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Organic Food Producer/Grower

Growing your own food for your family's personal use is rewarding, but growing organic food products to sell to other families can be as rewarding as well. "Organic food accounts for 1-2% of food sales worldwide." (Wikipedia) That may not sound like a lot, unless you consider exactly how much food is sold all over the world every day.

What Do I Need to Know to Start?

To grow organic foods, you must know how to become certified as "organic". In the United States the standards are set by the National Organic Program (NOP) which is run by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The NOP standards dictate how each food crop product is planted, fertilized and harvested. Methods that reduce soil erosion, water waste, and other potential issues will be utilized to meet these strict standards.

Why Should People Choose This Product?

The NOP certification shows that a product is organic, which means that there are not as many pesticides, herbicides or growth hormones, if the food product is livestock based.

Why Should I Consider Growing Organic Food Products?

Anyone who is considering becoming a food producer of any kind, but is worried about the environment should consider organic foods because "organic food is the fastest growing sector of the American food marketplace and has grown by up to 20% in the last few years. Conventional food markets have only seen growth of about 3% in the same time period." (Wikipedia)

What are the Risks Involved?

First, as with any food production industry: nature is unpredictable. A great crop can be decimated by a bad storm within an hour. An organic farming operation can be more quickly devastated by insects and other natural troubles because of the lack of pesticides and herbicides.

What are the Income Projections?

Depending on the crop that is being grown and the market in which it is being sold, it should be noted that good, certified organic food stuff can earn up to 20% more than non-organic counterparts.

Who are the Competitors?

You will be in competition with other organic producers, as well as the conventional food producers for your share of the market. For some popular food products the edge advantage may be the organic producer with the best price. For others it might be the very rarity that gives you the advantage.

Where Can I Start This Business?

Obviously locating in an area with a longer growing season is important although organic food products are welcomed and highly sought in every area. Certain food items are not going to be as dictated by the weather as others.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/organic_food

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