Country profiles

Organic agriculture

• FAO Organic AIMS Homepage: United States of America: Country profile organic agriculture (2005) 
• USDA: Economic Research Service: Briefing Room Organic Agriculture
• Barbara Haumann: Organic Farming in the U.S. in "The World of Organic Agriculture". All editions contain an update on the U.S: organic sitution. 2009

General agriculture

• FAO Organic AIMS Homepage

Statistics

In 2008 approximatly 1.9 million hectares (4.8 million acres) of agricultural land were under organic management in the United States. These data are based on the information of the certifiers., collected by the Economic Research Service ERS of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

• ERS.usda.gov: Data Sets Organic Production

In the framework of the 2007 agricultural survey, for the first time organic data were collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service NASS. According to this census, 4.1 million acres were managed organically in 2008. The difference with the ERS data may be explained by the fact that only farms over a certain size were included.

• NASS.usda.gov: New USDA Data Offers In-Depth Look at Organic Farming

Market data

Legislation: The US National Organic Programme

The National Organic Program (NOP) develops, implements, and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards for organic agricultural products. The NOP also accredits the certifying agents (foreign and domestic) who inspect organic production and handling operations to certify that they meet USDA standards.

• United States Department of Agriculture
  About the National Organic Programme

Agripolicy

Links to key institutions/information resources (not complete)

The Organic Centre

Organic Trade Association

United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Briefing Room Organic Agriculture