It's time now for today explain where we break
down some of the biggest stories in the news,
how we got here and where we go next.
Some people,
they swear by organic foods and they are willing to pay
between 20 and 35% more for items with that label.
And that willingness to pay has lured a lot of unscrupulous farmers who
may just be throwing that label on items to make more money.
Things like fresh produce and grains are
especially vulnerable to this kind of fraud
to stop that
the U. S.
Department of Agriculture or USDA is increasing the regulation organic products
for the first time
in 30 years.
The rule standardizes the following.
Among other things, it requires certification of more businesses
in the organic supply chain,
boost authority for inspections and recordkeeping and
requires more frequent reporting of data.
Organic food sales topped $63 billion in 2021.
That's according to the Organic Trade Association.
So this along this is really a long time coming.
And farmers they're really happy about this.
The Organic Farmers association warns quote,
when cheaply produced products are fraudulently sold as organic,
it undermines consumer confidence in the organic label and harms
organic farmers who are doing these things the right way.
The association says
this is a crucial step to not only protect producers
but also consumers who pay top dollar for these products.
The rule takes effect on March 20th, farmers impacted
are gonna have one year to comply with USDA organic standards.
So maybe the next time you're shopping at the grocery store,
you can feel confident that organic products are exactly that organic.