Sourcing and Expanding Export Opportunities
By Soo Kim with Miles McEvoy
USDA National Organic Program
It’s estimated that the U.S. organic industry exports $1.5 billion in U.S. organic products annually. As for
products coming into the United
States, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule has begun to provide information
on a select few items, which from January to September 2011 totaled $549 million. However, this is just a small fraction
of the tons of products that are actually
traded but not yet tracked by the U.S. International Trade Commission. To ensure organic
integrity in all USDA Organic certified products,
there are currently 93 certification agents accredited to USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) standards. Of these, 52 are based in the United States, and
41 are foreign-based.
These numbers not only illustrate the growth of the U.S. organic industry, but they also show how organic, more than ever,
has evolved into a thriving international market. Whether companies
are sourcing raw materials for their organic products or expanding business opportunities via exporting, most U.S. organic companies today play
a part in this global marketplace.
