Growers who falsely label their produce as organic may be sued for false advertising under state law even if the federal government has certified their farms as organic, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday.
Labels matter, Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar wrote for the court. “They serve as markers for a host of tangible and intangible qualities consumers may come to associate with a particular source or method of production,” she said.
The decision revived a class-action lawsuit against Herb Thyme Farms Inc., a large herb grower with many farms throughout California.