Dive Brief:
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Food industry trade associations and retailers shared nonpartisan reactions to the results of the 2016 presidential and congressional elections, Supermarket News reported.
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Industry leaders instead focused on encouraging grocery retailers to build relationships with the newly elected local, state and federal government leadership to ensure they understand the most critical issues the industry faces and the perspectives retailers tend to take.
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Industry organizations also touted the importance of educating elected officials on the positive impacts that grocers have on the economy and local communities.
Dive Insight:
Whether their chosen candidate won the presidential election, food and beverage industry leaders have remained diplomatic and nonpartisan in their reactions. They’ve chosen instead to look ahead as to how to best work with a GOP-controlled House, Senate and Oval Office to devise solutions to improve the food supply and industry as a whole.
President-elect Donald Trump had been relatively quiet on food-specific issues, such as GMO labeling or the pending Farm Bill. But Trump did express sentiments regarding other key policies that impact grocery retailers and food and beverage manufacturers, such as international trade agreements, immigration and tax reform. Trump also at one point proposed — and then retracted — the deregulation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which could impact FSMA implementation.
These are among the primary policy issues grocery retailers and manufacturers will need to focus on in the coming years as a new administration and Congress could bring major changes to any of these political arenas. But with Democratic senators’ ability to filibuster, even a GOP-dominated Congress and executive branch may see a stalemate on issues divided along party lines.