Comments can also be submitted via the Internet through June 12. Local growers are concerned about which foods will wear the organic label, says Brian Leahy , director of Santa Cruz-based California Certified Organic Farmers . According to the proposed standards, agricultural products only have to be 95 percent organic to earn the label. That's not encouraging organic. And it's hurting our growers.
Farmers also say they want the regulations to crack down on genetically modified crops.
The proposal's rules say you can't have any, but they don't say how that will be enforced, how to discover if there are any GMOs and who is going to pay for that discovery process. The debate over GMOs has become increasingly linked to organic foods, both on a national and a local level. Legislators in New York recently introduced a bill that would place a moratorium on growing genetically engineered crops. About 20 green tricksters stormed Mission Street's Safeway , wearing wigs and costumes. Costume-clad protesters labeled foods containing genetically modified products, such as corn oil and soy products, and performed a skit in the produce section before being asked to leave.