Tricia Dines
--------------- Forwarded Message ---------------
From: PANNA InfoPubs, INTERNET:paninfopubs@igc.apc.org
To: Patricia Dines, 73652,1202
To: Recipients of conference <panups@igc.apc.org>
Date: Fri, Jul 12, 1996, 2:26 PM
Subject: PANUPS: Organic Farming Survey
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P A N U P S
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Pesticide Action Network
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Organic Farming Survey
July 12, 1996
Forty-nine per cent of U.S. organic farmers intend to
increase their organic acreage over the next two to three
years while only 4% plan to decrease acreage, according to a
recent survey by the Organic Farming Research Foundation
(OFRF). The survey asked growers about a range of issues,
including research priorities, marketing strategies, crop and
livestock production, pest and fertility management, water
usage, challenges to organic production, labor and
demographics. In late 1995, OFRF mailed the survey to over
3,000 certified organic farmers selected from membership
lists of verification organizations throughout the United
States. Of these, 27% were returned from growers in 44 states.
The survey showed that U.S. organic farmers grow and market a
diverse variety of products, including fruit and vegetable
crops, field crops, tree crops and livestock and animal
products such as dairy goods, honey and wool. Forty per cent
plan to increase the number of products they grow and market,
while only 8% intend to decrease their variety. Organic
farmers also rely on a range of marketing outlets, including
direct on-farm sales, farmers' markets, community supported
agriculture (CSA), grower cooperatives, retail stores,
restaurants and wholesale distributors. More than half of the
farmers said they plan to increase their number of marketing
outlets.
The majority of farmers stated that lack of information about
organic production (71%) and uncooperative or uninformed
extension agents (59%) were significant barriers to
production when they began organic farming. According to the
survey, organic farmers are most interested in research
regarding the relationship of growing practices to crop
quality and nutrition; the relationship of crop rotations to
fertility and pest management; and consumer demand for
organics. Approximately 63% of respondents indicated that
they conduct their own research projects on-farm, and 19%
have worked with collaborators in formal research settings
leading to published results. Over two thirds of growers
stated that they would be interested in formally
participating in on-farm research projects if funding were
made available.
Other highlights of the survey included:
-- Organic farms are family farms: 83% of respondents are
sole proprietors or family partnerships; approximately 90%
have either one or two employees, including themselves,
involved in farm management. Each farmer has on average 2.6
salaried and 10 hourly employees.
--Approximately one third of the respondents grossed between
$15,000 and $100,000 in organic farming income and 18%
grossed more than $100,000. Approximately half of the
respondents grossed less than $15,000 in organic product
sales.
-- Fifty-six per cent of respondents began farming with
organic production and 39% began with conventional practices,
later making the transition to organic.
Source/Contact: "Preliminary Results of the 1995 National
Organic Farmers' Survey," April 1996. Organic Farming
Research Foundation, P.O. Box 440, Santa Cruz, CA 95061;
phone (408) 426-6606; fax (408) 426-6670; email
research@ofrf.org. To order the complete survey results send
US$10 to OFRF.
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