FPIDG

One of my recent frustrations with the Web here at work is that recently installed IT firewalls don't let me get to the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group. I hope you are not having that trouble at your office, because it is always worth checking each morning what the latest posts are at the discussion group/blog. Also, you will find nice archives of the chats we've had on Fresh Talk, audio files, resource files, more than 55 polls and links to spreadsheets detailing promotion of fresh produce commodities. So find the link to the group on the right side of the blog and sign up now - if you can, that is.

Here are some topics posted overnight at the FPIDG:

From a Financial Times article that Luis linked to:

Wal-Mart, the largest US retailer, has said it believes it could see "extraordinary 0pportunities" in the global retail landscape created by the disruption of financial markets.

Lee Scott, chief executive officer, told investors and analysts this week that "there are probably things that the government might allow you to do that they would not have allowed you to do in the past", while saying that the retailer would take a "thoughtfully aggressive"approach to any opportunities.

He included the possibility of Wal-Mart and its Sam's Club warehouse chain acquiring sites from retailers that were going out of business, with the chance to "negotiate very good rents".

From Luis again, the top ten business litigation predictions, one relating to the FDA:

Whether or not we will see significant change is based on the social and political priorities of the new administration. The question of federal safety regulations is up for debate. Resources are stretched at the Food and Drug Administration. Under [longtime FDA commissioner] David Kessler there were huge changes to health and welfare legislation, but the tort system was not prepared to handle that. The question is, now: How well does the FDA need to be funded, and how powerful will the next administration allow the agency to be on social issues? Another question is whether the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is well funded. The same goes for [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration] and the [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]. Questions of fuel efficiency and alternative energy requirements may depend on funding of these agencies. -- Emily Nicklin, Kirkland & Ellis; Product Liability.

Later....

Many in the business community would acknowledge that the Department of Labor under Bush has not been particularly aggressive in seeking changes and enforcement in employment law. What labor would say is that a hostile National Labor Relations Board has misapplied the National Labor Relations Act to thwart union organizing. It has been made quite clear by the Obama camp that labor and employment issues will be at the forefront of an Obama administration. First and foremost would be the Employee Free Choice Act, which will make it easier for unions to organize. [When Obama is in office] there will also be significant activity in terms of amendments to Title 7 that would likely seek to remove the caps on damages [and] eliminate or severely curtail the use of arbitration for resolving labor disputes; and amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act that would increase penalties under that statute. -- Willis Goldsmith, Jones Day; Labor and Employment