Consumers want organic, but structural barriers slow growth

Organic farming has a growing following with strong convictions based on better understanding of how the US food system operates, organic advocate Laura Klein writes.

“The future of organic is very, very solid in spite of level sales,” says Richard Wiswall, author of “The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook: A Complete Guide Managing Finances, Crops, and Staff – and Making a Profit.” (His book grows out of his farming experience, and aims to help oganic farmers achieve dependable, profitable returns.)

Yet fewer than 1 percent of US farmers are organic, with relatively little advance in recent years converting enterprises outside of diversified market farms. Barriers include the dominance by, and genetic pollution potential from, Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)-related cropping systems now used for most corn and soybeans grown in the US, and pending food-safety laws that would unfairly burden small-scale farmers, including ones who are organic.

Full story: Triplepundit