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Agriculture secretary says organic can help ‘rebuild rural America’: OTA
08-Apr-2011
Related topics: Financial & Industry
Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack told the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) 2011 Policy Conference that organic farming is an important part of the US agricultural landscape and a good strategy in rural America, the OTA reports.
“Organic producers are very entrepreneurial in nature. They’re in a position to create value-added products that provide a wealth of opportunities in rural America,” secretary Vilsack was quoted as saying.
The OTA also released data from its latest survey on the state of the organic market at the conference, claiming that 78 percent of organic farmers intend to maintain or increase organic production levels in the next five years. In addition, the OTA said that 46 percent of organic operations are planning to increase employment over this period – three times the average for businesses as a whole.
“The USDA is creating financial assistance for organic because we recognize organic as a part of the strategy to rebuild rural America,” Vilsack said. “A lot of folks in rural America need help. One very good strategy is organic.”
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