KUTZTOWN, Pa., Sept. 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — There is finally good news for U.S. farmers and it is reported state-by-state and region-by-region for ease of use by producers across the country. Currently most notable is the fact certified organic beef sales have surged 44.3% in 2025, the fastest growth of any organic subcategory, even as imports supplemented rising U.S. demand. The trend points to a larger question for American agriculture: Where are the opportunities for U.S. farmers and ranchers to capture more of a $76.6 billion U.S. organic market?

The Rodale Institute’s newly published report, “A Farmer’s Toolkit to Advance U.S. Organic Markets”, is designed to answer that question. Combining national, regional and state-by-state market analysis with findings from interviews with organic and conventional growers, and buyers of organic, the free, comprehensive resource helps farmers, ranchers and other producers understand what is selling, what buyers are looking for, and what factors they should consider in their location before making production decisions. It also is designed to create organic supply chain resilience and long-term farm viability.

The development of “A Farmer’s Toolkit 2026” was led by Wolf & Associates for the Rodale Institute and Organic Trade Association, through the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). Wolf & Associates conducted all research, expert analysis and reporting. TOPP grew out of USDA’s $300 million Organic Transition Initiative, launched in 2022 to support organic and transitioning farmers and strengthen the onshoring of domestic organic agricultural production. On July 20, 2026 Rodale Institute announced its “10 Million Acre Solution” an initiative to catalyze the transition of 10 million acres of U.S. farmland to organic and regenerative organic management by 2030. Rodale Institute is committed to ongoing expert support, including educational toolkits, for farmers in transition to organic.  

“Farmers deserve clear, practical information that helps them see where opportunity exists and determine whether organic production is right for their farms,” said Jeff Tkach, CEO of Rodale Institute. “Behind every data point in this toolkit is the potential for a farm family to build a more resilient future and care for the land for generations to come. By connecting producers with real market insights, buyer needs and technical support, we can help more farmers move toward organic with greater confidence and strengthen a domestic organic supply chain rooted in healthy soil.”

U.S. organic sales increased 6.8 percent in 2025, according to figures included in the toolkit, while organic food sales grew 6.9 percent, approximately three times the growth rate of the overall food market. The market is projected to exceed $100 billion by 2030, but the growth is not confined to the produce aisle.

Some of the sharpest gains in organic production come from livestock, dairy, and other categories where U.S. farmers already have significant production expertise. Organic meat, poultry and seafood sales, according to the Organic Trade Association’s 2026 Organic Market Report, rose 22.5% in 2025, topping $3 billion for the first time. Beef also became the single largest tracked organic import by value in 2025, after import volumes jumped 44%, according to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, National Organic Program Update, January 2026. Beyond the surge in organic beef sales, organic dairy and egg sales increased 12.8 %, including a 22.4% rise in egg sales, and 16.6% growth in yogurt. 

“Organic livestock and dairy are growing fast, and that growth depends on organic feed grain, which we’re not producing enough of at home,” said Joe Dickson, Director of Strategy at Wolf & Associates. “That gap is an opportunity sitting in plain sight for American grain farmers. U.S. certified organic farm-gate sales totaled $11.2 billion across about 8.1 million certified acres in 2021, a base concentrated in produce and dairy rather than feed grains. Fiber is another huge import gap, as roughly 99% of U.S. organic cotton consumption is currently imported. This toolkit exists to make opportunities like that visible, state by state and buyer by buyer, so producers can make production decisions based on real market information instead of guesswork.”

For producers, those shifts may create opportunities in livestock, dairy, grain, oil seeds, feed and value-added products. The toolkit makes it clear, however, that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ path to expanding organic production. What makes sense in one part of the country may not work elsewhere, the report found, and the opportunity can look very different depending on the crop, the buyer, and the local market. 

“A Farmer’s Toolkit 2026” encourages producers to look beyond demand: processing and storage capacity, aggregation, working with cooperatives, transportation and distribution can all affect whether a market works. Feed availability, land and labor costs, water, seasonality and distance for buyers are other critical concerns. In some regions, those practical constraints may matter as much as the crop itself.

To make that national picture useful at the farm level, “A Farmer’s Toolkit 2026” translates the market into eight regional overviews: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, Central Plains, Southwest, West and Northwest. Individual profiles cover all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The toolkit emphasizes that organic production expansion requires more than increased certified acreage.

Viable markets may also depend on coordination among farmers, buyers, processors, aggregators, distributors, certifiers, technical-assistance providers, and other regional partners.

“A Farmer’s Toolkit 2026” includes:

  • A national overview of the U.S. organic market
  • Analysis across eight regions
  • State-level market and production information
  • Commodity and production opportunities
  • Findings from 28 professional buyers of organic
  • Guidance on buyer relationships and routes to market
  • Information on infrastructure and market barriers
  • Organic-transition and technical-assistance resources

Buyer insight starts before planting
Interviews with 28 buyers of organic representing independent and national retailers, institutional purchasers, grain companies, seed buyers, dairy companies, cotton businesses, and direct-to-consumer food companies are included in the toolkit.  Across the interviews, consistency emerged repeatedly as a central buyer priority, alongside certification, product quality, clear specifications, communication, and dependable supply.

“A Farmer’s Toolkit 2026” encourages producers to speak with prospective buyers before purchasing seed or planting a crop. It suggests that questions should address:

  • The crop, variety, grade or product a buyer needs
  • Certification and other required standards
  • Expected quality and volume
  • Delivery schedules and seasonal demand
  • Packaging, processing and storage requirements
  • Transportation and distribution
  • Pricing structures and payment terms
  • The time required to establish a buyer relationship

“A Farmers’ Toolkit 2026” is available at https://rodaleinstitute.org/farmer-toolkit/.

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ABOUT RODALE INSTITUTE
Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing the regenerative organic agriculture movement through rigorous research, farmer training, and education. Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2025, the Institute’s groundbreaking science and direct farmer support programs serve as a catalyst for change in farming and food production worldwide. Over its 78-year history, Rodale Institute has proven that organic farming is not only viable but essential to humanity’s survival. Learn more at rodaleinstitute.org. 

Sources:
A Farmer’s Toolkit for 2026. Rodale Institute. (2026, September 17). https://rodaleinstitute.org/farmer-toolkit/

Contact Info

Natalie Matthews
natalie@seesparkgo.com
+1 662-801-1413

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