RADIO TRANSCRIPT

Date:  April 6, 2020
Agent:  Emily Troutman

This is Emily Troutman, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent with N.C. Cooperative Extension, Burke Center.

When it comes to our food supply, standards, certifications, and labels are especially useful in situations where there is a step between the producer and the consumer; they allow a producer to communicate about their production practices, while allowing consumers to make informed decisions about the types of products they want to purchase.

A standard describes acceptable practices and inputs used in production and processing. Certification provides verification of compliance to the standard.
A label communicates certification to the end user. Producers who sell in direct markets may choose not to use these since they can communicate
directly with consumers and address any questions that they have.
Consumers should be aware that not all labels are backed by standards and certifications, so it’s important to evaluate the claims that these labels are making, and determine whether or not they are verifiable.

This has been Emily Troutman with N.C. Cooperative Extension, Burke Center and for more information, contact us at 828-764-9480