Common food names could be protected in new bill

Common food names could be protected in new bill

A bipartisan, bicameral group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced legislation that would preserve common food names in trade negotiations.

“We’ve got to get more serious about tackling what the Europeans are up to on geographical indication.”

Senior Director of the Consortium for Common Food Names Shawna Morris tells Brownfield the EU often uses geographical indications to block U.S. exports.

“It’s really a protectionist approach that Europe is driving here, that harms certainly American farmers and American food producers, but farmers and food producers, and a number of other markets around the world as well,” she explains.