Organic’s glory days are gone. At their peak, organic sales were an estimated $20 billion, and the category was the fastest-growing in the industry. But now, with the sluggish economy, consumers just aren’t willing to pay organic’s premium prices, slowing growth last year to 12.5 percent compared to the 20 percent growth seen in years past.
While that is concern enough for organic farmers, so is new food safety legislation passed last month in the Energy and Commerce committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.
As Reuters reports, although the new regulations, which include facility fees and more frequent inspections, represent positive reform for the food industry, small and medium organic farmers worry that increased fees might price them right out of business.
