In Arizona, the number of certified organic farms nearly tripled, from 26 in 2006 to 77 in 2008, according to the most recent numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The state increase mirrors the exponential growth of organic farms across the nation, where the Agriculture Department says such farms jumped from 40 in 1997 to more than 12,941 in 2008. And the trend is expected to continue, with another tripling of organic farms between now and 2015, says a report by the Organic Farming Research Foundation.
Recent changes in eating habits of Generation X have fueled the demand for certified organic produce and products, said foundation spokeswoman Denise Ryan. She attributes that increased demand to the public perception that healthy eating will improve overall well-being.
Read more of this story Monday in the Arizona Daily Star.