Jackson Free Press

In response to the problems occurring nationwide with mainstream produce or foods grown with pesticides, growth hormones or that have been genetically altered, people are increasingly turning to organic food. In 2000, Mississippi passed an organic farming law that placed very strict certification requirements on organic farming to ensure that organic food is, well, organic. But Rep. Rita Martinson, R-Madison, who is on the House Agriculture Committee, says that some of the restrictions were overkill. "It is important that we make it easier for these farmers to be able to grow their crops," she said.

The Legislature is now in session, and lawmakers are debating bills that made it past committees' scrutiny; House Bill 865 will be tossed into the debate. It amends three sections of the 2000 law. The law required any farmer "who sells or intends to sell organic food" to apply for certification with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce. Food is considered organic when it has been produced, transported, distributed, processed and packaged without any artificial pesticides, artificially compounded fertilizers, growth hormones, genetically modified organisms or artificial radiation.

In order to be certified, applicants must submit documentation that the land, fields or greenhouses used to produce their crops will be managed organically. The documentation is in the form of a detailed three-year farm plan. They also must pay an annual inspection and certification fee.

The law required that a number of things be included in the farm plan. The current bill amends some of those requirements. For instance, one regulation required organic farmers with crops within 30 feet of crops where pesticides are used to have samples tested for residues before harvest. Now the wording has been changed from 30 feet of another field to the more subjective "in close proximity." The bill would also eliminate the law's provision that greenhouses had to be used for organic agriculture only. Finally the current bill includes a stipulation that Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is required to establish a fee schedule for application, inspection and annual certification fees that that must be paid before applying.

"It really protects the consumer to have regulations that are uniform with federal standards because wherever people go, if each state continues to comply to the federal regulations, they can have a clear understanding of what it means to buy an organic product," said Rep. Chuck Espy, D-Clarksdale.

Plans are also underway to move the Farmer's Market to a new location at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds next year. Planners are hoping that organic farmers will be able to sell their products, which they had not been able to do in the past. "Right now these farmers are having to market their produce out of state. We want to develop good markets so that these farmers can have a place to market their goods in Mississippi," Martinson said.