Milling & Baking News - February 13, 2018 - 7

Editorial

A.B.A. leads in creation of impressive alliance

decision by the baking industry to engage
A little more than a year later, the F.D.A. proposed
with the Food and Drug Administration over a delay until January 2020 as the compliance deadchanges to the Nutrition Facts Panel and serv- line for the Nutrition Facts Panel. While appreciative
ing size rules has created unexpected and highly wel- of the proposed date change, the alliance continues
come ripple effects across the Washington regulatory to urge the F.D.A. and the U.S.D.A. to collaborate to
landscape. What began as the smallest of coalitions harmonize the compliance dates. While this objecwith a narrow regulatory agenda has blossomed into tive has not yet been achieved, on Jan. 30 Secretary of
a powerful, broad-based but still informal Washing- Agriculture Sonny Perdue and F.D.A. Commissioner
ton group constructively and collaboratively engaging Scott Gottlieb took the promising step of announcing
with governmental agencies at the highest level.
a formal agreement "aimed at making the oversight of
The effort dates back four years when a partnership food more efficient and effective by bolstering coordiwas struck between the American Bakers Association nation between the two agencies."
and the American Frozen Food Institute. The groups
More recently, the F.B.I.A. is focusing on the imporapproached officials at the F.D.A. and offered to share tance to the food sector and the U.S. economy of retainindustry perspective as the agency considered the ing the North American Free Trade Agreement. The alfirst overhaul in a generation to the Nutrition Facts liance now has expanded in membership to more than
Panel. The F.D.A. welcomed the
40, with groups capturing the
More recently, the F.B.I.A. is
offer, and the new quickly exspan of what America consumes,
focusing on the importance to
panding group, dubbed the Food
ranging from the Beer Institute
the food sector and the U.S.
and Beverage Issues Alliance,
and SNAC International to the
economy of retaining the North
began to meet quarterly with the
Calorie Control Council and the
American Free Trade Agreement. Organic Trade Association.
F.D.A. to discuss a variety of issues, including implementation timing, the size of the
The group took its case to the Hill last week with
label as well as specific changes considered.
a Congressional Reception and meetings with key
When the proposals were issued in 2015, the group House committees. The F.B.I.A. showcased the food
became the principal voice for industry concerns about industry's economic impact - a total of 43 million
the implementation timing of the rules and others re- jobs, with one-fifth of the nation's economy linked,
lated to bioengineered labeling. On July 29, 2018, three directly or indirectly, to the food and agriculture secdays after the compliance deadline for the new F.D.A. tors, plus $146 billion in exports. A major subtext in
Nutrition Facts Panel requirements, the U.S. Depart- the messaging is that this vast sector relies heavily
ment of Agriculture is to establish a new labeling dis- on free trade, and anything that would undermine
closure regulation for bioengineered food products. NAFTA may seriously damage a vital cog in the U.S.
Food companies would be required to revise labels yet economic machine.
again, a complex, involved and expensive process.
The exodus of major consumer packaged foods
By the time the F.B.I.A. was ready to urge the F.D.A. companies from the Grocery Manufacturers Associato harmonize the compliance dates for Nutrition Facts tion has raised concerns about whether the food inlabeling and bioengineered disclosure in September dustry is still able to find common ground regarding
2016, the partnership had expanded into an impres- important issues affecting their businesses. Against
sively diverse coalition of two dozen groups, including this backdrop, the progress achieved by the F.B.I.A.
makers of sweeteners, dairy foods and snack products. takes on heightened importance. Robb MacKie and
While pledging they will comply, the alliance request- Lee Sanders of the A.B.A. should be proud of their
ed "an implementation process that does not require work in conceiving and building the group. F.B.I.A.'s
multiple label changes and is cognizant of the time, commonsense agenda demonstrates the continuing
complexity, and cost involved in making such changes." appetite for and value of such coalitions. MBN
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7 / January 2, 2018
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Milling & Baking News - February 13, 2018

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