The Profit Potential of Certified Organic Field Crop Production

William McBride, Catherine Greene, Linda Foreman and Mir Ali

No 262208, Economic Research Report from United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

Abstract: Organic crop acres in the United States more than doubled between 2002 and 2011 as acreage increased from 1.3 to over 3 million acres. While acreage for some major field crops increased substantially during this period, growth was more modest or had stalled for others. This study examines the profitability of corn, wheat, and soybean production using national survey data and finds that significant economic returns are possible from organic production of these crops. The main reason for higher per-bushel returns to organic production is the price premiums paid for organic crops. Despite potentially higher returns, the adoption of organic field crop production has been slow and is challenging due to such factors as achieving effective weed control and the processes involved with organic certification.

Keywords: Crop Production/Industries; Demand and Price Analysis; Farm Management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 52
Date: 2015-07-01
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (28)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:uersrr:262208

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.262208

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