Wisconsin continues to be one of the most vibrant states in the country when it comes to organic agriculture. The USDA has released the results of its 2021 Certified Organic Survey, which notes that the Badger State is home to about eight percent of the nation's organic farms.
Last year, there were 1,455 organic farm operations that grew crops on 245,333 acres. That was up from the previous survey conducted back in 2019 when 1,364 farms were certified organic. Overall, the state ranks second nationally for organic production, just behind California. New York is the third largest organic ag producer.
As of last fall, Wisconsin producers had 26,250 certified organic dairy cows on hand, which produced eight percent of the nation's organic milk. The number of organic beef cattle totaled just below 1,300 head as of December 31, 2021.
The state also produced about 66 percent of all the organic cranberries in the country with sales totaling $3.45 million in 2021. And Wisconsin ranked first and produced 15 percent of the nation's organic corn silage.
Nationally, the number of certified organic farms in the country rose by five percent during 2021 to 17,445.
Categories: Wisconsin, Crops