The 2011 Organic Production Survey counted 9,140 certified organic farms and ranches in the United States, comprising 3.6 million acres of land. Total certified organic product sales for the United States was 3.5 billion dollars, up 340 million dollars from 2008. The average organic producer had sales of $414,725 in 2011, compared to $217,675 in 2008. The top three states by number of farms were: California with 1,898, Wisconsin with 870, and New York with 597 certified organic farms.
In 2011, New York’s certified organic farms sold a total of $107 million in organically produced commodities, including $38.5 million in crops sales and $68.3 million in sales of livestock, poultry and their products. Average sales were $186,668 per farm.
Fifty-six percent, or $60.2 million of total organic sales in New York were from milk from cows. Milk cow sales totaled $3.77 million.
Crop sales included over $22.1 million from field crops, $14.5 million from vegetables, and $1.36 million from fruit and berries.
In New York just 10 percent of sales were direct to consumers, via farm stands, farmers’ markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), and other arrangements, while 83 percent of New York organic sales were through wholesale channels, including processors, millers and packers, and grower cooperatives. Seven percent of New York sales were direct-to-retail buyers such as natural food stores, supermarkets, and restaurants. This report, in addition to many others, is available free of charge at our website at www.nass.usda.gov/ny/. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS New York Field Office at 1-800-821-1276.
NASS provides accurate, timely, useful and objective statistics in service to U.S. agriculture. We invite you provide occasional feedback on our products and services. Sign up at http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/subscriptions and look for “NASS Data User Community.” USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
Source: USDA
