New York has established a certification program for the state's food producers who maintain certain agricultural practices for environmental conservation and safety.
Governor Andrew Cuomo says food safety is a growing concern and the marketplace is flooded with unverified claims like "natural" and produce marked "organic" from countries where there is widespread pollution.
The Department of Ag and Markets has established a seal for New York State Grown and Certified products.
Qualified farmers and other producers will have to join the state's agricultural environmental management program, and they'll need to undergo an independent annual food safety audit like the U.S. Department of Agriculture's program, which certifies fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled and stored as safely as possible to minimize risk of disease-causing bacteria and other microbes.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.