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Organic Price Report
The Organic Price Report will be unavailable for the foreseeable future. Please check back soon. Effective 10/13/17
Just how much of a premium should you be charging for your organic grains and produce? Find out with the Organic Price Report (OPR). The OPR is an online tool that helps you price competitively. The tool tracks selected prices from the fruit, vegetable, herbs and grain sectors, comparing organic prices to conventional prices in markets across the country.
Prices of organically grown and conventionally grown foods are seen side by side, highlighting the premiums organic can often obtain. Buyers and sellers of certified organic food now know what certain items should and do sell for around the country. Organic farmers, who have traditionally had to insure their crops according to conventional pricing, now have better documented price information for their goods, resulting in more appropriate coverage. Retail consumers can gain insight into where their market dollars go, resulting in a better understanding of organic versus conventional pricing and the food marketplace.
With the OPR in hand, farmers can better plan their business strategies by tracking price trends over time, have an educated idea of the true value of the products they produce and finally determine production budgets based on organic sales prices.
Where we get our data:
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES—Conventional prices for fruits and vegetables are gathered at the terminal markets by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Prices for organic fruits and vegetables are provided by large wholesale distributors or sales agencies that specialize in organic fruits and vegetables. In an effort to present the most comparable prices, we selected large distributors that handle product within the geographic location and marketing area of the terminal market. These are wholesale prices, meaning the price retailers pay for the produce, not what a grower can expect to receive from a distributor for their product.
GRAINS—Conventional prices for grains are also gathered by AMS. Prices for organic grains are provided by large elevators or handlers that specialize in organic grains. In an effort to present the most comparable prices, we selected AMS regions that handle product within the geographic location of the elevators or handlers. This pricing is presented for comparison purposes only. In an effort to present the most comparable grain prices, we request spot pricing for dock delivered products. If the pricing we’re given does not fit within those parameters, we will note it.
This project was developed in partnership with the USDA Risk Management Agency.