Subd. 1. Designation.

The commissioner shall designate one or more organizations made up of organic food growers, manufacturers, or sellers, to certify organically grown seeds, products, and food.

Subd. 2.

Repealed by amendment, 1990 c 547 s 4

Subd. 3. Certification requirement.

An organic certification agency may not refuse services or certification to a person:

1. (1) whose seeds, products, and food meet certification requirements; and
2. (2) who has paid certification fees.

Subd. 3a. Certification organizations.

1. (a) A Minnesota grown organic product that is labeled "certified" must be certified by a designated certification organization.
2. (b) A certified organic product sold in this state must be certified by a designated certification organization or by a certification organization approved by the commissioner. Before approving a certification organization, the commissioner must seek the evaluation and recommendation of the Minnesota organic advisory task force.

3. (c) The commissioner shall appoint a Minnesota organic advisory task force to advise the commissioner on policies and practices to improve organic agriculture in Minnesota. The task force shall consist of the following residents of the state:

   1. (1) three farmers using organic agriculture methods;
   2. (2) one organic food retailer or distributor;
   3. (3) one representative of organic food certification agencies;
   4. (4) one organic food processor;
   5. (5) one representative from the Minnesota extension service;
   6. (6) one representative from an environmental nonprofit organization;
   7. (7) two at-large members; and

   8. (8) one representative from the agricultural utilization research institute.

      Terms, compensation, and removal of members are governed by section 15.059, subdivision 6. The task force must meet at least twice each year and expires on June 30, 2003.

Subd. 4. Rules.

The organic certification organization may draft rules for submission to the commissioner to adopt for implementation of the organically grown certification program.