Why Is Organic Food More Expensive?

This is a question we hear a lot, and the answer is multi-layered. 

For starters, qualifying for USDA Organic certification is a BIG deal, as it ensures that all crops are grown and processed without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, biosolids, or ionizing radiation. Organic animals are only fed organic feed, never given antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones, and must have access to the outdoors. We could go on and on about the benefits of USDA Organic, but the question relates to cost. 

Here’s why organic costs more — and why we think it’s worth it.

• All organic products must be certified by a USDA-accredited certifying agency to ensure production and handling practices always meet the USDA’s National Organic Standards. The annual certification and inspection process adds expense for producers, since every farm, ranch and processing facility is subject to annual inspection. 

• Growing organic produce requires more expensive, more labor-intensive farming practices. The fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs that organic farmers can use is very limited, and they often rely on more labor-intensive forms of pest and weed control. While non-organic farmers often use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, organic farmers rely on more expensive natural inputs, and techniques like cover cropping and crop rotation to ensure crop nutrition.

• Raising organic livestock and animals requires organic feed grown on organic farms, doesn’t allow the use of synthetic growth hormones or antibiotics, and requires more space.

• Organic is a small percentage of the US agricultural market — there is less supply of organic food, and the organic sector doesn’t benefit from the same economies of scale as non-organic systems.

• Education and training for farmers through government and university programs is largely focused on conventional farming methods, and organic farmers don’t always benefit from the same level of support as conventional farmers. 

The upshot: Organic products can cost more to produce because of the elevated costs associated with certification and production as well as the size of the organic market in comparison to conventional. However, organic has so many benefits, and as the organic market continues to grow, prices will continue to become more competitive.