TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey organic growers reaped $26.2 million in sales in 2019, according to Bruce Eklund, state statistician of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), New Jersey Field Office. The Organic Survey of certified farms found considerable growth compared to the 2016 Certified Organic Survey. Vegetables were the leading sector in sales and acres with $12.7 million on 1,083 acres. In 2016, farmers sold $5.42 million of vegetables on 424 acres.

New Jersey growers were fourth nationally in organic tomato sales at $2.86 million grown on 117 acres from 34 farms. New Jersey is third in sales in organic tomato sales for the fresh market. Organic producers’ largest single expense was $6.48 million for labor.

The 2019 Certified Organic Survey is a special study conducted by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and is part of the 2017 Census of Agriculture program. The primary purpose of the survey is to collect value of sales information at the commodity level along with acreage, production, and practices data for a variety of certified organic crop and livestock operations.

For the complete “2019 Organic Survey Summary” report, go to

https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/Organics/index.php

–USDA, NASS