Food Industry Convenes Virtually for ‘Day in Washington’

In a virtual meeting between members of Congress, supermarket retailers, wholesalers and food industry state association executives, FMI–The Food Industry and the National Grocers Association advocated for key policy issues impacting the supermarket industry, including maintaining a tax code that is fair and provides certainty, as well as reforms to the U.S. card payments system.

More than 230 supermarket retailers and wholesalers from 143 companies participated in the annual “Day in Washington,” held virtually this year on April 21,  In a joint release, FMI and NGA said they participated in more than 220 meetings with members of Congress and legislative staff. Both groups also highlighted how the nation’s grocers responded during the COVID-19 pandemic, showing resilience as they served their communities.

“Independent community grocers have rallied to ensure their neighbors’ needs have been met in a time of crisis, and have been proactive at innovating for safety as well as retailing,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO, in a release. “This week, our industry’s leaders made sure that policymakers understand the lengths to which supermarket operators have gone to maintain and grow strong communities, and how leaders in Washington can best support these ongoing efforts. We are united as an industry in working with Congress on the most impactful ways to lead our communities into a strong and vibrant future.”

Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI, added, “Since the beginning of the pandemic, supermarket operators and our millions of dedicated employees have worked tirelessly to safely keep their doors open and Americans fed. And, while we’re beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel, we know there is still a long way to go.

“Our members look forward to sharing with policymakers the challenges they’ve faced and how they responded with unprecedented levels of investment to keep customers and workers as safe as possible, give back to their communities, and help Americans get vaccinated. Our industry is committed to working with Congress on critical policies that will allow us to effectively support the nation’s ongoing economic recovery.”