The Organic Trade Association announced this week that the organic food industry in the United States is nearing a record 5 percent of the country’s total food market—a new milestone. “Throughout America, folks can’t get enough of organic,” the OTA press release starts.
Sales of organic food products reached a new high in 2014, totaling $35.9 billion, which represents an 11 percent increase from the previous year.
But despite the increases, growth in the organic food industry has been incremental.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the agency charged with overseeing organic food production and processing in the country, reported that although they do not keep official statistics on organic food sales, industry data shows its share of the entire food market “has been remarkably stable over the last decade.”
In 2011, organic food sales reached 4 percent of the market share, according to the USDA. It grew to over 4 percent in 2012, and is headed toward 5 percent this year.
