Nearly 20% of certified organic farms are in California

The 2008 Organic Production Survey counted 14,540 organic farms and ranches in the U.S., comprising 4.1 million acres of land. Of those farms, 10,903 were USDA certified and 3,637 were exempt from certification. California topped the survey with 2,714 organic farms.
In 2008, organic farms had total sales of $3.16 billion, with average annual sales of $217, 675, compared to an average $134,807 for U.S. farms overall. California had the highest sales of all states at over $1.1 billion, which accounted for 36.3% of total organic sales. In specific crop categories, livestock products at $906 million ranked the highest, accounting for nearly 29% of total sales. Floriculture accounted for $1.8 million, 5.7% of total sales.
Nearly 83% of U.S. organic sales were to wholesale markets. Direct-to-retail sales accounted for 10.6% of sales. Most producers sold their products locally with more than 44% selling within 100 miles of the business.
Organic production is expected to expand over the next 5 years with more than 78% of producers indicating they planned to maintain or increase production levels.