American Frozen Food Institute Announces Staff Additions

McLean, VA – American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) President and CEO Kraig R. Naasz today announced the selection of Elise Cortina Fennig as AFFI’s new vice president of member services and the addition of Adrienne Richards as director of industry and public affairs. “The American Frozen Food Institute is pleased to further enhance its outstanding staff team with the selection of Elise Cortina Fennig and Adrienne Richards,” said Naasz. “Their considerable skills and experience will bring new energy and perspective to the creation and delivery of AFFI programs and services, and our efforts to communicate the benefits of frozen foods to consumers and policy makers.” Fennig joined AFFI in August 2006. She has served in various capacities, including executive director of the Frozen Potato Products Institute and the Texas-Mexico Frozen Food Council, as well as director of industry and public affairs. She also serves as executive director of the Frozen Food Foundation, a position she will retain in addition to her new role as vice president of member services. “Elise brings a great appreciation for the value proposition AFFI offers its current and prospective members, and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities confronting the frozen food industry. Her strong marketing and communications skills, coupled with her already-established relationships with industry players, are vital assets to AFFI and the Frozen Food Foundation.” Fennig attained her master’s degree in communications, specializing in public relations, from the University of Florida, and her undergraduate degree in foreign affairs and Spanish from the University of Virginia. She also is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organization Management. Fennig assumed her new responsibilities on May 1, 2012. Richards comes to AFFI with five years of experience in communications and public relations. She was previously employed by the National Turkey Federation, where she served as spokesperson and manager of the organization’s consumer and foodservice public relations campaigns aimed at promoting the health benefits of turkey consumption. Richards will have responsibility for administering the communications and marketing programs of AFFI and its affiliated associations, including the National Frozen Pizza Institute. She will report to the Institute’s vice president of communications and assumes her new role on May 21, 2012. Richards received a B.A. in communications studies from Wilkes University.

Independent truckers say late-coming Teamster endorsement proves the EOBR fight isn’t about safety

(Grain Valley, Mo., May 8, 2012) – U.S. truckers came out today in strong opposition to the very recent International Brotherhood of Teamsters endorsement of a Senate highway bill provision, which would mandate that all long-haul trucks be outfitted with costly electronic-monitoring devices, also known as EOBRs. These devices are capable of real-time tracking for monitoring trucks and drivers. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, OOIDA, the largest trade organization representing professional drivers and small-business truckers, contends EOBRs are an unproven technology that will hurt small businesses and cost the industry more than $2 billion if enacted. The idea of mandating black boxes in trucks to monitor drivers is not new and has been pushed by big businesses for years. “But support coming from the Teamsters, who filed comments to the government in 2007 opposing EOBRs, proves that this is more about attacking independent contractors and small businesses than safety,” said OOIDA executive vice-president Todd Spencer. The Association views support of EOBRs by organized labor as a change of heart driven by their desire to ban owner-operators and replace them with employee drivers who can be organized. “It could open up a huge Pandora’s box with the IRS on misclassification of colossal proportions,” added Spencer. OOIDA also points out that another proponent of EOBRs, the American Trucking Associations, ATA, is disingenuous about using research for arguments supporting a mandate. “Considering that none of the research has changed on EOBRs and the ATA has attacked that very same research to oppose the new hours-of-service regulations, it leads us to believe this is more about trying to squeeze more driving hours or ‘productivity’ out of drivers, maximizing every second of the 70-hour work week, regardless of safety,” said Spencer. A regulatory version of an EOBR mandate was struck down by a federal Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit because the FMCSA failed to deal with the harassment of drivers. Noted in that ruling was the fact that no research has shown how such a mandate would do anything to improve highway safety. The current EOBR rulemaking has been estimated by the Obama administration to cost the industry $2 billion, as one of the seven most expensive regulations pursued by the administration. “EOBRs are no more reliable than paper log books for tracking hours of service and are actually a possible danger to our highways. We hear every day from truckers whose companies use the devices to harass drivers into driving more hours. Anyone who claims there is a connection to safety either doesn’t know, or is counting on others not knowing, and is actually selling no more than an overpriced record keeper.”

CSPI Urges Implementation of Recommendations in Institute of Medicine Obesity Report

Campaign Could Be Funded with Sugary Drink Tax, Group Says WASHINGTON--A new report from the Institute of Medicine is calling for dramatic action on the part of governments, the food and health care industries, and schools to help curb obesity. The IOM report recommends reducing the consumption of sugary drinks, something long urged by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. “The IOM report provides an excellent blueprint for solving America’s costly obesity problem. But policy makers will have to invest both money and political capital to convert the advice into reality,” said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “Congress should fund a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year anti-obesity program that includes national and local community and social-marketing campaigns. That program could be funded with a significant tax on sugary beverages. The SNAP (food stamp) program should be improved by testing the effectiveness of excluding purchases of sugary beverages and providing a bonus for fruits and vegetables.” “This country has shown that it can solve almost any problem when we come together and make it a priority—as we have to cut smoking rates in half,” said CSPI nutrition policy director Margo Wootan. “With two-thirds of Americans affected by pre-obesity and obesity, this is clearly a societal problem that requires action by individuals, families, schools, health officials and professionals, governments, and industry.” CSPI called on the Obama administration to finalize strong menu-labeling rules which cover all foods at chains, including alcoholic beverages, prepared foods in supermarkets, and snacks at movie theaters. Food and entertainment companies should abide by meaningful nutrition guidelines for food marketing to children, according to CSPI. Restaurants should cut portion sizes and calories, make vegetables and fruits the default side dishes in place of French fries, and remove sugary drinks from kids’ menus. And all levels of government should provide healthier foods through their cafeterias and vending machines, stop selling sugary drinks, and price foods to support healthier choices, the group says. “The country has begun to address obesity, but we are still doing far too little given the tremendous burden it places on our health and health-care costs,” said Wootan. “It's unconscionable that we are still doing so little to help the two-thirds of Americans who are at risk of costly and debilitating obesity-related problems like heart attack, stroke, amputations, blindness, and cancer.”

Mothers Threatened with Criminal Charges Openly Defy Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Mothers Threatened with Criminal Charges Openly Defy Minnesota Department of Agriculture Farmer Charged Criminally for Providing Fresh Food to Mothers Minneapolis, MN, May 7, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A civil disobedience action and rally will be held next week to protest the Minneapolis trial of farm buying club manager, Alvin Schlangen. Sponsored by the Farm Food Freedom Coalition, customers and supporters from around the state and country will rally for Schlangen on the first day of his criminal trial on Monday, May 14 at 7:00 a.m., outside the Minneapolis courthouse. At the rally supporters will sign a "Declaration of Food Independence" and demonstrate non-compliance against what they deem "unjust" regulations. The rally is expected to draw hundreds. Details about the event are on the Raw Milk Freedom Riders website. Several Minnesota mothers who organize community access to local fresh farm foods plan to risk criminal charges by openly and publicly defying warnings from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The MDA has threatened several mothers, conducted investigations against them and sent them warning letters that if they continue helping provide fresh food to their friends and neighbors, they will be subject to criminal charges and prosecution. The MDA alleges the Mothers are violating food-handling regulations. Dozens of individuals who are disgusted with what they regard as MDA's overly aggressive tactics are expected to join in the same activity as these mothers. "It is absolutely outrageous that during this time of economic crisis our state government is investigating and sending warning letters to mothers and putting farmers on trial who are helping provide communities with fresh foods. It is my right to contract privately with a farmer for the food of my choice just as it is the right of every American," says Melinda Olson a mother and recipient of one of the MDA's letters. "The MDA's harassment against mothers will not work. We plan to ignore this warning and continue operating as we are. MDA should not waste taxpayer money investigating, prosecuting and jailing peaceful farmers and mothers for helping their communities secure fresh foods. Our time to stand up against this tyranny is now!" In addition to the threatening letters the MDA sent the mothers, MDA has brought charges against two local farmers for supplying their communities with fresh foods. Mothers who rely on the food and delivery service of one of these farmers, Alvin Schlangen, are facing loss of their food supply if Schlangen is jailed on four misdemeanor charges for providing food to his community. The charges against Schlangen stem from alleged handling of food without a permit, mislabeling food, and handling unprocessed, fresh milk, which is a crime according to the MDA. Pete Kennedy, Esq., President of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, who tracks farm-to-consumer direct trade issues nationally, says, "Nowhere in the country at this time is state action against food freedom and consumer choice more oppressive than in the state of Minnesota." Information about farm raids: http://www.FarmFoodFreedom.org For additional information on farm food and nutrition: http://westonaprice.org. Farm Food Freedom Coalition (FFFC) wants to ensure that America's treasures, our independent farms and ranches, are able to thrive. We aim to preserve our agricultural heritage and the future availability of traditional, farm fresh foods. Americans want and deserve the freedom to choose natural, unprocessed foods for generations to come. The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund defends the rights and broadens the freedoms of family farms and protects consumer access to raw milk and nutrient-dense foods. Concerned citizens can support the FTCLDF, a U.S. based 501(c)(4) nonprofit, by joining or donating online at www.farmtoconsumer.org or by calling 703-208-FARM (3276).