Agricultural studies estimate that only about 1,200 farms nationwide achieve full organic certification in their first year of transition. However,...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Agricultural studies estimate that only about 1,200 farms nationwide achieve full organic certification in their first year of transition. However, even in regions with high concentrations of registered organic operations, most farms are still in various stages of the three-year certification process rather than being fully certified producers.
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to support the underlined claim?
Central Plains has 3,200 registered organic farms, representing 60% of the region's total farmland area.
Southern Hills shows 4,100 registered organic farms, which greatly exceeds the estimated 1,200 farms nationwide that achieve full certification annually.
Northern Valley has the lowest percentage at 45%, while Central Plains and Southern Hills show higher concentrations of organic operations.
The three regions combined have over 10,000 registered organic farms, demonstrating the growth of organic agriculture.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Agricultural studies estimate that only about 1,200 farms nationwide achieve full organic certification in their first year of transition.' |
|
| 'However, even in regions with high concentrations of registered organic operations, most farms are still in various stages of the three-year certification process rather than being fully certified producers.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Despite some farms achieving full organic certification annually, most farms in organic-heavy regions remain in the multi-year certification process rather than being fully certified.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a baseline statistic about certification rates, then uses 'However' to present the main point that contradicts what we might expect - that even in areas with lots of organic activity, most farms are still working toward full certification rather than having achieved it.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The underlined claim is that most farms are still in certification stages rather than fully certified
- To support this, we need data showing there's a big gap between registered organic farms and fully certified farms
- The passage tells us only 1,200 farms nationwide get full certification annually, but the table shows thousands of registered organic farms in just these three regions
- The right answer should use this contrast to show that most registered farms must still be in the certification process
Central Plains has 3,200 registered organic farms, representing 60% of the region's total farmland area.
- Simply restates table data without connecting it to the certification claim
- Doesn't address the distinction between registered farms and fully certified farms
Southern Hills shows 4,100 registered organic farms, which greatly exceeds the estimated 1,200 farms nationwide that achieve full certification annually.
- Compares Southern Hills' 4,100 registered farms to the 1,200 nationwide full certifications
- Shows the massive gap between registered farms (thousands in one region) and fully certified farms (1,200 total nationwide)
- This gap directly supports that most registered farms must still be in certification stages rather than fully certified
Northern Valley has the lowest percentage at 45%, while Central Plains and Southern Hills show higher concentrations of organic operations.
- Compares percentages between regions but doesn't connect to certification status
- Doesn't use the key contrast between registered vs. fully certified farms
The three regions combined have over 10,000 registered organic farms, demonstrating the growth of organic agriculture.
- Focuses on total numbers showing growth rather than certification stages
- Missing the key connection to the 1,200 fully certified farms that would support the claim