Warwick Metzger’s bill defining ‘local’ for NY Ag products will support local purchasing

The State Senate this week unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Senator Jen Metzger to establish labeling standards for use of the term, "local," in food products.
Currently, there are no standards to ensure that the main ingredients of products marketed as "local" are actually produced in New York.
According to Packaged Facts, a market research firm, local foods generated $11.7 billion in sales in 2014, and will climb to $20.2 billion by 2019.
Under this bill (S3829), consumers can have confidence that products labeled as "local" are truly local, from New York producers made with New York ingredients.
“The local food movement provides a tremendous opportunity for our farmers and food producers and this legislation helps to ensure that they benefit from it," Metzger said in the press release detailing the vote. "Transparency and accuracy in food labeling enables New Yorkers to choose responsibly and with confidence that when a label reads ‘local’ it truly means local.”
The companion bill in the Assembly, A1460, is sponsored by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner and is currently in the Ways and Means Committee.