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Consumers buying organic, but US farmers still wary

George Naylor holds an organic apple grown on his farm, Tuesday near Churdan, Iowa. Naylor, along with his wife Patti, began the transition to organic crops in 2014. The demand for organics has increased so fast that the U.S. Department of Agriculture last month committed up to $300 million to help farmers switch from conventional crops. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

CHURDAN, Iowa — In the 1970s when George Naylor said he wanted to grow organic crops, the idea didn’t go over well.

Back then organic crops were an oddity, destined for health food stores or maybe a few farmers markets.

“I told my dad I wanted to be an organic farm- er and he goes, ‘Ha, ha, ha,'” Naylor said, noting it wasn’t until 2014 that he could embrace his dream and begin transitioning from standard to organic crops.

But over the decades, something unexpected happened — demand for organics started increas- ing so fast that it began outstripping the supply produced in the U.S.

Now a new challenge has emerged: It’s not get- ting consumers to pay the higher prices, it’s convinc- ing enough farmers to get past their organic re- luctance and start taking advantage of the revenue pouring in.

Instead of growing to meet the demand, the number of farmers con- verting to organic is actu- ally dropping. Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture committed up to $300 million to recruit and help more farmers make the switch.

“It feels good,” said Chris Schreiner, execu- tive director of the organ- ic-certifying organization Oregon Tilth, referring to the government help. “It’s a milestone in the arc of this work.”

Schreiner, who has worked at the Ore- gon-based organization since 1998, said expand- ing technical training is important given the vast differences in farming land conventionally and organically. Schreiner noted that one farmer told him that converting a con- ventional farmer was like asking “a foot doctor to become a heart surgeon.”

The key difference is the use of synthetic fertiliz- ers and pesticides as well as genetically modified seeds. Most conventional farms rely on those prac- tices but they are banned at organic farms. Instead, organic farmers must control weeds and pests with techniques such as rotating different crops and planting cover crops that squeeze out weeds and add nutrients to the soil.

Crops can only be deemed organic if they are grown on land that hasn’t been treated with synthetic substances for three years. During that period, farmers can grow crops, but they won’t get the extra premium that accompanies organic crops.

According to the USDA, the number of convention- al farms newly transition- ing to organic production dropped by about 70% from 2008 to 2019. Organ- ic comprises about 6% of overall food sales, but only 1% of the country’s farmland is in organic production, with foreign producers making up the gap.

In the U.S, “There are so many barriers to farm- ers making that leap to organic,” said Megan De- Bates, vice president of government affairs for the Organic Trade Asso- ciation.

While farmers seem hesitant, U.S. consum- ers aren’t. Annual sales of organic products have roughly doubled in the past decade and now top $63 billion, according to the Organic Trade Associ- ation. Sales are projected to climb up to 5.5% this year.

That growth is clear to anyone pushing a cart in an average supermarket, past bins of organic apples and bananas, through dairy and egg sections and along shelves brim- ming with organic beef and chicken.

The new USDA effort would include $100 million toward helping farmers learn new techniques for

growing organic crops; $75 million for farmers who meet new conserva- tion practice standards; $25 million to expand crop insurance options and re- duce costs; and $100 mil- lion to aid organic supply chains and develop mar- kets for organics.

Nick Andrews, an Ore- gon State University ex- tension agent who works with organic farmers, called the USDA effort a “game changer.” It should be especially attractive to farmers with small par- cels of land because the added value of organic crops makes it possible to make significant mon- ey off even 25 to 100 acre farms — much smaller than the commercial op- erations that provide most of the country’s produce.

“I’ve seen organic farm- ers keep families in busi- ness who otherwise would go out of business,” An- drews said.CHURDAN, Iowa — In the 1970s when George Naylor said he wanted to grow organic crops, the idea didn’t go over well.

Back then organic crops were an oddity, destined for health food stores or maybe a few farmers markets.

“I told my dad I wanted to be an organic farm- er and he goes, ‘Ha, ha, ha,'” Naylor said, noting it wasn’t until 2014 that he could embrace his dream and begin transitioning from standard to organic crops.

But over the decades, something unexpected happened — demand for organics started increas- ing so fast that it began outstripping the supply produced in the U.S.

Now a new challenge has emerged: It’s not get- ting consumers to pay the higher prices, it’s convinc- ing enough farmers to get past their organic re- luctance and start taking advantage of the revenue pouring in.

Instead of growing to meet the demand, the number of farmers con- verting to organic is actu- ally dropping. Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture committed up to $300 million to recruit and help more farmers make the switch.

“It feels good,” said Chris Schreiner, execu- tive director of the organ- ic-certifying organization Oregon Tilth, referring to the government help. “It’s a milestone in the arc of this work.”

Schreiner, who has worked at the Ore- gon-based organization since 1998, said expand- ing technical training is important given the vast differences in farming land conventionally and organically. Schreiner noted that one farmer told him that converting a con- ventional farmer was like asking “a foot doctor to become a heart surgeon.”

The key difference is the use of synthetic fertiliz- ers and pesticides as well as genetically modified seeds. Most conventional farms rely on those prac- tices but they are banned at organic farms. Instead,

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

Above, George Naylor and his wife Patti walk through a cover crop of clover on their farm, Tuesday near Churdan, Iowa. The Naylors began the transition to organic crops in 2014. The demand for organics has increased so fast that the U.S. Department of Agriculture last month committed up to $300 million to help farmers switch from conventional crops.

organic farmers must control weeds and pests with techniques such as rotating different crops and planting cover crops that squeeze out weeds and add nutrients to the soil.

Crops can only be deemed organic if they are grown on land that hasn’t been treated with synthetic substances for three years. During that period, farmers can grow crops, but they won’t get the extra premium that accompanies organic crops.

According to the USDA, the number of convention- al farms newly transition- ing to organic production dropped by about 70% from 2008 to 2019. Organ- ic comprises about 6% of overall food sales, but only 1% of the country’s farmland is in organic production, with foreign producers making up the gap.

In the U.S, “There are so many barriers to farm- ers making that leap to organic,” said Megan De- Bates, vice president of government affairs for the Organic Trade Asso- ciation.

While farmers seem hesitant, U.S. consum- ers aren’t. Annual sales of organic products have roughly doubled in the past decade and now top $63 billion, according to the Organic Trade Associ- ation. Sales are projected to climb up to 5.5% this year.

That growth is clear to anyone pushing a cart in an average supermarket, past bins of organic apples and bananas, through dairy and egg sections and along shelves brim- ming with organic beef and chicken.

The new USDA effort would include $100 million toward helping farmers learn new techniques for

growing organic crops; $75 million for farmers who meet new conserva- tion practice standards; $25 million to expand crop insurance options and re- duce costs; and $100 mil- lion to aid organic supply chains and develop mar- kets for organics.

Nick Andrews, an Ore- gon State University ex- tension agent who works with organic farmers, called the USDA effort a “game changer.” It should be especially attractive to farmers with small par- cels of land because the added value of organic crops makes it possible to make significant mon- ey off even 25 to 100 acre farms — much smaller than the commercial op- erations that provide most of the country’s produce.

“I’ve seen organic farm- ers keep families in busi- ness who otherwise would go out of business,” An- drews said.

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