The effect on the average consumer has also been complicated. I didn't know until recently that "100% Organic" was more organic than "Organic" which is more organic than "Made with Organic Ingredients." I just thought they were different marketing strategies or gimmicks.
Still, I think creating local labeling is brilliant, and it would really help me to make smart choices at the market. The local label templates I've seen are more straightforward than the organic model. Of course, that's subject to change after the wringer of organizational bureaucracy, and the gauntlet of capital hill. But some models will avoid these challenges completely.
For example, the familyfarmed.org label will have the regular Price Look-Up (PLU) number, farm location, farm name, and the familyfarmed.org logo & web address. If the consumer is curious enough to visit the website, they will find the story of the farm where their squash, apple, or strawberry was planted, grown, and harvested.
A more universal model has been proposed by the Leopold Center for Sustainability. Their Food Miles Ecolabel would show the number of miles traveled from the farm to the store, source state or country, mode of transport (ex: truck, plane or barge), and categorize the food into one of four environmental impact categories: low, moderate, high, and very high.
These would be extremely helpful labels, but they're complicated, and creating universal implementation would certainly put them through the wringers and gauntlets. As far as I know, the Leopold Center is only referring these labels as a working model of what could be done in the future with more infrastructure - not as a finished product ready for market. They also point out that food miles don't tell the whole story. Some foods consume more energy in their packaging production, or in their storage and preparation than during transport. Personally I can't imagine a label with all of the appropriate information labeled on it. A kumquat labeled with its life cycle analysis would probably resemble a textbook with a fruity center. But for now, any guidance would be appreciated.
For example, the familyfarmed.org label will have the regular Price Look-Up (PLU) number, farm location, farm name, and the familyfarmed.org logo & web address. If the consumer is curious enough to visit the website, they will find the story of the farm where their squash, apple, or strawberry was planted, grown, and harvested.A more universal model has been proposed by the Leopold Center for Sustainability. Their Food Miles Ecolabel would show the number of miles traveled from the farm to the store, source state or country, mode of transport (ex: truck, plane or barge), and categorize the food into one of four environmental impact categories: low, moderate, high, and very high.
These would be extremely helpful labels, but they're complicated, and creating universal implementation would certainly put them through the wringers and gauntlets. As far as I know, the Leopold Center is only referring these labels as a working model of what could be done in the future with more infrastructure - not as a finished product ready for market. They also point out that food miles don't tell the whole story. Some foods consume more energy in their packaging production, or in their storage and preparation than during transport. Personally I can't imagine a label with all of the appropriate information labeled on it. A kumquat labeled with its life cycle analysis would probably resemble a textbook with a fruity center. But for now, any guidance would be appreciated.
1 comment:
It is indeed a complicated issue. In order to allow for more universal stickers, they'd probably have to implement the use of some kind of machine to mark them (since a guy with a Sharpie doing it one-by-one style seems hardly efficient), I'd think. The examples you show are just so location-specific. It is truly a quandary!
You need to update more.
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