It has been periodically charged that USDA has a bias in favor of farmers over consumers, and the agency’s local effort is evidence of the difficulty serving the needs of both.

Reacting to a Tampa Bay Times story (“Farm to Fable”) about restaurants making false claims regarding the sourcing of the foods they serve, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack reportedly said, “As this industry matures and grows there’s going to be the need for standardization for what it means by local and regional.” The “local” food movement has been nurtured by USDA in an effort to boost the income of smaller farms, particularly those nearer to urban centers. It is consistent with the government’s efforts since the 1...