Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman says organic food standards could be undermined by a measure passed in Congress that allows farmers who feed animals conventional meal to label the meat organic if reasonably priced organic grain isn't available. She stopped short of endorsing an effort led by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., to repeal the language wrapped by Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., into the $397 billion government-wide spending bill. Still, organic food supporters welcomed her statement. "I think that USDA's statement provides the perfect justification for quietly saying: Let's repeal this," said Bob Scowcroft, head of the
Organic Farming Research Foundation in California.
