Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the

Midwest Food Products Association

January 16, 2023 Issue

Next Event: Safety Seminar Feb 15th in Wisconsin Dells


This event will cover topics including

  • Culture of Safety (Paul Klein, M3 Insurance)
  • OSHA LEP (Dave Schwoerer, Endpoint Solutions)
  • OSHA SVEP (Aaron Gelb, Conn Maciel Carey)
  • Top 10 Safety Violations Related to the Food Industry (Kevin Konkey, Hygieneering)
  • Accident Investigation (Paul Klein, M3 Insurance).


MWFPA Associate Members may sign up to have a tabletop display at this event ($225 - includes 2 staff). $95 for MWFPA members to attend and includes breakfast and plated lunch.


The Safety Committee plans to meet this day.

Please contact MWFPA for more information or register below.

Register to Attend Safety Seminar

Thank you 2023 MWFPA Safety Seminar Breakfast and Lunch Sponsors!

INDUSTRY NEWS


WOTUS Rule Reinstatement Receives Backlash from Agriculture

Agriculture runs on water. But recently, President Biden’s administration finalized a rule that re-defined “waters of the United States,” or WOTUS, removing a 2020 Trump-era rule that many felt protected farmers and ranchers from egregious oversight. The new rule — intended to protect small streams, wetlands, and other waterways — has left many agricultural organizations whiplashed and arguing that the limited exceptions for agriculture and unclear definitions hold heavy implications for agriculture. WOTUS appears in the federal Clean Water Act of 1972 and empowers the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers to protect the waters. The problem, though, is that the definition covered by WOTUS is not altogether clear. It mentions “navigable” and “interstate” waters, and while the EPA and U.S. Army Corps say the rule was created using, “the best available science, and extensive implementation experience stewarding the nation’s waters,” the final rule comes prior to the Supreme Court weighing in on a Sackett v. EPA case surrounding WOTUS. The rule will be final 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, which happened on Dec. 30, and a Jan. 19 webinar will be held on the rule. MORE


Source: MBS


Biden Signs Spending Bill with Ag Provisions

President Joe Biden signed into law a $1.7 trillion year-end spending bill that features billions for farm disaster aid, nutrition and conservation programs, rural development and other ag-related provisions. The U.S. House voted 225-201 to send the 4,155-page bill to Biden, after the U.S. Senate advanced it on a 68-29 vote. Each member of Illinois’ congressional delegation voted in favor of the legislation except for U.S. Reps. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro; Mary Miller, R-Oakland and Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap. Without the bill, certain federal agencies and programs would have begun shutting down as early as Dec. 23, including some managed by USDA. MORE


Source: MBS


Omnibus Bill Targets Improving FDA Food Division

The $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that passed last month includes additional FDA funding to unify the food program under one deputy commissioner. "A well-structured and efficiently governed FDA is vital to ensuring our industry can actively pursue innovations that move products at the speed of consumer demand," said Roberta Wagner, vice president of regulatory and technical affairs for the Consumer Brands Association. MORE

 

Source: CBA


Coalition Touts Benefits of Canned Produce

Canned produce provides a nutritious, tasty, affordable and accessible opportunity for consumers to whom this is a very important food group. Earlier this year, a partnership of canned food companies and steel food can manufacturers unveiled an opportunity to build consumer preference for canned foods by leaning into the sustainability benefits of the metal package. Two emerging opportunities presented themselves for the formation of the Canned Good Coalition to build a program around the steel food can’s sustainability attributes: 1) consumers are becoming more motivated to buy sustainable products, and 2) the onset of COVID-19 triggered a surge in canned foods sales. Appropriately named Canned Good, this consumer marketing program builds on the insight that many consumers inherently want to do what is good for their family, the community and the planet. Therefore, leaning into the sustainability attributes of the steel food can, the Canned Good consumer marketing program shows the environmental benefits of purchasing products packaged in steel food cans. The Canned Good campaign focuses on three powerful sustainability messages: Steel food cans are 1) recyclable (at 58%, have the highest recycling rate of any food package); 2) are made from recyclable material (from up to 35% recycled steel); and 3) promote less waste. The Canned Good program substantiated that these messages are what resonates with consumers, since consumer research found that more than 96% of the target consumer can be reached with a combination of these messages. MORE


Source: ProduceProcessing.net

FDA Sets Uniform Compliance Date For 2023–2024 Labeling Regulations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that January 1, 2026, will be the uniform compliance date for final food labeling regulations that are issued in calendar years 2023 and 2024. This action is not intended to change existing requirements for compliance dates contained in final rules published before January 1, 2023. MORE

 

Source: MBS


FDA to take on CBD Use in Food, Beverages

The consumer-packaged goods industry is welcoming the FDA's plan to release regulation guidelines for CBD use in food, beverages, and supplements later this year. "We still have members that want to get into this space, but they want to do it legally," said Roberta Wagner, the Consumer Brands Association's vice president of regulatory and technical affairs. MORE

 

Source: CBA


USDA Invests More Than $200 Million To Expand Agricultural Exports

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service is awarding $202.7 million to more than 60 U.S. agricultural organizations to help expand export markets for U.S. farm and food products through the Market Access Program, also known as MAP, and the Foreign Market Development, or FMD Program. “In this unique public-private partnership, USDA and the American agricultural industry are working together to expand markets for high-quality, American-made farm and food products worldwide,” said FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley. MORE

 

Source: MBS


Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Food Importers Final Guidance Issued

The Final Guidance for Industry, “Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals”, provides information about how importers of food for humans and animals can comply with the regulation that issued on November 27, 2015. This replaces the draft guidance that was made available on January 24, 2018. The final guidance includes recommendations on the requirements to analyze the hazards in food; evaluate a potential foreign supplier’s performance and the risk posed by the food; and determine and conduct appropriate foreign supplier verification activities.

   

You can find the document at this link, Guidance for Industry: Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals | FDASeparately, FDA has collaborated with the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) to develop training materials to facilitate FSVP compliance by importers.


Source: FDA

Students Encouraged to Apply for MWFPA Scholarships!


The Midwest Food Products Association Scholarship awards scholarships to deserving children of parents or guardians who are employees of MWFPA processor and associate member companies.


Scholarship recipients are high school senior or post-secondary students accepted into, or attending any post-secondary school, in the United States. This includes institutions of higher education including vocational and technical colleges, two-and four-year colleges and private trade schools. Winning applicants may attend these schools with any major of study.


2023 MWFPA Scholarship award recipients will receive $1,500.


MWFPA Processor and Associate Members - help us spread the word!


View more information or download an application by visiting the link


www.mwfpa.org/scholarships!


US Inflation Eased Again to 6.5% Over the Past 12 Months

Rising U.S. consumer prices moderated again last month, bolstering hopes that inflation’s grip on the economy will continue to ease this year and possibly require less drastic action by the Federal Reserve to control it. Inflation declined to 6.5% in December compared with a year earlier, the government said Thursday. It was the sixth straight year-over-year slowdown, down from 7.1% in November. On a monthly basis, prices actually slipped 0.1% from November to December, the first such drop since May 2020. MORE


Source: MN Chamber


Cooler Hiring and Milder Pay Gains Could Aid Inflation Fight

America’s employers added a solid 223,000 jobs in December, evidence that the economy remains healthy even as the Federal Reserve is rapidly raising interest rates to try to slow economic growth and the pace of hiring. With companies continuing to add jobs across the economy, the unemployment rate fell from 3.6% to 3.5%, matching a 53-year low, the Labor Department said Friday. All told, the December jobs report suggested that the labor market may be cooling in a way that could aid the Fed’s fight against high inflation. Last month’s gain was the smallest in two years, and it extended a hiring slowdown that began last year. And average hourly pay growth eased to its slowest pace in 16 months. That slowdown could reduce pressure on employers to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs.

Average wage growth was up 4.6% in December from 12 months earlier, compared with a recent peak of 5.6% in March. And in the past three months, job gains have averaged 247,000 — a decent pace but well below 2022′s monthly average of 375,000. MORE


Source: MN Chamber


U.S. Moves to Bar Noncompete Agreements in Labor Contracts

In a far-reaching move that could raise wages and increase competition among businesses, the Federal Trade Commission on Thursday unveiled a rule that would block companies from limiting their employees’ ability to work for a rival. The proposed rule would ban provisions of labor contracts known as noncompete agreements, which prevent workers from leaving for a competitor or starting a competing business for months or years after their employment, often within a certain geographic area. The agreements have applied to workers as varied as sandwich makers, hairstylists, doctors and software engineers. Studies show that non competes, which appear to directly affect roughly 20 percent to 45 percent of U.S. workers in the private sector, hold down pay because job switching is one of the more reliable ways of securing a raise. Many economists believe they help explain why pay for middle-income workers has stagnated in recent decades. MORE

 

Source: IMA

Six Years in the Making, Walz Signs $100 Million Mini-Tax Bill

Gov. Tim Walz signed a $100 million tax plan into law Thursday that will align state tax policy with federal tax law, providing relief to hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans. The update addresses federal payments to businesses and loan relief for student borrowers intended to help people financially weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Business owners who benefitted from federal loans and grants said avoiding paying state tax on the funding will help them stay afloat. Hundreds of millions of dollars of federal help flowed into the state to keep many businesses up and running when they had to close their doors due to state restrictions. MORE


Source: MN Chamber


Despite Projected $17B Surplus, DFL Pitch Payroll Tax Hike

Despite a projected $17.6 billion surplus, Gov. Tim Walz pitched a future payroll tax hike to fund paid family and medical leave in his soon-to-be released budget plan. Walz said $1.7 billion of surplus seed money would start the program, funded in the future by a payroll tax. MORE


Source: MN Chamber

 

5 Greater Minnesota Storylines to Watch at the Legislature in 2023

When the Legislature convenes at the start of January under full DFL control for the first time since 2014, lawmakers will also have a ginormous $17.6 billion surplus — that’s the technical term for it — as they set a two-year state budget and consider a range of policies. Much of that will be legislation that previously stalled when Republicans held a majority in the state Senate. The DFL will now have a one-seat advantage in the Senate. What will the next year bring for Greater Minnesota? KEEP READING


Source: MN Chamber

 

Minnesota Against Marijuana Legalization

The Minnesotans Against Marijuana Legalization (MAML) coalition released a Legislative Scorecard to be used in the 2023 Minnesota Legislative Session to call attention to key elements that must be addressed by any legislation that intends to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The scorecard attempts to increase visibility and accountability, and to ensure that any legislation legalizing marijuana use has a more robust debate than what happened during the 2022 Session when edible products containing THC were legalized with virtually no legislative scrutiny. MAML was formed in 2022 by a group of trade associations and public safety organizations to call attention to the societal costs caused by legal marijuana usage and to ask lawmakers to consider the full impact of the many troubling issues that arise when marijuana is legalize. The 2023 MAML Scorecard asks that lawmakers seriously consider questions in the following areas:

  • Traffic Safety
  • Public Safety
  • Business Regulation
  • Social and Community Impact
  • Workplace Safety
  • Public Investment


Source: Fluence Media

MWFPA/WCMA Meeting

with WI DNR

March 16, 2023

MWFPA members are encouraged to mark their calendars and register for the annual March 16th gathering of industry MWFPA and WI Cheese Makers environmental staff and regulators from Wisconsin's DNR.





This in-person meeting, with a live online option, will cover hot topics in environmental regulation and WPDES permitting, with joint presentations by agency staff and industry experts. The event will be hosted at the Hilton Garden Inn in Sun Prairie and begin with 9:30 a.m. registration and close at 2:30 p.m. Continuing education credits are available for certified wastewater operators who attend the full event.


Registration is $45 for in-person attendance and $25 for online participation. MWFPA members are encouraged to attend, but space is limited, so sign up soon! For more information, please click the link above or reach out to jason.culotta@mwfpa.org or call (608) 255-9946.


Gov. Tony Evers Appoints Southwestern Wisconsin Farmer to Natural Resources Board

Gov. Tony Evers says he’s appointing Viroqua farmer Paul Buhr to the board that sets policy for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Buhr has been nominated to fill the seat of Bill Bruins on the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board. Bruins agreed to resign immediately at the end of last year, according to a DNR email. MORE

Source: WisPolitics


Partisan-backed WI Supreme Court Candidates Vow to be Fair

Conservatives Dorow and Kelly, liberals Protasiewicz and Mitchell at WisPolitics forum.

* Dorow: "My integrity cannot be bought by anyone," Dorow responded to a question about how she would handle cases brought by her political allies, declined comment on redistricting.

*Protasiewicz: "I could not sit back and watch extreme right-wing partisans hijack our Supreme Court and that is why I got into this race. Let's be clear here. The maps are rigged here, bottom line."

* Kelly on redistricting, said he would weigh only legal, not political, issues

* Mitchell called the current maps "extreme" and "partisan."

Retiring Justice Roggensack, who attended the forum, said afterward she endorsed Dorow, "She is the most qualified of the four because of the depth of her experience." Justice Bradley has endorsed Kelly, whom Trump endorsed in his losing 2020 campaign to Justice Karofsky. Trump has not endorsed in the race so far. Reviews Dorow famously presiding over Brooks case. Justice Dallet has endorsed Protasiewicz, with whom she worked as judge and asst. DA. Mitchell is a pastor, was Dane Co asst. DA and elected judge in 2016 and 2022. Reviews 1849 abortion ban issue expected to reach the Supreme Court, partisan money expected to pour into race on both sides. MORE

Source: WisPolitics



Ocean Spray Says, "Yes You Cran™" with Newest Creative Campaign for its Better for You Beverage Line

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., the agricultural cooperative owned by roughly 700 farmer families, today rolled out a new creative campaign under its All That Power™' masterbrand work, this time focusing on the attributes of its "Better For You" beverages that are designed to help meet the needs of an individuals' diet. Developed by Orchard Creative, the campaign features two TV spots, one for Diet Cranberry Juice Cocktail and the other for the new Immunity Orange Mango and Revitalize Cranberry Pineapple juice drinks. MORE


Report: State and Local Tax Burden Falls to Lowest Share of Income on Record

The combined state and local tax burden in Wisconsin fell in 2022 to its lowest share of income on record thanks to a new round of tax cuts and growing salaries, the Wisconsin Policy Forum reports. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, state and local tax revenues accounted for 10.1 percent of personal income in the state, compared to 10.3 percent in the 2020-21 fiscal year. Altogether, state and local tax collections rose to $35.36 billion for fiscal year 2022, up 4.1 percent from the $33.97 billion in the previous year. MORE


Source: WMC


Wisconsin Residents can Sell More Than Baked Goods from Home, Judge Rules

Wisconsinites who want to sell homemade goodies to friends, neighbors and the public no longer have to stick to baked goods like cakes and cookies. Dane County Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Lanford ruled this week that other nonhazardous food items, not just baked goods, can be made and sold from home without a commercial license or kitchen, which plaintiffs argued can be cost-prohibitive. That includes items like candy, cocoa bombs, fried donuts and roasted coffee beans. MORE


Source: WI State Journal



WI Remains Leader in Organic Industry, but Limits on Infrastructure, Land Could be Impacting Growth

Wisconsin continues to be a leader in the organic farming industry. But new data shows access to land and the need for more infrastructure is taking a toll on some kinds of organic operations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted a survey of certified organic farms across the country in 2021. The survey showed that Wisconsin is still second in the nation for the total number of organic farms with 1,455, up about 6 percent from the same survey in 2019. California continues to lead the industry with 3,061 farms, while New York came in third at 1,407 farms. The survey found U.S. farms sold $11.2 billion in certified organic commodities, a 13 percent increase from 2019. Wisconsin had the seventh-highest total sales at $313 million but was significantly smaller than states like Washington and Pennsylvania, which each had over $1 billion in sales, and California, which made up 32 percent of total U.S. sales. MORE

Source: WisPolitics


New Key Technology Cleaner Provides Increased Air Flow Capacity

Key Technology has introduced a new air cleaner that removes extraneous vegetable matter, dirt and other lightweight materials while providing increased air flow capacity. The redesigned #16 Air Cleaner features a new fan, motor, screen and chamber configuration to enhance sanitation and reduce maintenance while increasing air flow capacity and spreading air velocity more evenly across the product screen. The redesigned #16 Air Cleaner features a new fan, motor, screen and chamber configuration to enhance sanitation and reduce maintenance. Key Technology is a member of the Duravant family of operating companies. MORE


Source: ProduceProcessing.net

Food Processing Facilities at Risk for Rodent Infestations

The fall and winter seasons bring new challenges for food processing facilities and the teams that work to maintain them. One of the most notable challenges they face is increased pressure from rodents that seek out food and shelter within these facilities when outside temperatures fall. MORE

 

Source: CLFP


New Label Law has Unintended Effect: Sesame in More Foods

A new federal law requiring that sesame be listed as an allergen on food labels is having unintended consequences — increasing the number of products with the ingredient. Food industry experts said the requirements are so stringent that many manufacturers, especially bakers, find it simpler and less expensive to add sesame to a product — and to label it — than to try to keep it away from other foods or equipment with sesame. As a result, several companies — including national restaurant chains like Olive Garden, Wendy’s and Chick-fil-A and bread makers that stock grocery shelves and serve schools — are adding sesame to products that didn’t have it before. While the practice is legal, consumers and advocates say it violates the spirit of the law aimed at making foods safer for people with allergies. MORE

 

Source: CLFP

2023 at a Glance



MWFPA 2023 Spring Seminars & Training Opportunities


February 15th - Safety Seminar

Registration is LIVE

Glacier Canyon Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells


February 27-28th - OSHA 10-HOUR

Registration link HERE

Glacier Canyon Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells


March 16th - MWFPA/WCMA Environmental Committee Meeting with WI DNR

Registration link HERE

Hilton, Sun Prairie


March 23rd - Energy Management Seminar

Glacier Canyon Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells

March 31st - MWFPA Scholarship applications due


April 20th - Friday/Weckel Scholarship applications due


April 27th - Sanitation Seminar

Glacier Canyon Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells


May 31 - June 1st - MWFPA Annual Summit & Scramble

Kalahari Resort and

Trappers Turn, Wisconsin Dells


October 12th - Sporting Clays Classic


November 28-30th - 2023 Convention & Processing Crops Conference

Kalahari Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells


7 Trends Shaping Food and Beverage In 2023

As the calendar turns to 2023, food and beverage companies have a new focus on consumers.

The sector has always tried to give consumers what they want, but this year, new technologies and new ideas bring that consumer focus to light in new ways. As a tight economy and high rates of inflation continue to challenge the business, food and drink companies are eyeing new ways to capture those hard-won consumer dollars. MORE


Source: MBS



Conagra CEO Connolly Says Pre-pandemic Bet on Frozen Foods was 'Prophetic'

The head of Conagra Brands Inc. says a “prophetic” focus on frozen foods and snacks years ago has helped the company excel in today’s world where more people are eating at home. Bloomberg spoke with Chief Executive Officer Sean Connolly on Tuesday about how trends in packaged food have changed since he took the helm in April 2015. The conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity. MORE

 

Source: IMA

Upcoming Meetings & Events

January 19th MWFPA AMO/Convention Committee Meeting hosted via Zoom at 10 am

Please email jason.culotta@mwfpa.org with your request to participate.


February 15th - Safety Seminar

Early Bird Member Registration is LIVE

Glacier Canyon Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells


February 27-28th - OSHA 10-HOUR

Registration link HERE

Glacier Canyon Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells


March 16th - MWFPA/WCMA Environmental Committee Meeting with WI DNR

Registration link HERE

Hilton, Sun Prairie


March 23rd - Energy Management Seminar

Glacier Canyon Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells


March 31st - MWFPA Scholarship applications due

https://mwfpa.org/scholarships


April 20th - Friday/Weckel Scholarship applications due

https://mwfpa.org/scholarships


April 27th - Sanitation Seminar

Glacier Canyon Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells


June 1st - MWFPA Annual Summit & Scramble

Trappers Turn, Wisconsin Dells


October 12th - Sporting Clays Classic


November 28-30th - 2023 Convention & Processing Crops Conference

Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells



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