Organic production increasing in the state

CRYSTAL SPRINGS, Miss. -- Organic production represents a small but rapidly growing segment of Mississippi agriculture, and a growing number of farmers are doing what it takes to meet this consumer demand for quality products.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that as of 2021, which is the most current year for this data, the total number of certified organic acreage in the U.S. is 1% of farmland. Despite this low number, organic sales accounted for 3% of U.S. farm receipts, as consumers are more willing to pay premium price for organic products.

Consumer demand for these products has led to their increased availability in grocery stores and other retail outlets. This retail demand has encouraged many existing farmers to convert a portion or all of their acreage into organic production, and a new wave of people are trying their hand at organic production.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service is one resource that individuals use when learning how to grow and market organic crops. In April, Extension hosted an organic vegetable production workshop with more than 25 people in attendance.

Jermaine Perier, workshop organizer and Extension entomologist, said only 6% of those who came had prior knowledge or organic production. Owners of one farm already were certified organic, with 80% of the remaining participants farming conventionally but considering organic, either in part or completely.

“Farmers are taking note that the current generation of grocery shoppers have a higher demand for organic products to support their healthier lifestyles,” Perier said. “As a result, everyone from established to new farmers have some interest in organic farming, especially as the markets continue to grow.

“Established farmers are even willing to convert large acreages of their farm to become certified, while newer farmers and other small-scale farming like homesteaders looking for more sustainable approaches often adapt organic principles and may eventually become certified themselves,” he said.

Perier said any vegetable grower can adopt organic production principles into their farming practice, but only those that have undergone the three-year transition period and obtained USDA certification are considered certified organic.

A crop marketed as organic in the U.S. means all cultural, biological and mechanical practices promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic engineering are not allowed, and products must be grown without prohibited substances and methods from the field to the final point of sale.

To earn the USDA organic seal, the products must be grown adhering to National Organic Program regulations. USDA-accredited agents must certify farms and handling facilities before the product can carry this seal.

According to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, the organic rule provides limited exemptions for some operations conducting certain low-risk activities.

“Exempt entities and activities include operations that sell $5,000 or less in organic products each year, retail establishments that sell direct to consumers and do not process organic products [and] retail establishments that sell direct to consumers and only process organic products at the final point of sale [such as restaurants or bakeries],” the agency stated on its website, among other details.

Businesses that operate under these exceptions can claim to grow organic products, but they do not carry the USDA organic seal.

Jenny Ryals, research associate with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said becoming USDA certified organic is expensive. In addition to the application fee, annual certification fee and inspection fees are costs associated with recordkeeping, label review and travel expenses for the certifying inspector.

“A big issue for Mississippi producers is that there is no local certifying organization in Mississippi,” Ryals said. “The closest certifier will likely be in Athens, Georgia, or Gainesville, Florida.

“The biggest problem in my opinion for Mississippi is the mileage fee,” she continued. “An estimated initial cost of organic certification from the Georgia Crop Improvement Association could cost a Mississippi grower more than $2,500 with a large portion of that due to the 900 or so miles of travel from Athens.”

Ryals said one grower in the state coordinates his inspection time with other nearby certified operations so the inspector can visit all locations at one time and growers can split the mileage costs. Cost-share programs have also been available in the past to offset some of the certification costs, but the continued existence of these programs is not guaranteed.

“The bottom line is certification is expensive, but there are ways to make it a little more affordable if this is something you determine is beneficial for your operation,” she said.

Shaun Broderick, MSU Extension horticulturist and MAFES researcher, said choosing good varieties is important for those thinking about going organic with vegetable production.

Organic production excludes many fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides used in regular agricultural production, so farmers must select varieties that perform well in organic settings.

“The state’s growing climate is a pathogen paradise,” Broderick said. “Mississippi’s weather can be brutal, with excessive heat and humidity, excessively wet months -- especially during winter -- and stagnant air. This creates ideal conditions for fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens to thrive.”

Organic growers can use open-pollinated or heirloom seeds as well as hybrids. Since the 1700s, people have bred hybrids, which are plants selected for their desirable traits. Organic producers cannot use genetically modified seed.

Within these choices, the organic farmer must consider customer preferences, not just plant hardiness and survival.

“Farmers have more varieties to choose from than ever before, and while choice is good, it can be overwhelming,” Broderick said. “I personally avoid seeds that have no mentions of yield, no mentions of flavor and no mentions of heat or humidity for warm-season crops.”

Avoid relying on seed catalog descriptions alone but look at variety test data. A variety test is a scientific process where different types of plants are grown under the same conditions and their performance is evaluated on several points.

Find MSU variety trial data at https://www.mafes.msstate.edu/publications. Also look for similar variety trial data from universities in neighboring states.