Photo credit: Sveta Fedarava

A recent study in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems found that organic farms provide greater employment opportunities with more job stability when compared to county averages. Using USDA Agricultural Census data from counties in Washington State and California, the study compared the number of people hired per acre and the number of days the employees worked on organic farms versus the average farm for each county. Organic farms hired more people per acre, and those people worked for more days of the year. The authors argue this study demonstrates how rural economies can be improved with organic farming, and policies aimed to increase rural development should consider this evidence.