Milling & Baking News - April 7, 2020 - 36

Industry Activities

just want to minimize those interactions,
again, to protect the health and safety of
our merchandisers and distributors."
To keep up, members of the ABA team

have been reaching out to members to
gain insights into what is occurring on
the ground and to identify needs the association may be able to help address.

ABA joins initiative to assure
people food supply is okay

WASHINGTON - The American Bakers
Association is partnering with more than
60 food and beverage groups to let customers and consumers know the American food supply is safe and abundant,
even during the unprecedented events
and uncertainty caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19). The groups are working
with all levels of the government in getting the message out.
"The US food supply remains among
the safest in the world," said Robb MacKie,
president and chief executive officer of the
Washington-based ABA. "Existing regulations, such as the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and Federal Meat and
Poultry Act guide food companies and
food and agriculture infrastructure, which
are critical during regular 'ordinary business' and during times of uncertainty."
To recognize the efforts of the food and
beverage industry, the ABA and the Food
and Beverage Issue Alliance (FBIA) will
use a shared hashtag - #FeedingUS -
and invite all groups and companies in
the food sector to do the same. The baking industry will use the #BakingStrong
hashtag to recognize the nearly 800,000
skilled men and women working in the
baking industry.
"The unsung heroes who deserve to
be celebrated are the approximately 45.5

million people working throughout the
food and beverage industry," Mr. MacKie
said. "They are working tireless and safely, today and always, to feed the country
and the world. We cannot thank them
enough."
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Atlanta, does not consider

AMERICAN BAKERS ASSOCIATION

COVID-19 to be a foodborne illness. Even
so, as a preventative measure, many food
companies are increasing the levels of sanitation and ordinary food safety testing beyond what is required by law or any regulatory guideline during this pandemic.

"It's important work," he said. "We're
on the fly. We have been for about 10
days now. The team's work has been absolutely phenomenal." MBN
"Recent empty shelves are a result
of 'pantry stocking and preparedness,'
and it is advisable to prepare for a week
of food supplies, versus a month," Mr.
MacKie said. "Despite the surge and
because of the strength of the United
States' food system, the supply chain remains solid, and transportation is moving food to consumers as quickly and
safely as possible."
The food and agriculture sector is designated as a critical infrastructure sector
that provides essential services.
The FBIA plans to convene a committee of food science, food microbiology,
food safety and risk assessment experts
to seek scientific and technical counsel regarding food-related questions. The FBIA
also will create "clear, consistent and accurate" messaging related to the safety of
the US food supply during the COVID-19
outbreak. Materials, messages and templates will be distributed.
Food and beverage associations should
share information among each other to
create consistent and accurate messaging,
according to the FBIA. Examples are fact
sheets, social media copy and infographics. Information should be distributed to
federal agencies, governors, the White
House and the public. Media outlets
and social media influencers should be
contacted to help spread the message of
food safety, according to the FBIA, and
responses for media stories/coverage
should be science-based messaging. MBN

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580-822-4411

36 / April 7, 2020

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Milling & Baking News

smarchetti@shawneemilling.com
www.shawneemilling.com
bakingbusiness.com / world-grain.com

4/3/2020 10:18:29
11/26/2019
9:10:30 AM
AM

http://www.shawneemilling.com

Milling & Baking News - April 7, 2020

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