Lynn Griffith – Consumer demand for organically produced food continues to grow and provides incentives for U.S. farmers to continue to produce a variety of products.  If shopping for organic, you can now find organic products at natural food stores, 3 out of 4 conventional grocery stores, or farmers’ markets.  Organic food sales were estimated at $28.4 billion in 2012, and increased to $35 billion in 2014.   (1)

As organic food demands increase, there has been seen a growth in the number of farmers’ markets!

This rising demand for organic food has allowed farmers’ markets to expand.  In 2014, there were 8,268 farmers’ markets that provided locally grown organic food to consumers — a 180 percent increase from 2006! (2)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that it’s not just farmers’ markets that are driving the increase sales in local and regional food.  More than 4,000 local and regional food businesses and projects, such as food hubs, farm to school programs, and healthy eating initiatives, have all helped to increase locally produced food sales.  (3) Continue reading →