MPBN - The number of organic farms in Maine has increased by 36 percent over the last seven years, according to new data from the USDA.
The agency has just released its 2014 organic survey, which lists 517 organic farms in Maine — that compares with 379 when the survey was last done in 2008.
Meanwhile the total acreage of organic farmland in the state more than doubled to 58,000 acres, while sales of organic products are up 74 percent during the period to $54 million.
"What we're seeing in Maine is a growth both in the interest in people who produce organically but also a strong commitment from Maine consumers to purchase organic products," says Dave Colson with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.
Colson says the growth in Maine is in stark contrast to the national picture, where the number of organic farms actually fell slightly between 2008 and 2014.
No comments:
Post a Comment