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[Log4Girlz]

I would assert that for regional brands that the EU is trying to claw back after decades of generic use, they may be more historical but they are not more accurate. Suddenly restricting "feta" to a cheese of Greek origin, after it's been used as a category for so long in so many places, is an effort to change

This is quite different in my mind from things like Champagne, Taleggio, Stilton, etc. that have been consistently protected and therefore should continue to have a protective right over their product.

They are trying to corner existing markets

 

[Branduil]

I hope Europeans realize that cheese sawdust isn't the only type of Parmesan made in America. We can buy actual cheese blocks of "Parmesan" as well.

 

[kick51]

Well, I'm an American, and I care, so the logic in your argument is flawed.

I also think you're flatly wrong in your implication that Americans are aware of what's in their food, but don't care. In my experience, Americans don't seem to know what's in their foods. I do agree they are don't care about it though.

What I don't get it is: how would accurate descriptions harm you as a consumer? I can't think of any. Maybe you could argue that it would make food more expensive, but I think that's a tenuous argument without much support. For consumers, I don't see any real detriment to forcing Subway to label their "footlongs" as being what they actually are (11inches). So again, I only see benefits for consumers, and I think it's myopic that the American's in this thread don't see this too.

edit:

In case it's not clear, this issue is about so much more than simple geographical indicators of cheese types.

ok, well, you referred to "americans" kinda generically, so congrats, got me there. +1

btw, gizmodo is a pretty suspect source for whatever argument you're trying to make about "most people" or whatever. The author threw together a three paragraph distillation of Fast Food Nation for some blog hits. Does not make it authoritative on what ever you're trying to support just because it's on your favorite blog though.

the author even feigned ignorance of basic definitions to support their argument:

The flavor packs aren't listed in the ingredients because they're technically derived from "orange essence and oil", whatever the hell that means.

ooh orange essence, how strange! and oil? from an orange?! weiiiirrrrddddd. omg it's "derived from" how gross and terrible, if the american public ever noticed, they'd surely be shocked. no.

clearer labeling would be nice, if necessary. but people can read on an orange juice cart that it's derived from several juices and chemicals. You're just talking about clearing up what are essentially technicalities to anyone who knows how to navigate labeling in a basic way. And I don't see how it would improve food quality to label things differently...how would that change the manufacturing process? A lot of things are thrown together the way they are because it's cheaper to make. Minute Maid would not get replaced with all fresh squeezed orange juice. They aren't going to cancel $2 bottles of from-concentrate with $6 bottles of fresh squeezed. People who buy minute maid are still going to need that $2 bottle of sugary orange stuff with vitamin C whether it's by necessity or because they actually like their weird juice drink.

at best, you'd cause a soccer mom outcry like what happened with that bug-sourced red dye at Starbucks--it didn't ever actually harm anyone and still doesn't, they just didn't like the idea of it being derived from bugs.

 

[Chuck Norris]

They did the same with wines varieties in Australia, specifically champagne now has to be called sparkling wine

 

[rykomatsu]

Though I do think that most cheese here that is labeled Parmigiano-Reggiano is actually Italian made Parm.

I've seen Parmigiano-Reggiano in the US being sold without the official stamps on the rind. Note that all Parmigiano that fails inspection from Italy has the name stamped on it with an additional stamp that crosses the name out (and a few other things on the actual wheel before it gets chopped up.

 

[hiroshawn]

Are we really arguing about cheese? I love GAF. This thread makes me want to be a cheese monger.

 

[RELAYER]

Toe cheese is the best

 

[charlequin]

They are trying to corner existing markets

I know what they're doing, I just think it's bad.

 

[Log4Girlz]

I know what they're doing, I just think it's bad.

I know. ..I was just reiterating the point in a condensed fashion that even someone like me could understand.

 

[Opiate]

Surely if the cheese made in america is of notably lower quality as suggested by this panel, people won't buy it? I'm now imaging a Greek grocery store that sells true, delicious Greek feta, and fake, bad American feta. If people are buying the bad, fake feta, why is that? Is it notably cheaper? Because that's actually pretty tricky to accomplish when the Greek feta is made 100 miles away and the American feta needs to ship overseas.

 

[Hydranockz]

Surely if the cheese made in america is of notably lower quality as suggested by this panel, people won't buy it? I'm now imaging a Greek grocery store that sells true, delicious Greek feta, and fake, bad American feta. If people are buying the bad, fake feta, why is that?

Far cheaper?

 

[Opiate]

Far cheaper?

Just edited that in! Seems unlikely, as Greek feta has the significant built in advantage of being made locally. Is greek feta (or Stilton or whatever European cheese we want to discuss) primarily made by small companies that do not leverage economies of scale?

 

[killer rin]

Guys, its fine. If the EU wants to name cheese by location, all the USA has to do is found some towns named Feta, Parmesan, ect.
...Or call it American Parmesan or American Feta
...Or just give the real thing exclusive rights to use the word "Authentic" in the name

 

[Ether_Snake]

It's funny but to me think whole thing will just make it more likely that I'll buy cheese made locally, now that I'll be able to make an easy difference.

European olive oil is crap, I don't trust their cheese either.

But the EU free trade agreement Canada signed will basically mean that European cheeses might be cheaper than the local ones since Europe subsidizes its cheese producers significantly.

 

[Cyan]

Surely if the cheese made in america is of notably lower quality as suggested by this panel, people won't buy it? I'm now imaging a Greek grocery store that sells true, delicious Greek feta, and fake, bad American feta. If people are buying the bad, fake feta, why is that? Is it notably cheaper? Because that's actually pretty tricky to accomplish when the Greek feta is made 100 miles away and the American feta needs to ship overseas.

These rules are apparently already in place in the EU. They want them to also apply in America. i.e. the American feta would be significantly cheaper, since it'd be local, while the Greek stuff would have to be shipped.

 

[IceCold]

It's funny but to me think whole thing will just make it more likely that I'll buy cheese made locally, now that I'll be able to make an easy difference.

European olive oil is crap, I don't trust their cheese either.

But the EU free trade agreement Canada signed will basically mean that European cheeses might be cheaper than the local ones since Europe subsidizes its cheese producers significantly.

European olive oil? No. Italian olive oil. Don't bring Portuguese, Spanish, Greek, etc. olive oil into this.