Organic Facts & Figures

We are proud to embody a large and diverse group of organic growers, producers, and handlers. CCOF certified almost 1,000 crops and products in 2011, representing over 2,300 organic operations. Proudly, we surpassed 1,000,000 certified organic acres in the last year, increasing 49 percent from 734,000 acres in 2010. As the largest organic certifier in the United States, we continue to see organic emerging as a legitimate alternative to conventional foods through the growth in our membership and products.

Key Growth Area: Crops

CCOF saw a dramatic jump in organic pasture and field, up an astonishing 89 percent to 718,450 acres in 2011. Organic berries experienced a 13 percent growth over 2010 acreage, reaching 5,492 certified acres. Almonds continue to be a staple crop for our producers, growing almost 18 percent in the past year to 6,675 certified acres. CCOF clients are leading the way in almond production. Incredibly, organic herbs increased by 274 percent in 2011. CCOF also now certifies 500 acres of organic cotton, up from zero last year. We are delighted to see this slight resurgence of American grown organic cotton. Key West Coast crops, including wine grapes, avocados, and nuts continue to show steady growth.

Key Growth Area: Processed Goods

Organic beer increased by 45 percent in 2011, with producers growing by 21 percent. Organic wine remains popular with a 17 percent growth in products and 8 percent growth in producers over the past year. Sustainable socialites can remain confident that this growing market will not slow down, as brewers and vintners continue to offer new and innovative products from all corners of the U.S. Organic meat production increased again this year, adding 7 new producers and 13 new products to the market. With 1,023 personal care products and 35 producers, we are excited to see organic personal care emerging as a legitimate and popular alternative to chemical-laden beauty supplies.

Who We Certify

CCOF certifies organic growers, processors, livestock, retailers, wholesalers, restaurants, and brokers. We represent both small and large producers, with over 1,350 falling into our lowest fee categories (57 percent of our clients). The remaining operations are a diverse group of farms, breeders, processors, national retailers, and farm fresh grocery item producers. More than 1,300 of our certified growers fall into the USDA’s Small Farm definition, many of whom are beginning farmers. Though 2011 was a modest year for client growth, we continue to serve a dedicated membership of organic producers. Our diverse membership includes 103 meat producers and 7 retailers.

Percent of Certified Clients in Organic Production Value Categories in 2011