Just what does that food label really mean?
I listen to National Public Radio, I recycle and I ride my bike, nor did I vote for Him. Does that make me a left-wing wacko? Probably not, because half of my family did vote for Him and I’ve inherited some of that. I don’t necessarily see this as a bad thing, especially when it comes to deciphering the truly ambiguous world of food labels. With the corporate take-over of all things organic I do occasionally question what "cage free" actually means. Don’t get me wrong, I read the labels and even if they are slightly more expensive than plain old brown Grade-AA eggs, I will buy the "Naturally Nested" ones (just what does that mean again?)
So the other day I was browsing an issue of Vanity Fair (a magazine I had never picked up before and was amazed to read just how left-wing wacko it is) that was dedicated to what else, but the environment (which all of sudden EVERYONE pretends to care about, even Bush.) I soon came across a blurb on food labels which I would like to share, because an educated consumer is a better consumer. The article ranks the various labels according to "most reliable" "less reliable" & "least reliable".
In the Most Reliable category we have the following:
- USDA Organic
- Certified Humane Raised & Handed
- Marine Stewardship Council
- Salmon-Safe
- Fair Trade Certified
Followed by the we-are-not-so-confident-these-labels-mean-anything:
- Grass-fed or Pastured
- No Hormones Administered
And last but not least, the this-label-was-used-simply-as-a-marketing-gimmick (and you all fell for it):
- Antibiotic-Free
- Free Range or Roaming
- Cage-Free
- Natural
The fact of the matter is is that as organic, cage-free and fair trade foods become more and more popular and accessible to the general public (think Fred Meyer and Walmart) we should keep a close eye on just what the origin of these products really are and how these organizations keep everthing and every farm in line. Read the labels for sure but keep in mind that just because something is ‘cage free’ doesn’t necessarily mean it has any more space to roam than a 10×10 pen.
Another consideration (and maybe this is even more important) is where your food originates. Is it better to buy organic if it’s being flown in from Chile, or to simply buy a ‘normal’ apple from your local farm?
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Award-winning adventure photographer Ian Mackie moved to the Pacific Northwest 10 years ago, leaving behind the suburbs of Massachusetts in search of higher mountains, desolate trails and deeper snow.
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