Jim Slama But while organic food is so mainstream even Wal-Mart sells it, farmers have been slow to switch from conventional crops to organic. Organic sales grow 15-20 percent a year, but farmers aren't producing enough to keep up. He says organic dairy operations have trouble finding enough feed for their cows, hurting milk production. Marqusee says federal farm programs are mainly oriented toward large scale grain production, offering little help to organic producers. The county offers...

Consumers may have to pay more for organic food to ensure it is completely free of genetically modified material, campaigners have said. Cost of organic food 'could rise' The UK's organic organisations have promised to maintain their higher standard of 0. The warning comes after EU ministers agreed that food accidentally contaminated with up to 0. But they warn it could push up the cost for farmers and consumers. This in turn would push up prices - but campaigners say keeping the 0. They...

Meat producer Smithfield Foods inc. said Thursday its fourth-quarter profit rose sharply on higher sales and higher prices charged for its pork and beef products. Beef, pork and poultry producers have struggled in recent months with higher feed costs, as prices of corn and grain have surged because of demand for ethanol. Meat producer raises prices. Larry Pope, chief executive. Smithfield shares fell 2 percent Thursday. It also produces other meats. Last year, Smithfield acquired Sara Lee...

The shortage is a serious problem for New Mexico farmers whose crops can only be harvested by field laborers. Without more helping hands, the farmers may have to consider growing crops that can be harvested by machines. The push for immigration reform is creating a shortage of field workers. The foreman at one New Mexico farm we visited told us the number of laborers showing up to work on the fields is decreasing. The workershortage is prompting farmers to consider higher pay. He blames...

This will make it increasingly difficult for food producers to track down pure organic supplies, pushing up their costs, which they will be forced to pass on to consumers. EU agriculture ministers last week agreed that food accidentally contaminated with up to 0.9 per cent genetically modified content could be labelled "GM free" GM labelling 'may push up organic food prices' advertisement Maintaining this standard could incur extra costs to farmers and growers which in turn would push up...

Smith said another reason for concern about the lack of young farmers is that the United States may face a security risk if it is forced to become a food-importing nation. That has caused concern among agriculture-dependent communities about their economic vitality in the future. As farmers age, concern for future rises. Although American farmers grew a record crop of food last year, the country also imported a record amount, he said. He also said high costs for land and equipment may be a...