FMI Responds to FDA Surprise Release of “Final” Menu Labeling Guidance
Food Marketing Institute (FMI) President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin offered the following statement regarding the surprising late Friday afternoon release of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) purported “final guidance” related to the agency’s December 2014 final rule. The rule requires menu labeling at chain restaurants and “similar retail food establishments,” determined by FDA to include grocery stores, notwithstanding the inherent distinction between the operations of grocery stores and those of chain restaurants.
Sarasin said, “The guidance is largely a reprint of the draft guidance the agency released in September 2015 and did not incorporate the critical flexibility requested by the supermarket industry to make chain restaurant menu labeling regulations more practical in a grocery store setting for key areas, including signage at the salad bar or hot foods bar.
“While we are pleased to have any type of guidance to assist with our challenging efforts to comply with a rule and a structure written for chain restaurants – as opposed to one that contemplates the operations of supermarkets with large and varied produce departments evolving to salad bars or seafood departments evolving to hot foods bars – the supermarket industry still seeks flexibility from FDA. Specifically, food retailers wish to preserve their opportunity to sell locally produced foods that are sold at only one or two locations as well as their ability to use one sign/menu/menu board in a prepared foods area or next to a salad bar.
“Unfortunately, FDA has been unable to address these issues through its guidance process, so we repeat the supermarket industry’s support for legislation that does address our concerns, the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act (H.R. 2017/S. 2217), which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in February and is pending in the U.S. Senate.”
The May Issue of Gourmet News is Now Available
Click the image above or click here to be among the first to read the May issue of Gourmet News. Check back soon to read Sweets & Treats, a Gourmet News special supplement covering the 2016 Sweets & Snacks Expo.
Feeding America Names Hunger’s Hope Winners For 2016
Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, presented the 2016 Hunger’s Hope Awards at its recent annual conference.
Feeding America is a network of 200 food banks that provides food and groceries to more than 46 million people each year through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America.
The 2016 Hunger’s Hope Award Winners are:
2016 Member of the Year
Alameda County Community Food Bank (Oakland, California) was recognized for its nutrition policies, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) outreach, innovative partnerships and its commitment to advocacy and community engagement.
The food bank’s advocacy team has been named to the Feeding America Advocacy Hall of Fame for three consecutive years, due to its efforts to protect federal nutrition programs.
The food bank was also cited for its innovative partnerships with the city of Oakland, local school districts, libraries and county social service agencies. New programs developed by the food bank have been embraced as state-wide tactics to expand meal programs.
“The Alameda County Community Food Bank is a highly collaborative organization that shares best practices, tactics and ideas with the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks. They actively participate in committees at the national office, present at our conferences throughout the year, and generously mentor other food banks,” said Diana Aviv, CEO of Feeding America.
2016 Network Leader of the Year
Michelle L. Riley, CEO of The Foodbank, Inc. (Dayton, Ohio), was recognized for extraordinary and exemplary leadership and service by an executive director/CEO in the Feeding America network.
Under Michelle’s leadership, distribution of food to people in the food bank’s service area has increased by 58 percent in the past five years. The distribution of fresh produce increased by 215 percent during the same time period.
“Michelle has accomplished much by placing people at the center of her work. She has built a strong team that will continue to make an impact. She was also a major voice in the Feeding America Contract Task Force team, working to ensure that the voices of food banks across the country were heard, and keeping the member contract in line with core values of the Feeding America network,” said Aviv.
2016 John van Hengel Fellowship
Jaynee K. Day, President & CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, (Nashville) is this year’s recipient of the John van Hengel Fellowship. The award honors the ideals of the late John van Hengel, who developed the concept of food banking in the 1960s. It recognizes an executive director of a member food bank for his or her excellence in leadership, local impact and national influence, and commitment and entrepreneurial spirit in the area of hunger relief.
Day has served the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee for 28 years.
Her visionary spirit are best exemplified through various innovations that demonstrate her creativity and boldness in how she approaches problems and barriers to achieve success.
“Jaynee is a network veteran with a caring heart and great vision. Her work has been vital to both Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and the Feeding America network. In her community, she has played a founding role in SNAP outreach, advocacy efforts and reclamation partnerships. At the network level, Jaynee has served on the National Advisory Council, our Board of Directors and numerous national committees,” Aviv said.
