How Big Food does politics in Washington

Big Food trade associations got a meeting at the White House to argue that the deadlines for implementing the new Nutrition Facts panel and GMO labeling need to be synchronized (translation: delayed as long as possible).

Here’s who came to the meeting with the White House Office of Management and Budget:

• The Grocery Manufacturers Association
• National Confectioners Association
• Food Marketing Institute
• International Dairy Foods Association
• American Frozen Food Institute
• SNAC International

We know about the meeting because the White House released a record of it.

The current compliance dates:

• July 26, 2018 for implementing the Nutrition Facts Panel
• July 29, 2018 for when the USDA is supposed to release rules for GMO labels, presumably starting the process of public comment and years before implementation

The meeting participants provided two handouts:

• Summary of the arguments for further delay
• Canada’s rules will take 5 years; why can’t ours?

A reality check: go to your local supermarket.  Lots of food producers are already using the new Nutrition Facts Panel.

This is a consumer-unfriendly request.

We don’t need more delays.