“Burgeoning consumer interest in organically grown foods has opened new market opportunities for producers and is leading to a transformation in the organic foods industry,” says a just-published report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Sales of organic milk and dairy products totaled about $600 million at retail during 2000. Sales of all organic foods during that year approached $9 billion. Organic sales should top $11 billion this year and $18 billion by 2005.