Organic food is outperforming the conventional food market by a wide margin, according to a story in The Packer, a trade publication for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry.

National editor Tom Karst reports that even with a significant downturn attributed to the recession, the organic food industry grew at an 8% rate in 2010 according to numbers from the Brattleboro, Vt.-based Organic Trade Association.

The association's 2011 Organic Industry Survey indicates that the organic food industry grew to over $28.6 billion in 2010, and the survey found non-food organic sales topped $2 billion.

Overall produce sales in 2010 totaled $27.3 billion at conventional retail supermarkets (excluding Wal-Mart, club stores and discount operations), up 3.2% from the previous year, according to statistics from the West Dundee. Ill.-based Perishables Group.

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