Growing demand for organics, combined with near-total reliance by US farmers on GMO corn and soybeans, is driving a huge increase in US imports of organic and non-GMO corn from such far-flung countries as Romania, Turkey and the Netherlands – the top three exporters of organic corn to the US in 2014, respectively, says the Organic Trade Association, which conducted an analysis of US trade data with Pennsylvania State University. The report is “a help-wanted sign” for US farmers willing to avoid the use of artificial chemicals and genetically modified seeds, said OTA Executive Director Laura Batcha. Imports to the US of Romanian organic corn rose to $11.6 million in 2014 from $545,000 the year before. Organic soybean imports from India – the largest supplier of organic soybeans to the US – more than doubled to $73.8 million in 2014.
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