The career we choose is a long-term role that defines who we are. These days, there are a variety of occupations to pick from a wide range of fields. One interesting opportunity is a career in the expanding market of organic foods. Organic foods are produced without hormones, pesticides or other chemicals and are in high demand these days, with distribution to a large number of markets around the world. Due to the expansion and success of organic foods, an occupation in this field would make for a great career.


Since the introduction to organic foods, this market has become the fastest-growing and most profitable field in agriculture. What people believed was not beneficiary to the economy has now become a global sales force, increasing in revenue every year. Graphs released by the Manufacture Survey show an increase in organic food sales from 0.81% to 2.48% from 1997 to 2005. Also, an estimated 16.2% of all consumer sales in 2005 were made organic. Due to its popularity, new lines of organic foods are coming on everyday to satisfy the needs of retailers and grocery stores all over the world. Doug Wills, a general manager of Buehler’s Park side grocery store states that the demand for organic foods and products usually come from customers who are very devoted to a certain type of product.” We find these customers are a great help because they seek out those products and places that handle them,” Will says of the expansion in the organic foods market. As retailers expand organic food sections more and more, this gives opportunity to additional organic products including organic cotton. Organic clothing is made 100% of organic cotton, which is grown without genetic modification and without chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. Sales in these organic-cotton products including home textiles and personal-care products have already reached $275 million just in the past year alone according to the Oakland-based advocacy group Organic Exchange.


Due to how successful the organic foods market has become, it not only meets consumer’s needs but provides plenty of jobs in a new field as well. Under soils professor John Reganold, Washington State University has created America’s first organic farming degree after a head start of three years of pioneering research in organic farming. The degree is now offered in a university in Canada and one in Wales. Since the organic farming industry has suffered from a lack of trained workers, offering this degree is important because it not only provides training for future organic farming employees, but also helps legitimize organic farming. Studies in Washington State has also shown an decline in students taking traditional agriculture programs, but an increase in students who want to take organic farming programs. This is definitely a good thing because large corporations are increasingly interested in meeting the nation’s growing appetite of organic food, and by doing so need employees who understand organic agriculture systems.


There are many careers one can take when deciding what they want to do. One good choice is choosing an occupation in the organic foods and products market. This field is not only increasingly becoming more popular everyday, but is also in need of many employees to help meet it’s growing demand. These aspects make it a great opportunity for many to choose a career in the expanding market of organic foods.