ABA was pleased to see that the 2010 guidelines reaffirm the important role of enriched and whole grains as the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

ABA has made the following statements to trade and national press, which are also available on its Web site:
 

• Statement from the American Bakers Association on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• Foundation of a Healthy, Active Lifestyle [video]
• Fuel the Body Needs [video]
• Source of 8 Essential Nutrients, Including Folic Acid [video]

Additionally, we have made the following unified statement on behalf of ABA and ten additional "grain chain" partner organizations:

• Grain Chain Statement

Copies of the Dietary Guidelines, as well as the executive summary, Q&A, backgrounder, press release, and messages for consumers, are all available at www.dietaryguidelines.gov.

For questions, please contact ABA Senior Vice President, Government Relations & Public Affairs Lee Sanders at (202) 789-0300 or lsanders@americanbakers.org

The American Bakers Association is extremely pleased to announce that Herman Cain, longtime restaurant industry leader and former Godfather's Pizza president & CEO, will participate as the leadership speaker at the Allied Trades of the Baking Industry Breakfast, on Monday, March 28, at the 2011 ABA Convention.

"Mr. Cain is a top-notch, well respected leader in the food and restaurant industries, whose remarkable story is both
an example and an inspiration to the business world. ABA is excited to welcome him to the convention," said ABA
President & CEO Robb MacKie.

Full Press Release

2011 ABA Convention Quick Links:

• Register for the 2011 Convention!
• PR: Walmart Chairman Lee Scott to Headline Convention
• PR: Gingrich 2011 American Bakers PAC Dinner Keynote Speaker
• List of 2010 Participating Companies
• More Information on the 2011 Convention

Last month, the ABA Executive Committee conducted its biennial strategy session with the chairs of ABA's policy committees. This extremely important and valuable session ensures ABA's effectiveness as the baking industry's advocate. The committees conduct risk assessment, cost impact analysis and realistic assessments of ABA's ability to impact each issue. The committee chairs and the Executive Committee then prioritize the panoply of issues.

The past two years have been consumed with a number of macro issues. At the joint strategy session, however, it was very clear that this is changing dramatically. Due to the historic election results, many of the large, contentious policy issues have been parked on the shelf for now. In their place, however, are a multitude of environmental, energy, nutrition and human resources initiatives that would significantly impact bakers businesses and bottom lines.

 

Read the full letter

Washington, D.C. - The American Bakers Association strongly supports the SUGAR Act, a bill sponsored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) that seeks to reform the U.S. sugar program.  "Sugar growers have a sweet deal with the U.S. government," said Robb MacKie, ABA president and CEO.  "The current sugar program costs consumers $4 billion each year and has led to over 122,000 lost jobs in the U.S. since 1997," continued MacKie, referring to a recent study by Promar International.

Read the full press release

Rep. Jack Kingston to Speak at Joint CAPC and FTRAC Dinner

Jack Kingston (R-GA)

Representative Jack Kingston, (R-GA), Chairman of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, will be speaking at the joint ABA Food Technical Regulatory Affairs Committee (FTRAC) and Commodity Agricultural Policy Committee (CAPC) dinner on February 8, 2011, in Washington, D.C.  Congressman Kingston's down to earth style and common sense approach to issues has made him one of the strongest communicators in Congress.  He is often a guest on network television shows such as Fox News, MSNBC, the Daily Show, Red Eye, the Colbert Report and Real Time with Bill Maher.

Register Now for FTRAC Meeting (more details below)
Register Now for the CAPC Meeting (more details below)

February FTRAC Agenda to Include Food Safety, Nutrition, Labeling Policy

ABA's Food Technical Regulatory Affairs Committee (FTRAC) meeting, Feb. 8-9, will provide bakers and their suppliers with key information on a variety of critical industry issues, including food safety, nutrition and labeling. On Feb. 8, FTRAC and ABA's Commodities and Agricultural Policy Committee (CAPC) will join forces with the National Association of Wheat Growers for USDA and Congressional visits on nutritional policy as well as Agricultural Research Service wheat quality laboratory funding. The evening of Feb. 8 will feature a joint FTRAC and CAPC dinner. On Feb. 9, FTRAC will hear food safety presentations from FDA, AIB and ABA FDA Counsel Covington & Burling. The International Food Information Council will provide a presentation on their recent research results, "Environment and Consumer Perspectives about Processed Foods and Food Ingredients." Additionally, attendees will receive updates on a variety of nutrition initiatives.

See the Agenda | Register Now!

CAPC Meeting to Discuss Market Volatility, STOP Act, Biotech Wheat and more!

The Commodities & Agricultural Policy Committee (CAPC) will be meeting alongside the ABA Food Technical Regulatory Affairs Committee Feb. 8-9, in Washington, D.C. The meeting will include:

• Market Volatility Strategy Session - Focus on the proposed position limit rule
• Discussion of the STOP Act
• Biotech Wheat Discussion (Joint discussion with FTRAC)
• Discussion of the U.S. sugar program
• What to expect in the 2012 Farm Bill
   

Register Now for the CAPC Meeting | See the CAPC Agenda 

Hard red spring has a problem locating higher proteins, with anything above 13 is pricey and that is spilling over into the hard red winter wheat now. As we go forward into the next crop, one can only hope we have at least normal protein. If we do not, then all hell will break loose on protein premiums. Surely, between the US and Canada we can get enough higher protein baking quality wheat that we won't be forced to supplement with gluten to get good baking results. It is way too early to predict this, but it is obvious that the amount of protein wheat in the North American continent is limited without ample replenishment from the new crops. Getting enough hard red spring acres is more important to the equation than good protein on hard red winter.  Read Full Report

 

Want to learn more?

 

FC Stone is holding an Agricultural & Economic Outlook Meeting

March 2-4, 2011 |  Bally's Las Vegas

For more information on "Eye on the Market," please contact ABA Senior Manager, Government Relations Cory Martin at cmartin@americanbakers.org or 202-789-0300.

Allied Member in the Spotlight: Shick USA

Shick USA is a complete ingredient processing solutions provider -- from receiving and storage of dry material to liquid process systems that meet or exceed 3A sanitary guidelines to process control and batch management. 

 

www.shickusa.com

 

Contact: Mark Ungashick
(816) 861-9745 | marku@shickusa.com