Editing Organic farming (section)

=== Distributors ===

The [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] requires that distributors, manufacturers, and processors of organic products be certified by an accredited state or private agency.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/192533/vgs32901.pdf|title=Using Vertically Coordinated Relationships To Overcome Tight Supply in the Organic Market|last1=Dimitri|first1=Carolyn|last2=Oberholtzer|first2=Lydia|date=October 2008|publisher=USDA|access-date=2016-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518010404/http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/192533/vgs32901.pdf|archive-date=18 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2007, there were 3,225 certified organic handlers, up from 2,790 in 2004.<ref name="ers.usda.gov">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=44432|title=Marketing U.S. Organic Foods: Recent Trends From Farms to Consumers (EIB-58)|first1=Carolyn|last1=Dimitri|first2=Lydia|last2=Oberholtzer|website=[[Economic Research Service]]|date=September 2009}}</ref>

Organic handlers are often small firms; 48% reported sales below $1 million annually, and 22% between $1 and $5 million per year.<ref name="Oberholtzer">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2008-september/us-organic-handlers-mostly-small,-focus-on-fruit-and-vegetables.aspx#.VxTnWRMrI6h|title=USDA Economic Research Service - U.S. Organic Handlers Mostly Small, Focus on Fruit and Vegetables |last1=Dimitri |first1=Carolyn |last2=Oberholtzer |first2=Lydia |website=www.ers.usda.gov|access-date=2016-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426205152/http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2008-september/us-organic-handlers-mostly-small,-focus-on-fruit-and-vegetables.aspx#.VxTnWRMrI6h|archive-date=26 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Smaller handlers are more likely to sell to independent natural grocery stores and natural product chains whereas large distributors more often market to natural product chains and conventional supermarkets, with a small group marketing to independent natural product stores.<ref name="ers.usda.gov"/> Some handlers work with conventional farmers to convert their land to organic with the knowledge that the farmer will have a secure sales outlet. This lowers the risk for the handler as well as the farmer. In 2004, 31% of handlers provided technical support on organic standards or production to their suppliers and 34% encouraged their suppliers to transition to organic.<ref name="auto"/> Smaller farms often join in [[cooperative]]s to market their goods more effectively.

93% of organic sales are through conventional and natural food supermarkets and chains, while the remaining 7% of U.S. organic food sales occur through farmers' markets, [[foodservice]]s, and other marketing channels.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/natural-resources-environment/organic-agriculture/organic-market-overview.aspx|title=USDA Economic Research Service - Organic Market Overview|last=Greene|first=Catherine|website=www.ers.usda.gov|access-date=2016-04-19|archive-date=26 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826120318/http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/natural-resources-environment/organic-agriculture/organic-market-overview.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== Direct-to-consumer sales ====

In the 2012 Census, direct-to-consumer sales equalled $1.3 billion, up from $812 million in 2002, an increase of 60 percent. The number of farms that utilize direct-to-consumer sales was 144,530 in 2012 in comparison to 116,733 in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/2012-census-organic-local/|title=2012 Census Drilldown: Organic and Local Food {{!}} National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition|website=sustainableagriculture.net|date=16 May 2014|access-date=2016-04-19}}</ref> Direct-to-consumer sales include farmers' markets, [[Community-supported agriculture|community supported agriculture]] (CSA), on-farm stores, and roadside farm stands. Some organic farms also sell products direct to retailer, direct to restaurant and direct to institution.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/138324/err128_2_.pdf|title=Direct and Intermediated Marketing of Local Foods in the United States|last=Low|first=Sarah|date=November 2011|publisher=USDA|access-date=2016-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518003010/http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/138324/err128_2_.pdf|archive-date=18 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to the 2008 Organic Production Survey, approximately 7% of organic farm sales were direct-to-consumers, 10% went direct to retailers, and approximately 83% went into wholesale markets. In comparison, only 0.4% of the value of convention agricultural commodities were direct-to-consumers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=44506|title=The Role of Contracts in the Organic Supply Chain: 2004 and 2007 (EIB-69)|first1=Carolyn|last1=Dimitri|first2=Lydia|last2=Oberholtzer|first3=Michelle|last3=Wittenberger|website=[[Economic Research Service]]|date=December 2010}}</ref>

While not all products sold at farmer's markets are certified organic, this direct-to-consumer avenue has become increasingly popular in local food distribution and has grown substantially since 1994. In 2014, there were 8,284 farmer's markets in comparison to 3,706 in 2004 and 1,755 in 1994, most of which are found in populated areas such as the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/detail.aspx?chartId=48561&ref=collection&embed=True|title=Number of U.S. farmers' markets continues to rise|last=Vogel|first=Stephen|date=August 2014|publisher=USDA|access-date=2016-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426162736/http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/detail.aspx?chartId=48561&ref=collection&embed=True|archive-date=26 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>