Organically grown and milled grain is now readily available across the country.
Organic food has been an increasingly important factor in the marketplace since the Baby Boomers began coming of age in the 1960s. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's statistics show that crop lands designated for organic agriculture doubled between 1990 and 2002, then doubled again between 2002 and 2005. A cursory look at the nearest supermarket shows that similar expansion has happened in the retail market. Grains are a key organic crop, and the United States has many mills processing organic grains.
Feed Grain Mills
For a farm's meat, poultry, eggs or dairy to be certified organic, any animals or poultry on that farm must be fed organically. Some farms are able to pasture all their livestock, but for most a source of certified organic feed grain is essential. This makes organic feed grain mills are a crucial component of the overall organic agriculture industry. In some areas, the difficulty of finding certified organic feed has led farmers to create cooperatives and begin growing and milling their own feed.
Nationally Branded Mills
Most major brands feature some organic flour and other grain products, while others specialize solely in organic products. King Arthur flour is an example of the former, a major mass-market miller with a strong-selling line of organic flour and cereal products. Bob's Red Mill is a successful example of the latter, an all-organic miller of regular and gluten-free grain products. Both are readily available across the country through conventional retailers and online outlets.
Milling for Private Label Store Brands
Many mills provide flour and grain products for private labeling, by stores ranging from local health-food outlets to major supermarket chains. These stores vary widely in their commitment to organic products, depending on their perceived demographic. So, while Safeway's "O" brand of organic baking supplies lists only white flour, white sugar and organic chocolate chips, the Whole Foods chain has a very broad selection of privately branded grain products and other baking supplies.
Direct Sales and Local Retailers
A large number of organic millers sell directly to the public, from a retail store front or online. Many mills also wholesale their products to local and regional supermarket chains, or to health food stores. Those mills which succeed at a local level may achieve regional or even national distribution, through conventional retail or through broad-spectrum retailers like Amazon. In early 2011, an Amazon search for "organic flour" would return more than 450 hits, representing a range of major and minor brands from mills across the country.
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