The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) produces a monthly newsletter, which contains reports from around the world of interest to organic growers, handlers, or marketers. The reports from foreign countries are part of U.S. agricultural attaché reports from U.S. embassies around the world. The newsletter also contains information about the U.S. national organic program in USDA and the U.S. domestic organic industry.
The FAS is an agency of the USDA that represents the diverse interests of U.S. farmers and the U.S. food and agricultural sector abroad. The FAS collects, analyzes and disseminates information about world-wide supply and demand for agricultural products, trade trends, and market opportunities. The FAS also attempts to improve marketing opportunities for U.S. agricultural products in the global marketplace.
The FAS has established an "Organics" program, which now also provides analysis and market development support functions specifically for organic agricultural products. The newsletter is part of this program and in addition to the newsletter, there are several specific reports available on production and marketing themes related to organic agriculture in a number of countries. Due to a scarcity of data, the reports may lack the detailed data of more conventional FAS commodity and industry analysis. Back issues of the newsletter are also available through 1998 and 1999.
Special reports of the FAS Organic Program include a wide range of topics such as the following examples:
Back issues of the newsletter during 1999 include such topics as:
- to name only a few.
The FAS organics program maintains a Web site at:
The newsletter, including back issues, and a number of reports are available on the Web site. For those of you without access to the Internet, the contact at USDA is: Janise Zygmont Agricultural Economist 202.720.1176 or Kelly Strzeleckim Marketing Specialist 202.690.1341
The FAS is a large agency with a broad range of programs available. Many of the broader subject matter FAS reports, studies, or other programs may also be of interest to organic or conventional growers. The FAS also has an "outreach" program with a state FAS outreach officer in Sacramento. Contact:
Bonnie Borris, World Trade Center of Sacramento, 917 7th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Tel: 916.447.9827 ext. 170.
The general FAS Web site homepage is available at: