• 한국유기농업학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.135-151
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• 2004

U.S. organic farming has grown rapidly-20 percent or more annually-throughout the 1990s, which kept pace with consumer demand for organically produced food. Thus certified organic acreage is the total to 235 million acres in 48 state in 2001, and SO the U.S. ranked fourth in land area managed under organic farming systems. And according to several surveys, consumer's reasons for purchasing organic food are health and nutrition, taste and environmental concerns. California and North Dakota were the top two states in 2001 for certified organic cropland; the former with mostly fruits and vegetables, and the latter with wheat, soybeans, and other crops. And the top two states for certified organic pasture were Colorado and Texas. And then several states such as Iowa and Minnesota have begun subsidizing conversion to organic farming systems as a way to capture the environmental benefits of these systems. The price of organic produce fluctuates rather broadly because of being traded by market economy principle and of demand-supply disequilibrium. Nevertheless, average price premiums for organic produce are higher than the prices for the produce under conventional farming. Future prospects for U.S. organic farming are as follows; Demand for organically grown foods is expected to continue growing at a rapid pace, as more growers convert to organic production and more processors and distributors expand organic selections in their product lines. And new processed products and new types of healthy foods are likely to appear on the market, and some new organic products will be aimed at mainstream markets.