Milling & Baking News - October 20, 2020 - 27

Industry Activities

to a new level. Among its core sections is enhancing traceability and
developing better tools for prevention and outbreak response. Dr. Hahn
cited as a particular concern recurring
outbreaks of illnesses associated with
the consumption of certain foods and
said the FDA intends to strengthen
procedures and protocols for conducting the root cause analyses that
may identify how a food became contaminated and inform understanding
of how to prevent such contamination from happening again.
In recent years, flour has been
the subject of product recalls with a
small number associated with foodborne illnesses.
"The feedback we're getting from

FDA is milled grains are on their
radar," Ms. DeMarchi said. "That's
something that we have to be mindful of as we go forward into the future as well."
Ms. DeMarchi said the future
course of the FDA also is not likely
to be dramatically affected by the
election outcome.
"FDA hasn't changed that much
under this administration," she said.
"It's one where there's been a carrythrough. That's why we don't expect
FDA to change that much even if
there is a Biden administration."
While it may not affect the publication of the DGA or the direction
taken by the FDA, the election will,
of course, be highly consequential

for NAMA and its members, Ms.
DeMarchi said.
"The election is right around
the corner, and so for us what that
means is that 2021 is going to be an
important year for NAMA members to come to DC to lobby members of Congress and to meet the
administration officials," she said.
"Regardless of the outcome of the
election there will be new faces in
the administration. So typically we
have our policy conference in May
in Washington."
The importance of NAMA membership participation in the conference was emphasized at the board
meeting, Ms. DeMarchi said.
"It will happen in 2021," she said. "It

DeMarchi's lifelong connections
to grain-based foods
WASHINGTON - In hiring Jane DeMarchi as president of the
North American Millers' Association, the milling industry has
gained a leader with previous experience at NAMA and with
deep, multi-generational roots in the grain-based foods industry.
A 1990 graduate of Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, Ms.
DeMarchi's first job in Washington was as director of government relations with NAMA from 2004 to 2010. She held a
similar position at the National Association of Wheat Growers from 2010 to 2013 before being named vice president of
government and regulatory affairs of the American Seed Trade
Association, where she remained until returning to NAMA as
president in September.
Ms. DeMarchi's memories of the grain-based foods industry
far pre-date her work with NAMA. Her father Dick Blum for
many years led Blossom Industries, a Cleveland-based business
that provided engineering and equipment to large production
bakeries as well as in-store supermarket bakeries.
"When we were kids my dad used to take us on sales calls
on our way to family ski trips," she said. "There was a bakery
in New York - Kaufman's Bakery - that baked rye bread, and
when we were little kids we were allowed to go into the production area and take the hot bread off of the conveyor belt
and eat it. I mean you can't imagine that this could happen
today - I don't even think we'd be allowed in the building."
Ms. DeMarchi's great-grandfather, Saul Blum, was a flour
broker early in the 20th century.
"When I started at NAMA back in 2004, I really did not know
what to expect," she said. "It was my first job in DC, but I had
some family background, and I was already passionate about
the industry."
The areas of focus at NAWG and ASTA also gave Ms. DeMarchi experience she is confident will be helpful as NAMA
explores new priority areas.
"Working at two other associations really provided me some
additional perspective on the industry but also insights into how
to run an association and how to operate in Washington," she

bakingbusiness.com / world-grain.com

From left, Dick Blum, Jane DeMarchi's father; her siblings Anne
Blum and Peter Blum, and Jane DeMarchi. Dick Blum is the
retired owner of Blossom Industries, which offered engineering services and equipment to baking industry customers.

said. "So I think it's a good time for me to be coming back to
NAMA after I had those experiences.
"ASTA was very focused on innovation. So I've kept up with
what has been happening in the corn and wheat areas in terms
of the innovation at the seed level. I believe that will help us as
we look at supply-chain issues moving forward into the future
and with innovations that are coming in wheat in particular."
She cited as an example an initiative by Grain Craft aimed
at increasing wheat acreage planted to varieties preferred for
their milling and baking qualities.
"That's exactly what we want to encourage in the industry
as much as we possibly can," she said. "There are issues with
competition, so you have to be careful as a trade association
when to get involved, but any time we can bring more collaboration along the value chain, the better." MBN

Milling & Baking News

October 20, 2020 / 27

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Milling & Baking News - October 20, 2020

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