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David Dixon
7/5/10
Dear Food Labeling Review,
Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission on the important issue of food labeling.
As a consumer I want product labeling that enables me to make choices that are good for the environment and that support animal welfare.
The following labeling issues are important to me and I’m confident they would be relevant to large sectors of the community who share similar values:
Animal Welfare
· Free Range. There should be a legally enforceable standard that reflects customer expectations about the meaning of free range. Consumers pay extra for free range products because they believe the chickens to have easy access to outdoor areas with plenty of grass and significantly more indoor space than conventional birds. A free range label should only be applied if these common-sense expectations are met.
· Beef and lamb: This should be labeled as either “pasture-fed” or “grain-fed”. Grain-fed meat from feedlots requires environmental and animal welfare compromises like an unnatural diet, a barren habitat, high doses of antibiotics and pollution from high concentrations of waste. Pasture-fed meat is also lower in saturated fat which makes it a healthier choice. Customers concerned about these issues need to know the production method of their meat.
Environment
· Palm Oil: Palm oil plantations are one of the major causes of rainforest destruction. The replacement of rainforest with palm oil plantations results in higher greenhouse gas emissions and the loss of habitat for endangered species like the orangutan. At present palm oil is labeled generically as “vegetable oil” in food products. Palm oil should be unambiguously included as an ingredient on all product labels given the high level of community concern about its impact.
· “Greenhouse Friendly”: The Government should reactivate this labeling scheme or fast track the implementation of the National Carbon Offset Standard so consumers can have confidence in carbon neutral claims. Many consumers want to voluntarily reduce their carbon footprint but they need a trustworthy certification scheme so certainty exists about making a real difference. This is especially important now that the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) put off until at least 2013.
· Carbon Labeling: Britain, France and Japan are beginning to show the carbon footprint of various food items on the product labels. The total life cycle emissions from a bag of crisps, for example, are 75 grams of CO2. This raises awareness of the carbon embedded in everyday items and provides information for consumers who want to choose products with the lowest greenhouse impact.
I believe that more accurate and comprehensive food labeling is required to reflect widespread community values about animal welfare and the environment. I encourage you to strive for greater transparency so consumers have the information necessary to make principled food choices.
Thank you once again for the opportunity to contribute on this important issue.
Yours sincerely,
David Dixon