How many organic farmers are there?
There are more than 4,639 organic producers in the UK, an annual increase of 7%, but organic holdings only represent around 1.6% of all farms in the UK and 3.5% of the UK’s total agricultural land area. Inquiries to the Organic Conversion Information Service increased by 30% across the UK last year, although businesses in south-west England showed much greater interest. Globally, only 0.7% all agriculture land is farmed organically. Why are people buying more organic goods? Animal welfare concerns, health concerns and rising environmental awareness are thought to be driving more people to eat organic. According to a study of more than one thousand UK wine drinkers published in the 2007 Wine Intelligence Vinitrac, 38% of those polled said they buy organic food “because fertilizers and pesticides are bad for the environment”, 32% say “because it supports smaller producers”, and 28% because “it makes me feel good about buying and eating natural products”. Why are organic goods more expens
