Introduction 
BACKGROUND 
The 2014 Organic Survey is a Census Special Study 
conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 
(USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service 
(NASS) in conjunction with USDA’s Risk 
Management Agency (RMA). This is the third 
organic production and practices survey NASS has 
conducted on the national level; the previous data 
collection efforts were the 2011 Certified Organic 
Production Survey and the 2008 Organic Production 
Survey. 
This year’s survey follows the 2012 Census of 
Agriculture, which reported that total organic 
product sales by farms in the United States increased 
83 percent between 2007 and 2012. 
USE OF SURVEY DATA 
The primary purpose of the 2014 Organic Survey 
was to collect sales data information at the 
commodity level along with acreage and production 
data for a variety of organic crop and livestock 
commodities. Information was also collected on 
marketing and agricultural practices, insurance 
practices, production expenses, and value-added 
products. The 2014 survey collected data from U.S. 
farms and ranches that were certified organic, 
exempt from organic certification, or transitioning to 
organic certification. 
The information obtained from the survey is used by 
the agricultural industry and all levels of government 
to prepare a wide variety of organic agriculture- 
related programs, economic models, legislative 
initiatives, market analysis, and feasibility studies. 
These programs directly affect the life and 
communities of producers and help improve 
agriculture production technologies and practices. 
Specific examples of benefits to producers include: 
2012 Census of Agriculture 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
• Agencies such as USDA’s RMA, use the data to 
evaluate and establish crop insurance programs 
for organic producers. 
• Farm organizations use the information to lobby 
Congress or state legislatures for funding and 
support of organic production programs. 
• Government, extension, and university scientists 
use the information to determine research needs. 
• Suppliers to the organic industry use the data to 
plan production and marketing of new products. 
AUTHORITY 
This census of agriculture is required by law under 
the “Census of Agriculture Act of 1997,” Public Law 
105-113 (Title 7, United States Code, Section 
2204g). The law authorizes the Secretary of 
Agriculture to conduct surveys deemed necessary to 
furnish annual or other data on the subjects covered 
by the census. The 2014 Organic Survey was 
conducted under the provisions of this section. 
ORGANIC DEFINITION 
The USDA National Organic Standards Board in 
2000 determined a national standard that “organic” 
food must be produced without the use of 
conventional pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, 
sewage-sludge-based fertilizers, herbicides, 
pesticides, genetic engineering (biotechnology), 
antibiotics, growth hormones, or irradiation. Animals 
raised on an organic operation must meet animal 
health and welfare standards, not be fed antibiotics 
or growth hormones, be fed 100-percent organic 
feed, and must be provided access to the outdoors. 
Land must have no prohibited substances applied to 
it for at least three years before the harvest of an 
organic crop. The National Organic Standard states 
Introduction VII 
