The organic industry’s State of Organic Seeds report shows no meaningful improvement in organic producers using more organic seed compared to five years ago. The report, announced this week along with the National Organic Research Agenda, concludes the lack of progress puts at risk the viability of the organic seed industry and the integrity of the organic label.
Released by the Organic Farming Research Foundation and Organic Seed Alliance, the reports are published every five years to examine organic farming challenges across the United States.
In 2019, the organizations were jointly awarded funding from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Organic Research and Extension Initiative for the research projects.
The organic food market experienced incredible growth in 2020, with sales surpassing $56 billion, a 12 percent increase from 2019. The organic seed market has also grown in recent years due to demand for organic food, as well as a dramatic rise in gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(From the National Association of Farm Broadcasters)