Did you know that the organic-food industry is the fastest growing segment of the agricultural market in the country? In fact, nationwide, the organic-food industry has had an annual growth rate of about 20% during the last decade, while the conventional-food industry has grown less than 1%. As the market for organics has grown, so too has the industry, with the number of farmers increasing by about 12% each year. Ever in the thick of a fray, Texas is down in the dirt with the fast pack. Here are some facts about organic agriculture in Texas:
Texas is the second-largest farm state in the country.
The Texas Department of Agriculture has been at the forefront of the organic movement since the 1980s. Texas created its first organic-certification program in 1988, almost a decade before the national standards took effect. Texas was also the first state to adopt a certification program for wool and mohair. It has been instrumental in the design of the National Organic Program, which took effect in 2000.
In 2001 there were 170 certified organic growers in Texas; there are currently about 20 additional certifications pending.
According to a recent report on growth patterns in the U.S. organic-foods market, Texas is the fourth-largest producer of organic fruits and vegetables.
In Texas, acreage devoted to organic agriculture increased from 30,880 in 1997 to 266,320 in 2001. That’s an increase of more than 800%. By far the largest share of this increase, however, is attributed to expanded rangeland for organic beef.
In 2001 there were approximately 3,500 organically raised beef cattle in Texas, making it the national leader in organic-beef production.
Texas leads the country in production of organic peanuts.
Texas is the largest producer of organic cotton in the U.S. In fact, more than two-thirds of the organic cotton grown in the U.S. comes from Texas. Most of this is grown in the Panhandle.
Despite its distinction in some categories, Texas still lags behind other states in terms of its overall course toward organic production; the bottom line is that there is still plenty of room for growth. Texas currently has only about 46,000 acres devoted to organic cropland. Compare this to California’s whopping 146,000 acres. Texas does not even rank in the Top 10 states for total number of operations devoted to organic production. Texas’ 170 organic operations represent only about 2% of the total number of operations nationwide. And the organic industry comprises only a miniscule 1% of statewide agricultural operations.
This article appears in May 2 • 2003.
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