Organic growers have difficulty meeting demand, USDA reports

Demand for organic food has been outpacing the ability of U.S. farms to supply it, according to USDA economists.

Forty-four percent of organic handlers reported short supplies of ingredients in 2004, the economists said in a report on the state of the industry.

Thirteen percent of the organic companies said they couldn't meet demand for at least one of their products.

Organic means costly

You'll just set some crops and let nature take its course, right?

Oh, so wrong.

“People really don't know what goes into this,” said Anthony Owens, who grows 96 acres of apples and 41 acres of vegetables and melons in Henderson County — all organically. “My famous quote is, ‘I've learned to become part farmer, part scientist.' People don't realize that organic growing requires so much more hands-on knowledge and research.”

Organic food faces new rules

The Canadian organic industry is preparing for the long-awaited National Organic Regulations.

The organic market has long been crowded with private standards, voluntary national standards and international certifications, including the United States Department of Agriculture's certifications and the European organic certifications.

How to buy the best organic foods

Americans spent close to $28 billion in 2008 on organic edibles, up from $1 billion in 1990, according to The Organic Trade Association. And organic foods remain an area of growth even with the rising cost of grocery items and tougher economic times.

If you're fueling these double-digit sales, you likely already have your reasons for buying organic. Even so, recent changes to America's food buying habits -- the rise of the local-food movement, increased awareness about foods' carbon footprint (the amount of greenhouse gasses released when producing and transporting goods) -- may leave you wondering where organic foods fit into a better-for-the-environment equation.

10 reasons to choose organic

When you step into a shop it’s easy to feel bewildered by the sheer number of ethical, healthy, green and animal friendly options available. The great thing about organic is – it ticks every box. Simple. When you consider all the different benefits organic offers, it all adds up to genuine good value. So, why choose organic?