The U.S. organic industry hit a new sales record in 2015, according to a report released Wednesday by the Organic Trade Association. With sales up 11 percent, the organic industry hit $43.4 billion in total sales, $39.7 billion of which were organic foods.
“The industry saw its largest annual dollar gain ever in 2015, adding $4.2 billion in sales, up from the $3.9 billion in new sales recorded in 2014,” OTA said. Nearly 5 percent of all food sold in the U.S. is organic. “As consumer demand continues to grow, USDA is here to support producers and help them access the hunger for American-grown organic products,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, noting that under the Obama administration USDA has made certification more attainable, provided more support for organic operations and expanded international markets.
