Ohio’s organic biz growing like a weed

Hooray for Ohio’s booming organic-farming industry. “Booming” is a relative term here; the 57,000 acres of Ohio land currently in certifiedorganic production is a fraction of a fraction of the millions of acres of conventionally grown soybeans and corn, not to mention megafarms for beef, pork and eggs.

Still, sales by Ohio organic farmers grew by 30 percent from 2015 to 2016, topping $101 million. The number of organic farm operations grew, along with the total acreage.

That’s healthy in a variety of ways. It shows Ohioans are more mindful of what they eat and willing to pay a premium for food grown to organic standards and with rules for healthy treatment of animals.

What used to be found only at farmers’ markets or fancy specialty stores now can be found in most major supermarkets. Sales of organic foods are growing at triple the rate of nonorganic foods.

Ohio’s growth outpaced that of the nation in 2016, which saw sales of organic farm products grow by 23 percent.

The efficiencies of large-scale agribusiness make the romantic idea of the “family farm” rarer and rarer; smaller operations can’t compete in conventional agriculture. The growing popularity of organic products provides a niche where smaller producers can thrive.

And because organic farming is gentler on the environment, a growing organic industry is a win for all Ohioans.