USDA AMS Market News 

Organic Data Initiative Update

Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

April 19, 2023

USDA AMS Market News:

• Market News reports price data and volume 

information for nearly 1000 agricultural and livestock 

commodities

• Organic data is currently available on over 200 of 

those commodities

• All Market News data is available to the public, free of 

charge, through www.MyMarketNews.gov
Organic Data Initiative:

• The first Organic record appeared on a Market Report in 

1992

• 2002 Farm Bill called for differentiation of Organic 

products
Organic Data Initiative:

The 2018 Farm Bill provides $3.5 million to USDA 

AMS specifically to enhance reporting of organic 

products and markets. 
Organic Data Initiative:

USDA collects and distributes reporting on prices 

of organic agricultural products, develops and 

implements surveys on organic production, 

handling, and distribution, and conducts analysis 

on the data for publication in reports.
Growth of Organic Coverage:

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2021

Terminal Shipping Point Movement Retail
Organic Data Initiative:

• Current organic commodities reported:

• Dairy Market News: 25

• Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News: 27

• Specialty Crops Market News: 150

• Organic markets reported:

• Over 1100 nationwide
Organic Data Initiative:

• Current Specialized Organic reports:

• National Fruit and Vegetable Organic Summary (daily)

• National Retail Report – Conventional vs Organic (weekly)

• National Retail Report – Local and Organic (weekly)

• Organic Poultry and Eggs (weekly)

• Organic Dairy Retail Overview (weekly)

• Organic Dairy Fluid Overview (weekly)

• Organic Dairy Market Overview (weekly)
Organic Data Initiative:

• Current Specialized Organic reports:

• Direct to Consumer Organic Dairy Products Prices (10-day)

• Dairy Market News Organic Report (biweekly)

• Midwest Regional Organic Grain and Feedstuffs Report

(biweekly)

• National Organic Grain and Feedstuffs Report (bimonthly)

• Annual Organic Cotton Market Report (yearly)
Current ODI Plan:

Market News has developed a multi-task project 

plan to meet the requirements of the Farm Bill for 

use of the $3.5 million in funding
Current ODI Plan:

• Attend, sponsor, promote Organic Industry 

Conferences and Trade Shows

• Focus on large, multi-commodity organic events as well as 

important regional meetings for specific commodity groups

• Engage with industry and public to raise awareness of Market 

News organic data, make new contacts, and encourage 

feedback
Current ODI Plan:

• Attend, sponsor, promote Organic Industry 

Conferences and Trade Shows

• Host booths and sponsorships to provide access to experts 

from all Divisions of Market News

• Provide information and hands-on demonstrations of data 

tools and searches
Current ODI Plan:

• Conduct Third party Gap Assessment 

• Land-grand universities to conduct Gap Analysis of existing 

organic data needs in their regions

• University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of California-Davis

• CFI Group LLC surveying industry knowledge of Market News 

organic data and where future efforts should focus
Current ODI Plan:

• Complete MARS data system

• Will allow improved access to data including API for all 

commodities

• Enhance Market News Mobile App

• V3 will add the ability to filter for organic data

•Develop Data Visualization Products

• Requested by industry members to show markets at a glance
Current ODI Plan:

•Use Farmers Markets to source organic data

• Pennsylvania State University Extension Service

• 7 regions, multiple markets in each region, 200+ overall to be 

covered

• Iowa State University Extension Service

• Working with Penn State to provide consistent report format

• Cornell University Extension Service
Current ODI Plan:

• Leverage Cooperative Agreements to expand data

• Vermont, Maryland, Alabama, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, 

Oklahoma amendments underway

• Tennessee, South Carolina, Missouri, Colorado, Kentucky, 

Indiana, Illinois proposals being considered
Alabama Farmers Markets, Production costs, chicken litter

Arkansas Direct to Consumer eggs, Farmers Markets

Maryland Grain Bids, Production Costs

Vermont Dairy, Beef, CSA's, Retail vs farmers Market Comparison

Pennsylvania Grain Bids, Production Costs, Dairy Cows

Tennessee Carcass values, direct to consumer beef, farmers markets

Oklahoma Famers Markets, Hay

New York/Cornell Dairy Cows

South Carolina Farmers Markets, wholesale

Missouri Farmers Markets

Colorado Farmers Markets

Kentucky Feedstuffs, grains
Current ODI Plan:

• Partner with Agricultural Education Providers

• University of Wisconsin Organic Farm Pulse Financial 

Management Course in partnership with FSA

•Develop Video Series on MN Organic Data

• In-house webinar series to be promoted online and 

through USDA social media
Current ODI Plan:

• Expand Organic Trade Information

• 40+ HTS codes requested to break out imported organic 

commodities from conventional volumes

• Enhance Federal Milk Order Statistics System

• Provides additional data on organic fluid milk
Next Farm Bill:

• Continue to Expand Organic Trade Information

• Conduct Outreach to Tribal Groups and HBC

• Extend Farmers Market Data Collection to 

Additional States

•Grow Organic Market Reporting based on findings 

from Gap Analyses and CFI Survey
Questions/Comments/Suggestions:

Kimberly Mercer

ODI Project Manager, 

USDA AMS SC Market News Assistant to the Director

Kimberly.Mercer@usda.gov

Katherine Looft

ODI Project Manager, 

USDA AMS SCP Agricultural Economist

Katherine.Looft@usda.gov

John.Okoniewski

Director, Specialty Crops Market News

John.Okoniewski@usda.gov

Michael Sheats

Director, USDA AMS Livestock Poultry and Grain Market News

Michael.Sheats@usda.gov

Janet Linder

Director, USDA AMS Dairy Market News

Janet.Linder@usda.gov

Barbara Meredith

Director, USDA AMS Cotton and Tobacco Market News

Barbara.Meredith@usda.gov