PA Preferred® Organic
PA Preferred® Organic is a PA Farm Bill initiative to grow market opportunities for Pennsylvania farmers and keep PA a national leader in organic production.
Organic Agriculture Industry in PA: Economic Impact, Market Dynamics, and Opportunities for Growth
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) commissioned Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI) to evaluate the economic impact of the organic agriculture industry in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. EConsult presented highlights of this analysis and trends and changes in the organic industry over time.
Hayley Painter from Painterland Sisters, Christa Barfield with FarmerJawn, and Dean James with Cotner Farms shared their experiences in the organic agriculture sector as farmers experiencing these trends and challenges first-hand.
Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony (USDA National Organic Standards Board, 1995). For example, inputs such as manure and compost help build soil rich in organic matter, providing nutrients to crops and requiring less dependence on synthetic fertilizers.