A national standard ensures that everyone is talking about exactly the same thing. According to be Department of Agriculture, its first set of organic food rule proposals was published in 1997. The Agency states that it received over 275,000 comments criticizing its first attempt and they had to be re-written. The new rule proposals are the Agency's second chance at getting this right. Unlike the 1997 effort, the new regulations would prohibit the use of genetic engineering, and sewage sludge as fertilizer.
States are free to adopt their own program.
If the federal government approves a state program, the state can carry out the product review and approval process. They can make organic claims without receiving prior government approval. Such companies must still meet federal requirements. Growing fields have certain requirements as well. Among others, they must be free from non-organic crop growth for at least three years.