NationStates Jolt Archive

Hello, I have recently tried to pass my proposal "Nutrition Facts" to the UN, I had receaved 29 approvals by the end. that figgure tells me there is some work to do, I would like your input as to what might be fixed before I attempt to submit again.

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International Nutrition Facts Organization (INFO)

OBSERVING that Nutrition Facts are printed only in the local country's language(s), and those Nutrition Facts currently printed ared decided upon by the company themselves. This proposal hopes to standardize the Nutrition Facts for all food products.


Article: 01

An International Nutrition Facts Organization (INFO) shall be created to collect all Nutrition Facts on food products, and to create a public domain database on the Internet to allow the search of any product by it's Universal Product Code (UPC).


Article: 02

Labels for Nutrition Facts must be printed in the home country's language on the product(s). Also all Nutrition Facts must be available on an Global Internet Database of Nutrition Facts provided by INFO.


Article: 03

The INFO database must be freely available to all. Thus each grocery store must have at least one search terminal with a Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code scanner, to provide the customer with a printable fact-sheet on any food product in any language the customer desires. there shall be no cost to the customer for this service.


Article: 04

INFO shall be responsible to review each product(s) claim and adjust any irregularity's. It shall be this organizations mandate to keep the database as accurate as possible.


Article: 05

There shall be an UN review every year of INFO to ensure no misconduct occurs. A budget shall be created and reviewed to ensure that no bribes have been accepted. There shall be no favoritism to any individual company, nor to any group of company's.


Article: 06

There shall be an INFO food guide providing customers with an proper daily diet for healthy living.


Article: 07

Nutrition Facts must be per 1 serving and nutrition contents be in the order of:

Calories
Fat
Trans Fat
Saturated
Polyunsaturated
Monounsaturated
Omega-3
Omega-6
Cholesterol
Sodium
Carbohydrate
Sugars
Fibers
Protein

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Calcium
Iron

Oh dear...

And exactly how is this an international issue?

Bob Flibble
UN Representative

I swear, we must be in the Matrix

I just had the wierdest feeling of deja vu.

I swear, we must be in the Matrix

I just had the wierdest feeling of deja vu.

I swear, we must be in the Matrix

I just had the weirdest feeling of deja vu.

HEY! My head! You get outta there!

I like the idea, but it most certainly is not an international issue.

I think elements of this are suitable for international legislation.

However, there is apparent crossover with Resolution #123 (or thereabouts), "Labeling Standards".

Of course it's an international issue. I would say it's a free trade issue but you would probably stone me. So I'll duck and cover first. :D

Why is this an international issue? Because food products cross international borders. Maintaining different language labels is annoying enough, but when each nations requires different standards it can be a nightmare. There can be the problem of multiple units. (USDA Daily Allowance is technically a measurement unit for example.) Or different technical terms for different combinations of things.

Still it probably either needs to cover more things or needs a tremendous rewrite. Probably both.

Article: 03

The INFO database must be freely available to all. Thus each grocery store must have at least one search terminal with a Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code scanner, to provide the customer with a printable fact-sheet on any food product in any language the customer desires. there shall be no cost to the customer for this service.


And how are poor, Third World nations such as Ariddia supposed to finance this? Will the honourable delegate from Brings be supplying the funds, technology and equipment? We have more important things to attend to, especially since our own national legislation already has strict guidelines on the matter of nutrition and nutritional information.


Christelle Zyryanov,
Ambassador to the United Nations,
PDSRA

It's a noble idea, but I just don't think it's an international issue.

I think elements of this are suitable for international legislation.

However, there is apparent crossover with Resolution #123 (or thereabouts), "Labeling Standards".

I like this one better. It's crappy too, but at least it has a cool acronym.

OBSERVING that Nutrition Facts are printed only in the local country's language(s), and those Nutrition Facts currently printed ared decided upon by the company themselves. This proposal hopes to standardize the Nutrition Facts for all food products.One of our most popular candy bars the Saltypeter Bar is sold in many nations and the labels are applied according to what country they are sold in. Thus all this is on the bars in the language most common to the area they are sold in. Thus why do we need to have all this since we are already funding that?

We also in order to comply with individual national laws on such issues put on those labels all required facts that are needed. Those nations that trade with us and import goods must meet our standards of labeling before they can import any product.. thus we already have funding in place and a system here and don't need the UN to come in and muck things up.

We also test all food items coming into our nation for certain things and insure they are safe for consumption by our citizens. Thus we do not take the word of a company on what is in something or what it does for us. We know their function is to sale a product, while ours is to protect our citizens from bad products.

Many of the nations that we trade with and send goods to do the same to our goods that we do to theirs. Test them to make sure they meet standards. Those nations that don't test get from us exactly what we serve our own citizens.. at the same level if they purchase that item. We don't have double standards...

And exactly how is this an international issue?

Bob Flibble
UN Representative

It's not.

We agree that this is not a international issue. members in our business community also insist that we consider the impact on the enviroment from requiring more lables to be printed and the trees and horses that will be expended in creating the paper and glue for such a sizable project.

Of course it's an international issue. I would say it's a free trade issue but you would probably stone me. So I'll duck and cover first. :D

Why is this an international issue? Because food products cross international borders. Maintaining different language labels is annoying enough, but when each nations requires different standards it can be a nightmare. There can be the problem of multiple units. (USDA Daily Allowance is technically a measurement unit for example.) Or different technical terms for different combinations of things.

Still it probably either needs to cover more things or needs a tremendous rewrite. Probably both.


We quite agree!

Past-tech nations might not be able to analyse their products that accurately. Why not just leave it so that each nation can set minimum nutritional standards for imported foodstuffs, and require labelling on its own products, instead?

Past-tech nations might not be able to analyse their products that accurately. Why not just leave it so that each nation can set minimum nutritional standards for imported foodstuffs, and require labelling on its own products, instead?


the nations won't have to worry, the council will take care of all of those things

Whilst we applaud the aims of this resolution we will unfortunately not be able to offer our support. In our humble opinion these types of matters are best served by each nation’s government not to say less costly. The expense of instituting a UN body we feel will bring little or no extra benefit to what UN members already do.

Respectfully
Lydia Cornwall, UN Ambassador
Office of UN Relations, Dept for Foreign Affairs
HM Government of Telidia

the nations won't have to worry, the council will take care of all of those thingsBut we know how well UN councils function and serve so we have some concern about just this. As we know how the members of these coucils tend to be abusive of their powers and often are subject to bribes to side in favor of their own nations over others. Also some nations of low-tech simply don't have the resources like power to run printers and machines to do all this labeling.. as they use people for all labor and these are already working in more import areas than sticking some label on an ear of corn, that tells folks it's an ear of corn and has 10% corn, ??H20 in it and the rest is cobb; also an ear of corn weights 1 ear of corn here.

But we know how well UN councils function and serve so we have some concern about just this. As we know how the members of these coucils tend to be abusive of their powers and often are subject to bribes to side in favor of their own nations over others.
Uh... what are you talking about? UN Councils are staffed by the Gnomes, who are only ever biased against people who get in their way.