On September 12, 2016, Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Peter Welch sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. They called on Vilsack to put an end to new certification of the hydroponic produce until the USDA can repair the broken standards that are causing so much damage to the reputation of the USDA organic label. Despite calls for a moratorium  from 40 international organizations and OFPA cosponsor Senator Patrick Leahy, the NOP still continues to permit the certification of hydroponic growing operations.

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