Salish Center and the Importance of Food Sourcing Education

Posted on by

My work with the Salish Center was focused on establishing a PDO (protected designation of origin) for all seafood harvested in the Salish Sea. In effect, this would ensure that all seafood derived from the Salish Sea would be labelled as such, and that no non-Salish Sea seafood could be labelled as a product of the Salish Sea. The concepts that we focused on reminded me of Wendell Berry’s work on The Pleasures of Eating and Karen Litfin’s work on Localism. In this way, my work with the Salish Center highlighted the intersection between the legal classification of food and how this fosters community development and pride in local food production.

Salish Sea Certified designation

Sample medallion for Salish Sea Certified PDO. Image courtesy of: https://salishcenter.org/#mission

As our program director told us, one of the primary goals of establishing a PDO for Salish seafood was to foster community pride in what he considers to be a superior food product relative to other seafood. By identifying a superior product as Salish Sea derived, the Salish Center hoped that local populations would be driven to protect the sanctity of the product’s origin. This is reminiscent of Berry’s quote that “eaters… must understand that eating takes place inescapably in the world” in order to contextualize their place in a larger food system. By stressing the importance of the health of the Salish Sea in bringing about its superior seafood, the Salish Center was essentially working to help consumers remember that their seafood and the quality thereof was contingent on a tangible, mutable part of the world.

See the source image

The Salish Center’s work helped remind consumers of the tangible source of their product’s origin. Image courtesy of Puget Sound Action Team.

Further, by identifying superior Salish seafood as a local product, the Salish Center  worked to incentivize consumers to reduce their “food miles” by buying local. The rationale behind this is that consumers would recognize and respond to the superiority of the Salish Sea’s products with increased consumption thereof, thus simultaneously supporting their own appetite and local food economies. As Litfin points out in “Localism”, “a local economy will have lower energy requirements and therefore be ecologically friendlier”. In this way, the Salish Center’s work contributed to environmental conservation.

My takeaway from this project is the power that something so simple as food labelling has in forming and protecting a community. Prior to working with the Salish Center, I could only imagine the corporate incentives behind labelling food as “organic” or “Walla-Walla sourced”, for example, but now I understand the importance that such labels have to protecting the source of the product and reinforcing pride in local food economies.

1,048 thoughts on “Salish Center and the Importance of Food Sourcing Education”

  6. Explore my24kbet sleek design and effortless navigation. Enjoy a user-friendly interface, stunning visuals, and an intuitive layout. Join us today for a perfect blend of functionality

    Reply ↓

  7. Explore ggwinner sleek design and effortless navigation. Enjoy a user-friendly interface, stunning visuals, and an intuitive layout. Join us today for a perfect blend of functionality and beauty

    Reply ↓

  43. Ini adalah artikel yang luar biasa membangkitkan semangat. Saya pada dasarnya puas dengan kerja hebat Anda. Anda sebenarnya memberikan data yang cukup mendukung. Lanjutkan kerja baikmu. Lanjutkan ke blog. Berharap untuk membaca dengan teliti pos Anda berikutnya togel 5000

    Reply ↓

  44. Impressive web site, Distinguished feedback that I can tackle. Im moving forward and may apply to my current job as a  pet sitter, which is very enjoyable, but I need to additional  expand. Regards

    Reply ↓

  45. I recently stumbled upon your blog, and I must say, I like your content. The way you articulate your thoughts and the depth of your analysis on various topics is truly impressive. Your writing style is engaging, and it’s evident that you put a lot of thought into each post. Keep up the great work; ggwinner I’ll definitely be a regular reader from now on.

    Reply ↓

  46. vavebet.online offers a dynamic and comprehensive betting platform, featuring a wide range of sports markets, live betting options, and exciting games for an all-in-one gaming experience.

    Reply ↓

  47. readycasino delivers an exceptional online gaming experience with its extensive selection of games, generous bonuses, and top-tier customer support, catering to players of all levels.

    Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *