The Organic Trend

"Organic foods now occupy prominent shelf space in the produce and dairy aisles of most mainstream U.S. food retailers. The marketing boom has pushed retail sales of organic foods up to $21.1 billion in 2008 from $3.6 billion in 1997. U.S. organic-industry growth is evident in an expanding number of retailers selling a wider variety of foods, the development of pri- vate-label product lines by many supermarkets, and the widespread introduction of new prod- ucts. A broader range of consumers has been buying more varieties of organic food. Organic handlers, who purchase products from farmers and often supply them to retailers, sell more organic products to conventional retailers and club stores than ever before. Only one segment has not kept pace—organic farms have struggled at times to produce sufficient supply to keep up with the rapid growth in demand, leading to periodic shortages of organic products." 


This excerpt was pulled from a 2009 report from the Economic Research Service through the USDA called "Marketing U.S. Organic Foods: Recent Trends From Farms to Consumers". It is no question this huge increase in the organic trend. It has expanded from small co-op groups to aisles in large retailers like Walmart. In recent years, people are looking for the healthy alternative to things and organic has become the number one answer. People are seeking a way out of the mass amount of genetically modified organisms, foods that are sprayed with pesticides and planted with synthetic fertilizers, and water without sewage sludge. While many trends are made up mostly of hype, the organic trend has substantial research behind it. There are a lot of websites, blogs, and stores out there that can inform you more on the ins and outs of organic shopping, eating and living.