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Trade disputes impacting organic grain sector

Trade disputes and the resulting drop in commodity prices have impacted U.S. organic grain farmers.

Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) executive director John Mesko says organic prices track conventional markets to an extent.

“The trade tariffs do impact organic producers because organic grain flows around the world as well. So whenever we see a dip, regardless of the cause in most cases, we see that same dip in organic.”

However, he tells Brownfield there’s been a silver lining to the trade disruptions.

“It has also caused farmers to look to organic as a potential way of increasing their profitability, and that has brought more people to us for advice and education. But it has also brought more interest in the future of organic grain markets.”

Mesko points out the U.S. remains a net importer of organic grains and he says that’s not likely to change anytime soon because of huge demand and small domestic production.