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Demand for organic produce has increased so fast that it has grown faster than the supply in the United States.
在美国，对有机农产品的需求增长如此之快，以至于其增长速度快于供应的增长速度。
The challenge for U.S. farmers is not getting buyers to pay higher prices; it is getting enough farmers to grow organic products.
美国农民面临的挑战不是让买家支付更高的价格，而是让足够的农民种植有机农产品。
Instead of growing to meet the demand, the number of farmers starting to grow organic crops is dropping.
开始种植有机作物的农民数量正在减少而非为了满足需求在增长。
Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it would spend up to $300 million to help more farmers make the change.
上个月，美国农业部表示，其将支出高达3亿美元的资金来帮助更多农民做出改变。
Chris Schreiner is executive director of the organic-approving organization Oregon Tilth.
克里斯·施莱纳是有机农产品审批组织Oregon Tilth的执行董事。
He said about the government support, “It feels good.”
谈到政府的支持时，他说，“感觉很好。”
He added that it is an important step in this work.
他还说，这是这项工作的重要一步。
Schreiner has worked at the Oregon-based organization since 1998.
施莱纳自1998年以来一直在这家总部位于俄勒冈州的组织工作。
He said expanding technical training is important because of the difference between farming land with usual, or conventional methods, and organic ones.
他说，扩大技术培训很重要，因为常规耕作方式与有机耕作方式之间存在差异。
Schreiner noted that one farmer told him that changing a farm to organic production was like asking “a foot doctor to become a heart surgeon.”
施莱纳指出，一位农场主告诉他，将农场变成有机生产就像是让“一名足科医生变成一名心脏外科医生”。
The important difference is the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and genetically changed seeds.
重要的区别是使用了合成化肥和合成杀虫剂以及转基因种子。
Most conventional farms use those materials, but they are banned on organic farms.
大多数传统农场使用这些材料，但有机农场禁止使用这些材料。
Instead, organic farmers must control unwanted plants and animals with different methods.
相反，有机农场主必须用不同的方法控制不需要的动植物。
They include seasonally changing crops and planting cover crops that push out unwanted plants and add nutrients to the soil.
其中包括季节性改变作物和种植覆盖作物，将不需要的植物去除，并为土壤增加养分。
Crops can only be called organic if they are grown on land that has not been treated with synthetic products for three years.
只有在三年内没有使用合成产品的土地上种植的作物才能被称为有机作物。
During that period, farmers can grow crops, but they do not get the extra income that comes with organic crops.
在此期间，农民可以种植农作物，但他们不能获得有机作物带来的额外收入。
Data from the USDA shows the number of conventional farms newly changing to organic production dropped by about 70 percent from 2008 to 2019.
美国农业部的数据显示，从2008年到2019年，新转向有机生产的传统农场的数量下降了约70%。
Organic produce makes up about six percent of overall food sales, but only one percent of the country’s farmland is in organic production.
有机农产品约占食品总销售额的6%，但该国只有1%的农田种植有机农产品。
Foreign producers make up the rest.
外国生产商占了其余部分。
Megan DeBates is vice president of government affairs for the Organic Trade Association.
梅根·德贝茨是有机农产品贸易协会政府事务副主席。
She said in the U.S., “There are so many barriers to farmers making that leap to organic.”
她说，在美国，“农民要实现向有机农产品的飞跃有很多障碍。”
While farmers do not seem ready, U.S. buyers are.
虽然农民似乎还没有准备好，但美国买家已经准备好了。
The Organic Trade Association found yearly sales of organic products have nearly doubled in the past 10 years and now reach about $63 billion.
有机农产品贸易协会发现，有机产品的年销售额在过去10年里几乎翻了一番，现在达到了约630亿美元。
Sales are predicted to increase by 5.5 percent this year.
预计今年的销售额将会增长5.5%。
The new USDA effort would include $100 million toward helping farmers learn new methods for growing organic crops.
美国农业部的新举措包括支出1亿美元用于帮助农民学习种植有机作物的新方法。
It would include $75 million for farmers who meet new conservation standards.
其中包括向符合新保护标准的农民提供7500万美元。
It would include $25 million to expand crop insurance programs and to reduce costs.
还包括支出2500万美元用于扩大作物保险计划和降低成本。
And it would include $100 million to aid the development and expansion of markets for organics.
还包括支出1亿美元用于帮助发展和扩大有机产品市场。
Nick Andrews of Oregon State University works with organic farmers.
俄勒冈州立大学的尼克·安德鲁斯与有机农场主合作。
He called the USDA effort important.
他称美国农业部的努力很重要。
Farmers with small farms should find this effort appealing because the added value of organic crops makes it possible to make more money from even 10 to 40 hectare farms.
拥有小农场的农民应该会发现这一努力很有吸引力，因为有机作物的附加值使得即使是10到40公顷的农场也有可能赚到更多的钱。
That is much smaller than the commercial operations that provide most of the country’s produce.
这比提供该国大部分农产品的商业运营规模要小得多。
Andrews said, “I’ve seen organic farmers keep families in business who otherwise would go out of business.”
安德鲁斯说：“我见过有机农场主让那些本来会破产的家庭继续经营下去。”
I’m Gregory Stachel.
格雷戈里·施塔赫尔为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
