Hmm, the "Made in North Carolina" label is a little concerning, but only slightly so. On one hand, it does clearly mark that a particular food item is protected under this Act, and it also would help the sales of items with the label much in the same way that "Made in America" helps sales as people do like to support their local economy, which is a good thing -- the label will definitely encourage people to purchase produce with that label. The only slight concern is local gardens and farmers markets and such, where packaging sometimes is not used. Where would they put the label? Sometimes they just have produce without packaging. How will that be handled? Only a slight issue, but one to consider.
It's not all that complicated, really. The labling is not a mandate, but only a requirement to come under the FFPA provision, and it can be as simple as handwriting on a brown paper sack. To a certain extent, there is
always packaging. even if it's just the grocery bag that the shopper at the Farmer's Market uses to carry the produce home with them. Get a rubber stamp that says "Made in NC" and stamp a stack of paper bags (or write with a Sharpie marker on plastic bags) and viola, no big bad Fed can stop the customer.
The hidden side of this is that it softens the blow for the Firearms Freedom Act, wich
requires a labeling provision to be effective. The idea is to win Farmer's Freedom in a big, big way, and then introduce Firearms Freedom which has nearly total commonality. The primary idea behind the labeling provision was to build "muscle memory" in advance of Firearms Freedom.
The provision is pretty simple, it reads,
"SECTION 4. Labeling. -- In order to fall under the provisions of this act, the packaging of all foods and produce that are produced and remain within the borders of the State of North Carolina shall be printed, stamped, or otherwise labled "Made in North Carolina" or "Made in N.C."
First, you only have to use labeling if you WANT to be exempted from the Federal regulation. It's basically being used as a statement of will "I want to opt-in" to the act, AND it clearly identifies produce that cannot be touched by the Feds.
Second, the languauge as it already stands would include handwritten labeling, but I intend to offer a committee amendment to specifically include handwriting, and to add "the packaging
or the surface of all foods" in order to allow people to write or stamp, say, a watermelon on it's rind with "Made in NC" in order to qualify. It's basically just an "opt-in" measure, and most importantly it paves the way for the NC Firearms Freedom Act coming out next week.
