Saturday, July 11, 2009

Link: "Local" Produce in the Sun

The Sun just ran an interesting article about "local" produce and how you're being mislead if you think that "local" produce comes from anywhere you consider local.  

Produce under the "local" signs was from as far away as Europe and New Zealand, and even the government's definition of "local" is 400 miles -- from Boston to Cape Hatteras.  Great reporting.  Exactly the kind of shoe-leather work that bloggers like me aren't going to do because it takes serious time.

The Sun doesn't say that you're being completely manipulated and shouldn't believe the signs.  But I'm not a big newspaper that sells ads to the supermarkets.  Even when I'm telling you about a truck selling "local" produce, I say "Who knows?"  People lie -- or they get the government to define "local" to include Boston.

Thanks to CJB for the tip about the Sun article.

1 comment:

pizzablogger said...

Brent, great post here to bring this topic to light, which is has been a sore topic in the Blogger household for years now.

People may get ruffled by this, but the government's complicit denial of the facts, if not outright lying, involved in food production and labelling in this country is a crime, pure and simple.

My eyes were "opened" fully several years ago. There are more intereting facts than one book, or movie, could ever cover. However, I would highly recommend people go see Food Inc, which addresses some important topics like 90% of hamburger meat in this country being rinsed in ammonia, as well as legal issue handcuffing our farmers face every day. Also get King Corn onto your Netflix queues. There are dozens of excellent books, some new and some old, on the topic, but those two movies are a good starting place.

I would not be surprised in my lifetime to see the food industry get sued, found guilty and pay fines that dwarf the ones the tobacco industry has faced. Great topic to bring up on your excellent blog! --PB