Hawaii's Organic Production Surges Since 2008

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

The USDA recently released their 2014 survey results for organic farms in Hawaii and other states. The link below will take you to a web page with PDF links with detailed analysis for field grown, greenhouse grown, vegetables, meat etc. Graphs are broken down by state, so you can compare Hawaii's production to the mainland:

Honolulu, HI –The 2014 Organic Production Survey conducted in Hawaii found 166 farms with 3,505 acres in organic production, according to Kathy King, Hawaii State Statistician, USDA, NASS. Of those farms, 61 are producing vegetables with a value of over $8.7 million, and 126 farms are producing organic fruit with a value of over $3.4 million. Organic vegetable value in 2008 was $4.3 million, while fruit value in 2008 was $3.3 million.

The first point of sales was within 100 miles for 49% of Hawaiian organic farmers, with 16% occurring from 101 to 499 miles, and 30% occurring nationally. Five percent of organic sales were to international markets.
http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publication.../Organics/

[terracore]

I recently attended a talk put on by Kathy King. It's not just organic production that has surged, it's all production. The farm-to-table movement has the hotels, resorts, and restaurants scrambling to source locally-produced foods. They would buy ten times or more local food if it was available. The USDA is only tracking farms who report.

Most small farmers, especially meat producers, can't navigate the regulations and buy/sell/trade on the "black market", so the actual figures are likely much higher than what the USDA is reporting.