This is the fourth panel discussion / live webinar in a series on American Origin Products, Geographical Indications, and Rural Development.
Carried out by the University of Arkansas with national participation by American Origin Product producers, researchers and others, this panel series is provided as a educational service to producers, government officials, the media and the general public so that they might better understand what is at stake in preserving the heritage of origin products in the U.S.
The panel is free and open to the public. Seating is limited to 200 persons. Please visit this site to register to attend in person or to participate in the live webinar: http://cast.uark.edu/index.php?id=1365#FAQ
Materials from panels 1-3 can also be found at the link above.
Regionally identified foods (Idaho potato, Napa Valley wine, Kona Coffee) are among the most famous, highest value products of the US. They enjoy a strong reputation for quality and have a large impact on rural economies. They offer variety of choice to consumers while preserving local traditions and cultural heritage. In many cases they enjoy thriving export trade with room to grow.
This fourth panel / webinar in the series will explain how consumer recognition and purchasing are crucial to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of origin products. Consumers help preserve the heritage and tradition of these products while enjoying the diversity and quality they offer. The product, the land or water that it comes from, and the social and economic fabric of communities that produce it all depend on the “virtuous circle” of informed consumers recognizing the nexus of values represented by an origin product.
More information about American Origin Products and ongoing efforts to recognize and protect them can be found at AOPCentral.US and AOPCentral Facebook page, sponsored by the American Origin Products Research Foundation.
