for organic food creating new ‘gold rush’ for producers

‘The demand for organic food has grown so dramatically in recent years that experts are likening it to a “gold rush mentality,” as producers scramble to transition their fields to earn organic certification.
2015 saw a 12 percent rise in organic sales over the previous year, reaching $6.2 billion. The increase is even more dramatic when viewed over the longer term; organic spending has risen by 72 percent since 2008. Farmers are struggling to keep up with the surge in demand for organic food, with the proportion of American crop land devoted to organic production sitting at a measly 1 percent.
While the prospect of a greater organic food supply in the future is good news for consumers, some growers have expressed concern that they will be outbid for sources of organic feed as bigger firms enter the fray. In fact, some food giants are already offering financial incentives to spur more farmers to transition to organic.’
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