Sustainability: Page 154

U.S. Senate Votes To End Catfish Inspection Program

The joint resolution terminates catfish inspection through a technical action nullifying a rule published in December 2015 that set up the mandatory inspection program.

The program has been in effect for both domestic and foreign catfish species only since April 15, and it may be drawing fire from Capitol Hill because it is finding dangerous carcinogens and antibiotics in fish shipments from Asian nations.

San Francisco Schools To Ask Suppliers For Food Data

The San Francisco Unified School District does not currently know where the produce, meats, grains and dairy products originate, which cost alongside other food services more than $11 million and make up some 6 million school meals per year.

The vendors that supply food served at San Francisco, Calif.’s public schools will be asked to fork over information on the sources of their meals and snacks under a resolution approved unanimously Tuesday by the Board of Education.

US Foods Inc. Raises $1.02 Billion In Public Offering

US Foods Holding Corp., the parent company of US Foods, Inc., announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 44,444,444 shares of common stock at an initial public offering price of $23.00 per share for a total offering size of $1,022,222,212.

US Foods Holding Corp., the parent company of US Foods, Inc., the Rosemont, Ill.-based nationwide foodservice distributor, has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relating to a proposed initial public offering of its common stock.

Coca-Cola Enterprises Shareholders Approve Transaction Creating World’s Largest Independent Bottler

Coca-Cola Company

After the closing of the transaction, Coca-Cola European Partners will be the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler based on net sales.

Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company, Sol Daurella, Executive Chairwoman of Coca-Cola Iberian Partners and John Brock, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. toast the creation of Coca-Cola European Partners.

How Collaboration Expands Across The Food Supply Chain: Kroger, General Mills, Cargill

At the BMO Capital Markets Farm to Market Conference held May 19 in New York, representatives from Cargill, General Mills, Inc. and Kroger Co. were asked how their relationships with one another have changed over the last several years.

At the BMO Capital Markets Farm to Market Conference held May 19 in New York, representatives from Cargill, General Mills, Inc. and Kroger Co. were asked how their relationships with one another have changed over the last several years and what factors drove the change, according to Food Business News.

Report Cites Food Products As Winners From Trans-Pacific Partnership

The TPP Agreement would provide positive benefits for the U.S. food and agriculture sector, primarily through new export market access in Japan and Vietnam—two countries where the agricultural sectors are currently protected by high tariffs.

The increase in export opportunities as a result of additional access to TPP markets would outweigh the effects of the new access the United States would provide to TPP partners, the report notes.

Global Food And Beverage Companies Commit To Trans Fat Phase-Out Worldwide

World Health Organization (WHO)

IFBA is a group of 11 global food and non-alcoholic beverage companies: The Coca-Cola Co., Ferrero, General Mills Inc., Grupo Bimbo, Kellogg, Mars Inc., McDonald’s Corp., Mondelēz International, Nestlé Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and Unilever.

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Risk/Compliance

U.S. Labor Department Mandates Higher Overtime Pay, Unsettling Employers

U.S. Department of Labor

Currently, salaried employees who earn more than $23,660 a year and meet other criteria are not entitled by law to overtime pay, which is 1.5 times an equivalent hourly wage after an employee works more than 40 hours a week.

The threshold is scheduled to roughly double, to $47,476, on Dec. 1. That means millions of workers who were salaried will have to have their hours tracked to see if they qualify for overtime pay.

Featured In Food Logistics: Pallet Solution Concerns Expand Beyond Sanitation And Sustainability

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

The FSMA requires that transportation equipment is adequately cleanable for intended use to prevent food from becoming contaminated.

The SKU explosion is also having an impact on pallets since f&b manufacturers are introducing a larger variety of products that have different packaging and handling needs. Pallet suppliers say f&b products sometimes require customized pallets.

Scientists: Genetically Engineered Food Is Safe

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine has found — based on 900 studies and reviews of the disease data out there — that there is no evidence of human health effects from the embrace of genetically modified crops.

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Outlook Dim For Pacific Trade Pact And California’s Export Industry

While the U.S. signed the TPP in February with 11 other Pacific Rim nations after five years of negotiations, what would be the largest regional free-trade agreement ever won’t go into effect unless it’s ratified by 2018.

The U.S. and 11 other nations in a sweeping Pacific trade agreement released the pact’s details Thursday, opening a battle over thousands of provisions that will help determine whether it wins congressional backing next year.

Growers Eye FSMA Enforcement

Most produce growers, packers, processors or sellers will be subject to the rule, with staggered compliance deadlines ranging from two to four years, depending on the size of the operation.

Published in the Federal Register on Nov. 27, 2015, the final version of the Produce Safety Rule “establishes, for the first time, science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.

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