Some have said the term “local” can only apply to products produced within a hundred mile radius.

Others point out the term is only meaningful when comparing carbon footprints which can oddly make apples from New Zealand comparable to those from parts of Washington state.

We’d like to offer our labeling of “local” not by its strict definition, but rather as a goal for continuous improvement.

What’s the real benefit, for example, of a 100 mile radius if the best strawberries are coming from just a little further away? Similarly, it’s worth asking whether we must insist on organic when we want to support a local producer who’s not yet certified?

So the Co-op would like to offer these goals for our labeling of Local:

• Fresh tasty products we can trust are safe and responsibly produced;
• Closer is better but all of Washington and Oregon can fit for now;
• Organic is preferred, but trusted and responsible sources can fit for now;
• Less costly is ideal, but more costly can be OK for now;
• An ever-expanding variety and availability may comprise the goal, but limited variety and inconsistent availability can help us on our goal for now.