Snack World - February 2013 - (Page 6)

Letter from SFA Busy Year Ahead F McCARTHY SMITH or SFA, 2012 was a remarkable year as we worked hard to provide effective programs and services for members while representing snack manufacturers before government as major and farreaching initiatives were considered in the midst of a contentious election campaign. Now the election is over, and we turn our attention to serving our industry as critical decisions are made that could directly and dramatically affect our members in many ways. This issue of Snack World discusses key developments regarding the implementation of the Food Safety & Modernization Act (FSMA) and previews other legislative and regulatory issues of importance. Throughout 2012, we celebrated the 75th anniversary of SFA with special programming at SNAXPO in Phoenix and feature articles in Snack World, which traced the history of our industry and our association. We paid tribute to many individual companies whose innovation and product development have contributed to the vitality of the snack food industry. SNAXPO 2012 was one of our best ever, providing an exciting blend of business, education and politics. In this issue, we preview SNAXPO 2013 to be held March 16-19 in Tampa, FL. Last year, our governmental affairs activities, highlighted with the SFA Legislative Summit last May in Washington, focused on the industry’s concerns, involving such wide-ranging issues as FSMA, transportation regulations, nutrition, labor legislation, taxes and much more. This year, our legislative flyin will combine forces with the Food Marketing Institute and Grocery Manufacturers Association and will be held in July. To help member companies comply with FSMA, 2012 saw the development of a new SFA template tailored for specific types of snack food products. We sponsored a basic Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) course to help companies develop their food safety plans as required by the law, and we held a special webinar covering Food and Drug Administration registration requirements. Our first-ever Snack School was held in September at Philadelphia in conjunction with Saint Joseph’s University and provided attendees with an outstanding curriculum geared to both marketing and operations personnel. We expect to continue this relationship with Saint Joseph’s. Last year, we also worked diligently on acrylamide issues, offering special educational programs for members and providing governmental agencies with detailed information regarding the efforts of member companies to mitigate acrylamide in their products. Those efforts are continuing as acrylamide concerns remain. And so, as we deal with this new Congress and work to provide valuable services to SFA members, we look forward to the year ahead. Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy this issue of Snack World, and as always, we welcome your comments and suggestions. Sincerely, Scott W. Smith Chairman Snack Food Association President Shearer’s Foods, Inc. 6 Snack World February 2013 www.sfa.org Jim McCarthy President and CEO Snack Food Association http://www.sfa.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Snack World - February 2013

Snack World - February 2013
Table of Contents
Letter from SFA - Busy Year Ahead
Supplier's Corner - Planning for Your Future
Calendar/News
SFA endorses Facts Up Front labeling
Government Affairs - FDA Publishes FSMA Proposal
Appeals court rules against NLRB appointments
SNAXPO 2013 - Discovering Better Business Solutions
Smithsonian Exhibit - Snacking at the Museum
New Snacks
Products & Services
Ad Index

Snack World - February 2013