Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 9/17/15

In 2014, North Carolina had 264 organic farms producing $66.9 million in organic products. This
includes both certified organic farms and farms exempt from certification. Of the organic farms
identified in the 2014 Organic Survey, 200 were certified organic farms and 64 were exempt.
Certified and exempt farms together accounted for 22,192 acres of organic production in 2014.
Of the $66.9 million in organic sales $42.9 million or 64.1 percent came from crop production.
Livestock and poultry totaled $1.4 million or 2.1 percent, and $22.6 million or 33.8 percent came
from sales of livestock and poultry products.

Organic farms spent $42.0 million in production expenses in 2014. These expenses included
organic certification as well as other cash operating expenses. Capital expenses are not included.
The largest expenses were for feed purchased for livestock and poultry and hired agricultural
labor including contract labor which together accounted for 49.2 percent of all production
expenses in 2014.

Detailed national, regional and state data are available on the NASS website and in NASS’ online
database Quick Stats. For more information go to www.agcensus.usda.gov.

Organic Sales by Product Type
                                                                 2008             2014
Total organic product sales        farms       244              264
                                                  $1,000    59,796        66,941
Crops                                          farms      187              229
                                                  $1,000     13,370       42,892
Livestock and poultry                  farms        68               34
                                                   $1,000      28,362         1,410
Livestock and poultry products    farms       39               38
                                                   $1,000     11,063       22,638