Jke wrote on Sat, 3 Mar 2007 20:28:36 +0100:


??>> Wegman's (my local chain) labels lots of stuff, especially
??>> fruits & berries from South America, since many people
??>> (like me) know that other countries may use some strange
??>> pesticides that are not used here. By "labels", I mean
??>> that on the big price sign next to the plums, they hand
??>> write "From Chile", or whatever. It's consistent from
??>> store to store. I suspect this began because customers
??>> wanted it, although Wegman's is unusual and might've
??>> dreamt it up because they're big on full disclosure.
??>>
??>> I think you'd be better off getting your stores to provide
??>> the information, especially since it involves virtually NO
??>> extra effort. They know where the stuff comes from.
??>>
??>> "Raised or caught" - now we're talking about meat & fish,
??>> right? With fish, it doesn't matter much.

J> It does in terms of sustainability, afaik. Line caught
J> salmon is better for the environment. And farmed salmon is
J> fed things that are much worse than what wild salmon eat. In
J> terms of sustainability, medications, variety, coloring.

J> Food miles matter to me, as well.

J> So what origins of food mean to you can depennd on what you
J> find importatn as a consumer.

I've not been very confident about even Trader Joe's when I
found that their Atlantic salmon was marked "Product of Chile".
Chile's Atlantic coast is miniscule and I don't approve of
trying to raise Salmo where Otorhyncus is the genus.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not