Proposition 37, which would have required labeling of genetically modified foods, was soundly defeated Tuesday in California, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The measure trailed 53 percent to 47 percent with nearly 90 percent of the vote counted at 3:30 a.m. (PT) Proposition 37 advocates relied on social media and a strong grass-roots campaign […]
Tag: legislation
Posted in, Independent Store News, National
Healthcare Reform Ranks Top Political Concern For Independent Grocers
Independent grocers express a great level of concern over the financial impact of the changes to healthcare insurance mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Ranking eight political issues from one (most important) to eight (least important), the impact of healthcare reform ranks first by a wide margin, according to the 2012 […]
Posted in, National, Northeast
Industry Headed For Perfect Storm With Proposed Minimum Wage Increase
by Linda Doherty/president, New Jersey Food Council Special to The Shelby Report The New Jersey State Senate is moving forward to seek passage of SCR-1, which proposes to amend the New Jersey Constitution to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25 per hour and with adjustments for inflation based on the consumer price index […]
Posted in, National
NGA Continues To Fight For Credit Card Reform
The National Grocers Association (NGA) and eight other national associations have vowed to continue the fight for credit card reform and oppose the proposed settlement in the case of “In Re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation,” NGA said today. “NGA is strongly opposed to the proposed settlement because it does not […]
Posted in, Market Profile, Northeast
Pennsylvania 2012 Profile: Proposed Cap on Sales Tax Vendor Allowance Dies in State House
[gn_note color=”#b1cbde”]The 2012 Pennsylvania Profile originally ran in the September 2012 edition of The Shelby Report of the Northeast.[/gn_note] by Kristen Cloud/staff writer Retailers in Pennsylvania earlier this year dodged what could have had a “catastrophic” impact on their businesses, according to Randy St. John, senior VP of association services for the Pennsylvania Food Merchants […]
Posted in, Midwest, National
NGA Presents Spirit Of America Award To Minn. Congressman
Congressman John Kline (R-Minn.) has been presented with the Spirit of America Award by the National Grocers Association (NGA). The award is one of NGA’s top honors with more than 550 recipients over the past 30 years since NGA’s founding. It was presented to Kline this morning during a board of directors meeting at NGA’s […]
Posted in, National, West
CGA Testifies On GMO Labeling
California Grocers Association President Ronald K. Fong testified before a California Legislative Joint Informational Hearing on Thursday, telling legislators that a controversial initiative on the November ballot would create a litigation nightmare for grocery retailers if approved by voters. In testimony before the Senate Committee and the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Fong said Proposition 37, […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
Farm Bill Now Coalition Plans To Fight For New Farm Bill
With Congress on August recess until Sept. 10 and the Farm Bill left unfinished, members of the agricultural community have formed a coalition, Farm Bill Now. As of Aug. 23, the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance has joined 39 of the nation’s foremost agricultural organizations to rally the public to urge Congress to pass a […]
Posted in, Suppliers, West
Monsanto Gives $4.2M to Kill California GMO Labeling Initiative
New campaign finance reports reveal that Monsanto Co. recently contributed $4.2 million to defeat Proposition 37, which would require labeling of genetically engineered food. That is the largest contribution in the race. Total contributions to defeat Proposition 37 amount to $25 million, and nearly $23 million during the last week. Other major new contributions against […]
Posted in, National, West
Nassif Named National Chair on Romney’s Farmers and Ranchers Coalition
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced his Farmers and Ranchers for Romney coalition Wednesday, naming Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers, one of six national chairs of the coalition. “I’m honored to have so many farmers and ranchers standing with my campaign,” Mitt Romney said. “They are the backbone of America and play a […]
Posted in, C-Store News, National
Thorntons Joins List Of Merchants Opposing Settlement With Visa, MasterCard
Thorntons Inc. is opposing the proposed settlement of longstanding antitrust litigation between retailers and the credit card industry. The proposed settlement, announced on July 13, does not make meaningful changes to the broken credit card swipe fee market and it broadly restricts merchants’ rights to challenge the card industry’s anticompetitive practices in the future, according […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National, Northeast
New Yorkers for Beverage Choices Surpasses 100K Supporters
New Yorkers for Beverage Choices has announced that more than 100,000 New Yorkers have joined the coalition in opposition to the Bloomberg Administration’s proposed size restrictions on sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda, juice drinks, teas, sports drinks and flavored waters. The coalition also named Liz Berman, president of Continental Food and Beverage Inc., chairwoman of […]
Posted in, National
NGA Joins Coalition Court Brief Challenging Hours of Service Rules
Today, the National Grocers Association (NGA) joins its supply chain partners, along with 15 industry groups, in filing a joint amici curiae brief challenging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Hours of Service Final Rule for commercial truck drivers. “NGA is proud to join our supply chain partners in filing this amici curiae brief […]
Posted in, National
N.G.A. Supports Bill Introduction Preventing New Regulations On Grocers
The National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) applauds the introduction today of the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2012, bi-partisan legislation that will prevent the FDA from exceeding its authority under section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items at Chain Restaurants. This legislation introduced by Rep. […]
Posted in, National
Visa Enjoys Record Gains After Settlement with Retailers
San Francisco, Calif.-based Visa broke a company record, reaching $131 per share on July 16, according to a San Francisco Business Times report. The shares rose $3.06 or 2.47 percent, compared to MasterCard’s 1.7 percent ($7.29) gain. The rise comes after the recent settlement with retailers, which cleared up uncertainty for the two payment companies […]
Posted in, National
Legislation Opposing Menu Labeling to be Introduced July 24
Congressman John Carter (R-TX) will introduce legislation next Tuesday, July 24, to prevent the Food & Drug Administration from expanding menu-labeling regulations to grocery store operations. The National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) is urging grocery operators to show their support on a letter that will be distributed to members of Congress. A copy of the letter […]
Posted in, West
California Communities Get Year-Round Access To Healthy Foods
Thousands of families across California will soon have easier access to essential foods for a healthy life as the result of grants awarded by The California FreshWorks Fund (CFWF), administered by NCB Capital Impact. The $105,100 in grants are designed to create new access to healthy foods, and are awarded to: The Community Development Foundation […]
Posted in, National, The Independent Perspective
SNAP a Target for Cuts as 2012 Farm Bill Debate Heats Up
This month, negotiations in Congress continue to heat up as the massive and very influential 2012 Farm Bill is debated before Congress leaves town for the August recess and another round of campaigning. The Farm Bill, which authorizes proposed funding for five years and deals with a diverse array of policy topics such as agriculture, […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National
Consumers Union Praises FDA Action to Ban BPA in Baby Bottles, Sippy Cups
Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, today praised the action by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the controversial plastic chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) in baby bottles and sippy cups. “This is a big day for everyone who has worked so hard to get BPA out of our sippy cups and baby […]
Posted in, C-Store News, National
NACS Rejects Proposed Antitrust Settlement with Visa, MasterCard
The proposed settlement of longstanding antitrust litigation between merchants and the credit card industry was rejected by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), a class plaintiff in the lawsuit. Because the proposed settlement does not introduce competition and transparency into the broken credit card swipe fee market, the NACS Board of Directors, comprised of […]