LOS ANGELES — A California legislator is butting heads with farmers over his proposed regulations to protect lettuce, spinach and other crops from replays of the E. coli outbreaks that killed three people and sickened hundreds of others across the country.

State Sen. Dean Florez is proposing a bill that calls for a system to track produce from fields to store shelves and forces growers to further protect crops from contaminated water and stray animals that can spread bacteria.

The legislation is proving to be a hard sell to state farmers who could have their crops condemned if they're caught violating its rules.

The Western Growers Association, which represents the fresh produce industry in California and Arizona, is preparing a self-regulating scheme to head off Florez, who represents the agriculture-rich southern San Joaquin Valley.

Their plan would require handlers and shippers to buy from growers who can show they protected crops against E. coli and other contamination.