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A farmer in Minnesota has been accused of falsely selling crops as organic and he's facing up to two decades in prison because of it, according to NBC News.
65-year-old James Clayton Wolf was charged July 7 in federal court for felony wire fraud. Prosecutors have accused him of chemically treating corn and soybeans at his rural Cottonwood County farm and argue that he defrauded grain buyers and undermined the nation's organic labeling system by falsely labeling the crops as organic.
“Mr. Wolf is a 65-year-old career farmer, who has never been in trouble,” Paul Engh, Wolf's attorney, said. “He’s led a good life and now seeks his vindication.”
Organic crops are grown without chemicals and fertilizers from non-GMO seeds.They also generate higher prices than non-organic crops. The certification of organic crop is controlled by the federal National Organic Program, which is run by the United States Department of Agriculture. Wolf's organic farming certification was revoked in 2020. Despite this, the grand jury's indictment says Wolf continued to sell non-GMO grain falsely labeled as organic through an "associate."
Wolf is scheduled to appear before a magistrate on July 22. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.