|
|
|
| Ark of Taste |
|
International Ark Commission Guidelines
Article 1
The selection and approval of products must be based on the following criteria:
| |
1. |
Products must be of outstanding quality in terms of taste. ‘Taste quality’, in this context, is defined in the context of local traditions and uses.
|
| |
2. |
The product must be linked to the memory and identity of a group, and can be a vegetable species, variety, ecotype or animal population that is well acclimatized over a medium-long period in a specific territory (defined in relation to the history of the territory). The primary material of the foodstuff must be locally sourced unless it comes from an area outside the region of production, in which case it must be traditional to use materials from that specific area. Any complementary materials used in the production of the product (spices, condiments, etc.) may be from any source, and their use must be part of the traditional production process.
|
| |
3. |
Products must be linked environmentally, socio-economically and historically to a specific area.
|
| |
4. |
Products must be produced in limited quantities, by farms or by small-scale processing companies.
|
| |
5. |
Products must be threatened with either real or potential extinction |
Article 2
General rules for Governance of the Ark:
| |
1. |
GM products or GM-based products are forbidden.
|
| |
2. |
No product using a trademark or commercial name may be introduced to the Ark.
|
| |
3. |
The use of the Slow Food logo, name and trademark (or any variations thereof) is forbidden on Ark and Presidia products and/or the packaging thereof.
|
| |
4. |
Ark products must be produced in accordance with general Slow Food campaigns and 'manifestos': for example the campaign in Defense of Raw Milk, that against Transgenic Wine Production, and that in favor of Sustainable Fishing.
|
Article 3
The International Commission has the following responsabilities:
| |
1. |
Defining the criteria and categories for the Ark.
|
| |
2. |
Defining the general rules for the Ark.
|
| |
3. |
Verifying compliance with the general rules by national Ark commissions.
|
| |
4. |
Supporting the national commissions.
|
| |
5. |
Recognizing the national commissions and admitting new members to the International Ark Commission.
|
| |
6. |
Assisting the creation of new national commissions in countries where these are not yet present.
|
| |
7. |
erifying products and admitting them to the Ark in countries where there is not national Ark commission. |
Article 4
Eventual changes in International Ark Commission Duties, and Criteria need to be proposed by at least two members of the International Commission, at which time they can be discussed and voted upon in any meeting at which at least two-thirds of International Ark Commission members are present.
Article 5
Commissioners will be asked to leave the International Ark Commisssion in the following cases:
| |
1. |
They do not follow the International Ark Guidelines
|
| |
2. |
They do not develop their National Commission (if they have no current national commission)
|
| |
3. |
Given due consideration of regional differences, they do not complete the work of the National Commission, for example, in the space of a year the country they represent submits less than three Ark products that have been reviewed and researched (up to the point that the National Ark is declared 'complete') or they are unable to show work completed on the Presidia project in said time period.
|
| |
4. |
Are no longer part of the International Slow Food Movement
|
|
|
|
|
|
