Calls on U.S. and European Union to Resolve Dispute and End Economic Harm to Sector
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wine Institute submitted formal comments to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) today urging an end to all retaliatory tariffs on wine. The comments were submitted as a part of USTR’s review of enforcement actions taken in response to a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute over civil aircraft subsidies. USTR placed a 25% tariff on bottled wine imports from France, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom in October and is currently considering increasing these tariffs further. The European Union (EU) has stated that it intends to retaliate against U.S. wine when authorized to do so by the WTO.
“We fully support USTR’s efforts to enforce trade rules and ensure a level playing field for all industries,” said Bobby Koch, President and CEO of Wine Institute. “But this dispute has absolutely nothing to do with wine and these tariffs are hurting the wine sector, including distributors, retailers and other industry partners, when we are all struggling to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.”
The United States is a member of the World Wine Trade Group (WWTG) and Wine Institute has long supported the WWTG position that wine should not be used as a retaliatory target in unrelated trade disputes. “We hope USTR will move away from targeting wine and make every effort to reach a negotiated outcome that ends this dispute once and for all. If this doesn’t happen, our wineries will clearly suffer further harm when this dispute escalates,” said Koch.
The EU is the largest export market for U.S. wines, with exports totaling $427 million in 2019. A copy of Wine Institute’s comments can be found here. See also a statement of principle on tariffs and trade from Wine Institute and Comité Européean des Entreprises Vins.
Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group of more than 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses. California is the fourth largest wine producer worldwide and accounts for 95 percent of U.S. wine exports.
Media Contact Wine Institute Communications Department
“Set Your Own Tempo” with these bubbly and uplifting flavors
Tempo, a leader in better-for-you functional beverages, announced the addition of two fresh new flavors to its CBD-infused sparkling tea line – a crisp green tea with ginger and turmeric, and a refreshing hibiscus tea with blackberry and lemon. Tempo designs its recipes to go beyond CBD, pairing its cannabinoid extracts with a chef-crafted blend of functional foods and herbs that provide complementary nutritional benefits and support the body’s natural functions.
Tempo’s new sparkling green tea offers a bubbly and uplifting way to kickstart your creative energy. This naturally-caffeinated beverage is infused with 25mg of hemp-derived CBD and the vibrancy of real ginger and turmeric.
Tempo’s sparkling hibiscus tea is built for those that want to unwind, reset, and relax. This rejuvenating blend, also infused with 25mg of hemp-derived CBD, pairs non-caffeinated hibiscus tea with a balanced blend of blackberry and citrus.
“Our new line of CBD-infused sparkling teas was created to help people rebalance and ‘Set Their Own Tempo’ during the day,” said Ryan Crane, CEO of Tempo. “Whether it’s when you wake up, before you go to bed, while you’re working during the day, or as a substitute for an afternoon coffee or alcoholic nightcap, Tempo is designed to give you an uplifting boost that doesn’t fall short on flavor.“
All of Tempo’s beverages are analyzed by a third-party lab to confirm CBD content before they hit the shelves. Each can contain a QR code that links directly to an updated list of these lab results, providing transparency that allows customers to feel confident in the high quality, authenticity, and reliability of Tempo’s products.
Tempo’s full line of infused sparkling teas is available online at tempobev.com in both 6-pack ($29.99) and 12-pack ($49.99) sizes. Tempo’s beverages are also available in select retail stores throughout Illinois, Texas, and New England. For more information, visit tempobev.com, or find them on Instagram (@tempobev).
About Tempo
Tempo is a modern beverage brand that elevates consumers to be at their best during the day with chef-crafted recipes that provide a natural boost. Their signature recipes build upon select cannabinoid extracts with a unique blend of functional foods and herbs designed to help customers stay balanced and focused throughout the day. Current products include a three SKU line of CBD-infused sparkling teas in matcha, green tea, and hibiscus tea varieties. For more information about Tempo, visit tempobev.com, or find them on Instagram (@tempobev).
Wong (Highland Brewing Co.), Brendan McGivney (Odell Brewing Co.), and Adam DeBower (Austin Beerworks) receive honors
Boulder, Colo. • June 30, 2020 — The Brewers Association (BA)—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers—today announced the recipients of its 2020 Industry Awards. Three members of the brewing community were recognized and awarded for their dedication and service. The Brewers Association has been recognizing individuals who inspire, defend, and innovate within the craft brewing industry since 1987.
Award recipients were nominated by their peers and determined by vote from committees made up of members of the Brewers Association board of directors or past winners of the innovation award.
“This year’s award recipients have elevated craft brewing to greater levels in business and brewing innovation, and have worked towards fair legislative and regulatory treatment for craft brewers,” said Paul Gatza, senior vice president of professional brewing division, Brewers Association.
2020 Industry Awards Recipients
Brewers Association Recognition Award
Oscar Wong, founder of Highland Brewing Co. (Asheville, N.C.)
This award is presented each year to an individual or company whose inspiration, enthusiasm, and support have contributed to the craft brewing movement. In 1994, Oscar Wong founded Asheville, North Carolina’s first craft brewery, Highland Brewing Co., kicking off a craft beer renaissance that took the city from sleepy mountain town to the craft beer capital of the Southeast. Wong is widely recognized as the “Father of Asheville Craft Beer.” In 2019, the brewery celebrated 25 years of quality craft beer and independent family ownership. This year, the brewery will celebrate Wong’s 80th birthday and his pioneering spirit, which continues to inspire the local brewing community to this day.
“This is over the top. I am so proud and humbled to be in the ranks of this distinguished group of honorees,” said Oscar Wong, founder of Highland Brewing Co. and recipient of the Brewers Association Recognition Award. “It means the world to me that our little brewery from a sleepy mountain town could be recognized for our role in the great American craft beer movement.”
Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing
This award is presented in honor of Wynkoop Brewing Company’s Russell Schehrer to an individual or company for their innovative contributions to the brewing industry. McGivney has worked at Odell Brewing since 1995 and is recognized for aiding the development of new hops, building farmer-brewer relationships, serving as part of the hop quality group, and discovering the innovative process of “fresh grind” hops. A hop pioneer in the craft industry, McGivney is responsible for developing brands such as Odell IPA, Drumroll American Pale Ale, Friek, 5 Barrel Pale Ale, and Rupture. In addition to helping other breweries with his wisdom, McGivney’s work has allowed smaller breweries better access to higher quality hops and new experimental varieties.
F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award
Adam DeBower, co-founder and director of operations at Austin Beerworks (Austin, Texas)
This award is named for the late F.X. Matt of F.X. Matt Brewing Co. and is presented to an individual or company for their contributions and efforts in championing the small brewing industry. In 2019, DeBower, along with other Texas brewers and the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, drove a successful effort to allow most manufacturing breweries to sell beer to-go at their taprooms. DeBower currently serves as the chair of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild Legislative Committee and in 2017 founded CraftPAC, a political action committee dedicated to advancing the rights of Texas craft brewers.
In addition to the individual awards for brewers, the Brewers Association also conducts two prestigious national and international brewing competitions – Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup.
For more information on past winners and information on nominations for 2021 awards, please visit here.
The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 11246 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.
A global edition, both physical and digital, starting on October 8 and continuing for six months all over the world
Terra Madre Salone del Gusto will go ahead in 2020, with a new and profoundly different dimension in response to Covid-19. For six months starting from October 8, the event will involve the 160 countries of the Slow Food network through a mix of digital technology, diffuse physical events and innovative formats. The most important event dedicated to good, clean and fair food, the environment and food politics organized by Slow Food, the Piedmont Region and the City of Turin will not be stopped, and reaffirms its commitments to shaping the future of food.
“Today more than ever we need to work to implement new and more sustainable economic, environmental and social paradigms. To transform the food crisis sparked by Covid-19 into an opportunity for the revitalization of the earth, starting with forms of agriculture, hospitality and tourism which generate well-being for local areas and communities. Once again we aim to do this by lending our voice to the communities that have mobilized across the world to support small-scale food producers over recent months, keeping local food systems alive and protecting the most vulnerable. Terra Madre Salone del Gusto is not a trade fair which can be postponed from one year to the next: it’s an opportunity for education and dialog. It’s where a great network of farmers, herders, fishers, food artisans, cooks, youth, indigenous peoples and migrants gain confidence and courage, where they can share ideas and solutions to common problems. And if, in compliance with safety regulations imposed by the pandemic, our delegates will not be able to come to Terra Madre, then we’ll bring Terra Madre to every corner of the planet,” declares Edie Mukiibi, Vice President of Slow Food International, introducing the new project for Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2020.
Malcolm Moore / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
A completely redesigned event, starting with some key points and goals:
The future of food. To drive a broad debate starting with the Slow Food vision, thanks to the contributions of producers, researchers, experts and scholars, because it’s never been more important to think about good, clean and fair food for all: to understand the causes of the pandemic, initiate change and make society fairer and more sustainable, and build a better future than the one predicted before Covid-19 arrived.
The Slow Food and Terra Madre network. To capitalize on its strengths, its projects and its people—the commitment of a million activists in 160 countries—to influence the daily behavior of people around the world.
New geographies. To confirm the theme already chosen for the 2020 edition: in this historic period of souverainism, nationalism, walls and barbed wire, Slow Food proposes a new vision which speaks of roots rather than barriers, of cultures rather than nations; food without political borders but with deep roots in the areas it’s produced.
A new event. Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2020 begins a digital revolution that will, over a six month period, offer opportunities for exchange and dialog among network delegates and the general public regarding new models of food production and distribution.
The 2020 edition of Terra Madre Salone del Gusto begins on Thursday October 8, and during the following four days, as originally planned, will develop a rich program of digital and physical events that unite the thousands of nodes of the Slow Food network and its million activists, as well as many other organizations, institutions and businesses.
The event will continue over the following months with an extraordinary calendar of initiatives across 160 countries that interpret the themes and respond to the challenges for the future of food, the planet and all its inhabitants.
In line with the evolution of measures to contain Covid-19, the possibility of international travel and events involving a global audience, the marathon of Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2020 will return to Turin, having crossed every continent, and conclude in April 2021 with the celebration of the Slow Food International Congress.
“It will be the largest ever edition: in terms of the number of countries involved, of participants in events both online and offline, of ‘actions for change’ put in place by hundreds of thousands of activists all over the world. After six months we will be deeply changed: we’ll have learned much more about our potential and we will have become more influential actors on the future of food worldwide. Turin and Piedmont will be the heart of this sweet revolution: a wide array of ideas and initiatives will be proposed from the center; and the energy generated by these initiatives will then return and enrich the center. We’re entering a new dimension for Slow Food and Terra Madre, and we aim to transform the tragedy of the pandemic into the greatest push for change in our history,” concludes Paolo Di Croce, General Secretary of Slow Food International.
“There are events which are symbolic for the region where they started, but which become a collective heritage that go beyond any geographic boundaries. Terra Madre Salone del Gusto has long been an example,” as the President of the Piedmont Region Alberto Cirio puts it, together with the Assessor for Commerce, Culture and Tourism Vittoria Poggio, and the Assessor for Agriculture and Food, Marco Protopapa. “We’re committed to protecting and promoting this heritage at this complex time for everyone. The future sprouts from the land. And we want it to be a future we can share safely, together.”
The Mayor of Turin, Chiara Appendino and the Assessor for Tourism Alberto Sacco have expressed their satisfaction that not only will Terra Madre Salone del Gusto go ahead, but that thanks to its new organizational model, it will put Turin at the center of an even wider and more inclusive edition, both in terms of both time and geography. “Through these diffuse projects and digital activities the event will help to capture people’s attention and raise awareness of food politics and food education, restore the value of food and promote its sensory qualities and authenticity, teaching us to pay better attention to the production methods of what we eat every day. The new model for Terra Madre Salone del Gusto is an innovative choice in a moment of objective difficulty for big events as we traditionally think of them, and allows us to transform an obstacle into an opportunity, and widen the scope of the event.”
The key new features and the first part of the program for Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2020 will be officially presented in mid-July at a global press conference covering some of the main countries involved in organizing the new event calendar, from East to West, North to South.
You can download the Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2020 presentation here.
You can find a selection of pictures from the last edition here.
Slow Food is a worldwide network of local communities founded in 1989 in order to counteract the disappearance of local food traditions and the spread of fast food culture. Since then, Slow Food has grown to become a global movement that involves millions of people in more than 160 countries and works so that we can all have access to good, clean and fair food.
This Independence Day, don’t forget the independent craft beer
Boulder, Colo. • June 16, 2020 — Ahead of summer’s biggest holiday, Independence Day, the Brewers Association—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers—is coordinating the second annual National Independent Beer Run Day alongside craft breweries nationwide.
What
One of the three, Brewers Association-designated craft beer holidays, National Independent Beer Run Day encourages beer lovers across America to support small and independent breweries. Purchasing independent craft beer in anticipation of Independence Day celebrations helps fuel craft breweries at a time when they need it most, and when many are just re-opening.
When
Friday, July 3, 2020, just in time for the Independence Day weekend.
Beer lovers can make a beer run and stock up in advance of the busy holiday weekend, by purchasing to-go beers from a favorite local brewery, visiting a retailer that stocks independent craft beer, or ordering online.
Visit BeerRunDay.com to learn more or find an independent brewery in your area. Follow and share your Independent Beer Run using the hashtags #BeerRunDay and #SeekTheSeal.
Why
The week leading up to Independence Day is among the largest sales weeks for craft beer. According to IRI scan data, it has been the highest single sales week of the year for the last five years, with sales by volume an estimated 34% higher than a typical week. Craft breweries are community-minded small businesses who merit and need support, and drinking beer made by an independent brewer is important to 58% of craft drinkers1 and an estimated 60 million adult Americans. There is no better time—or easier way—for beer lovers to show their support.
The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 11246 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.
Aims to make it healthy and convenient for consumers to reap the natural benefits of CBD and the additional functional ingredients in each delicious bite
Chicago, IL, June 16, 2020 — Nature’s Nosh, an innovative leader in healthy, functional CBD snacks, announces today the launch of their single-serve CBD fruit and nut snack packs. These delicious CBD bites are available in Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter, and Jelly, Mint Chocolate, Chili Lime, and Blueberry, with 25mg premium, hemp-derived CBD per bite. These single-serve packs are now the second product line for Nature’s Nosh, accompanied by the multi-serve (5mg per bite) packs that launched in June 2019.
“We received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback after the launch of our multi-serving packs that we wanted to expand our offerings to include a more convenient, smaller option for our active consumers,” said Liza Cohen, Founder of Nature’s Nosh.“Our new single-serving bites are ideal for on-the-go snackers, looking to gain the benefits of CBD in a convenient, portable, and healthy way.” When first launching Nature’s Nosh in early 2019, Cohen noticed that many CBD-infused products on the market were paired with unhealthy, sugar-loaded food or beverages. A strong believer in ensuring CBD’s vehicle to consume stays in the health and wellness category, Cohen knew she had to use her culinary expertise to create a product that aligned with CBD’s all-natural state of consumption. “The concept for Nature’s Nosh came to me while training for the New York Marathon. In researching the best foods for athletes to eat in training, the same two foods kept topping the list: dried fruit and nuts. It immediately became clear that these functional ingredients would become the base for my better-for-you CBD snacks,” said Cohen. “By pairing the natural benefits of hemp extract with other functional ingredients, dried fruit for energy and digestive support and nuts for protein and antioxidants, we are on a mission to prove that food is and can be, medicine.”
Cohen herself holds an impressive culinary background. After graduating from Vanderbilt University, she continued her education at the International Culinary Center (formerly French Culinary Institute) in New York City. Upon graduating from Culinary school, Cohen began working in the Food Network’s test kitchen where she mastered recipe development. Along with leading this women-owned and operated company, Cohen currently manages recipe development for a product line of globally-inspired sauces and spices, launched by Iron Chef Stephanie Izard.
Nature’s Nosh fruit & nut bites are crafted with premium isolate hemp extract with 0% THC and no more than 8 all-natural ingredients. They are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and GMO-free. All products are US-Hemp Authority certified and 3rd party tested for potency and purity. Consumers can buy Nature’s Nosh in two sizes, multi-serving bags with 40mg CBD per bag (5mg per bite) for $11.50 or single-serve bags with 25mg CBD per bag for $5.00. For more information about Nature’s Nosh, please visit eatnaturesnosh.com.
Irvine, CA (June 11, 2020)—High standards for quality and consistency make Fresh California Avocados the reliable choice for foodservice. It starts with California’s terroir that’s uniquely suited for avocado trees to thrive: rich soil that drains easily, lots of sunshine and cool ocean air. In the groves, California Avocado growers work year-round to ensure their fruit meets exacting quality standards. And careful pre-conditioning by California Avocado packers helps assure menu readiness and allows operators ordering flexibility.
As California’s avocado season reaches its peak, Jan DeLyser, Vice President Marketing for the California Avocado Commission (CAC) reminds operators that “California growers carefully nurture every Fresh California Avocado, so that dishes featuring their rich nutty flavor, smooth texture and beautiful color deliver maximum enjoyment on summer menus!”
Celebrate summer’s bounty of California Avocados with our version of an American classic, the California Avocado Beefsteak Tomato Sandwich. Recent consumer research conducted by Menu Matters confirms that menu items branded as California drive positive perceptions of freshness and quality of ingredients.1
To help operators maintain the quality chain, the California Avocado Commission provides operators with tips and techniques to spec the right ripeness level, understand different cutting techniques and learn three ways to prep avocados for speed of service.
“Recipe and photo are courtesy of the California Avocado Commission
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1 Menu Matters California, Avocados & US Foodservice Patrons, 2018
About the California Avocado Commission
Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to enhance the premium positioning of California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities. California avocados are cultivated with uncompromising dedication to quality and freshness, by more than 3,500 growers in the Golden State. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry. Visit CaliforniaAvocado.com, or join us on Facebook at Facebook.com/CaliforniaAvocados and @CA_Avocados on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for updates.
Recipe and photo are courtesy of the California Avocado Commission
California Avocado Beefsteak Tomato Sandwich
Recipe courtesy of Jason Hernandez, Blade & Tine Culinary Consulting, Las Vegas, NV
Photo credit: California Avocado Commission
Serves: 12
INGREDIENTS
24 slices sourdough bread
12 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. garlic salt
1 ½ cups California Avocado Aioli (recipe follows)
3 cups Whiskey Bacon Jam (recipe follows)
24 slices beefsteak tomato, ½” thick
¾ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. black pepper
24 slices Fresh California Avocado, ¼” thick (instructions follow)
6 cups microgreens
1/3 cup + 2 tsp. California Avocado oil
6 tsp. fresh lemon juice
California Avocado Aioli
(Yield: 1-1/2 cups)
1 Fresh California Avocado, peeled and seeded
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. garlic minced
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
Whiskey Bacon Jam
(Yield: 3 cups)
1 oz. California Avocado oil
1 lb. yellow onion, sliced ¼”
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
12 oz. bacon, ¼” lardons
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
¼ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup whiskey
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. dried oregano
INSTRUCTIONS
California Avocado Aioli
Smash avocado in a bowl; mix in remaining ingredients until fairly smooth.
Whiskey Bacon Jam
Heat a large sauté pan on high; add in oil just until it smokes.
Add the sliced onions and coat with oil.
Season with salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes; toss and cook for an additional 4 minutes, until onion starts to brown.
Move the onions to one side of the pan and add bacon on the other side. Cook bacon until crisp, reserving all of the renderings. While bacon is cooking stir onions so they do not burn.
Once bacon is cooked, stir onions and bacon together; stir in garlic and cook until browned, about 1 minute.
Add coconut sugar and toss to incorporate. Once sugar has dissolved deglaze the pan with whiskey; let simmer for 3 minutes or until mixture thickens.
Add thyme and oregano, toss and turn off the heat. Let steep for 10 minutes.
Keep warm or cool until ready to use.
Avocado Cut in Whole Slices
Cut avocado in half lengthwise, seed and peel.
Place cut side of avocado on cutting board; holding knife parallel to board, cut into 4 ¼” slices per half.
Assemble, per order:
Warm Whiskey Bacon Jam to spreadable consistency.
Butter 2 slices of sourdough bread edge to edge then season with ½ tsp. garlic salt; toast until golden brown.
Spread both untoasted sides of bread with 1 Tbsp. Californian Avocado Aioli.
Spread ¼ cup Whiskey Bacon Jam evenly on top of aioli on bottom slice of bread.
Place 2 tomato slices on top; season with 1/6 tsp. each salt and pepper.
Top with 2 avocado slices and ½ cup microgreens. Drizzle with 1 ½ tsp. avocado oil and ½ tsp. lemon.
Place second piece of bread on top of microgreens.
Serve whole or cut in half.
*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the U.S. Senate passed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act by unanimous consent. The bill will now go to the president for his signature.
The Act includes several improvements the Association has been pursuing that will improve the PPP for use by restaurants, including:
Extending the expense forgiveness period from eight weeks to 24 weeks
Reducing the payroll ratio requirement to 60 percent
Increasing the loan repayment period from two to five years on new loans
Allowing payroll tax deferment for PPP recipients
Extending the June 30 rehiring deadline
National Restaurant Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Sean Kennedy released the following statement on the passage of the bill:
“Today’s action in the Senate is a win for restaurants and small businesses across the country.
“Exactly 68 days ago, the Paycheck Protection Program was created. It has helped countless businesses, but the restaurant industry has a unique business model and a particularly uncertain path to recovery–and these PPP improvements will help restaurants effectively utilize this vital tool.
“The National Restaurant Association was one of the first to call for improvements to PPP to preserve our imperiled industry. In an era where political discord is the norm and agreement is fleeting, the voice of the restaurant industry has been a unifying theme. This bill passed because Congress heard from us loudly and clearly.
“We appreciate the work of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and so many others who secured support for making these vital changes.
“The PPP has been improved for many, but our industry faces ongoing challenges and must stay engaged in Washington. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress and the Administration to create the support the nation’s second largest private-sector employer will need to recover.”
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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry’s largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Restaurant and foodservice industry supports more than 21 million jobs and generates over $2.5 trillion in economic activity annually along a national supply chain. Today, more than 70 partners in that supply chain spoke out in support of the need for more government relief for restaurants.
“From beloved corner restaurants to national chains, restaurants in every community are teetering on the edge of survival, which is why we continue to talk with Congress about a Restaurant and Foodservice Recovery Fund,” said Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of Public Affairs for the National Restaurant Association. “We value the support of our suppliers and business partners who have signed on this letter and who have stuck with us during this uncertain time. With their help, and the help of Congress, the whole restaurant industry can recover and thrive again.”
In the letter to congressional leaders, the coalition of partners and trade groups highlighted how the pandemic shutdown and new social distancing regulations are impacting the interconnected supply chain. They emphasized that what hurts restaurants hurts companies and employees across the economy.
The letter noted that while Congress and the President have taken historic and bipartisan action to help the country, the restaurant industry has been hardest hit during this crisis and will need specific support to recover so it is able to help drive a national economic revitalization.
“Helping restaurants recover will help all of our industries and will provide a powerful and locally-targeted tool to help reunite and rebuild communities across the country in the days ahead,” the letter said.
The 70 organizations signing the letter represent big and small supply chain providers critical to the industry, including:
American Frozen Food Institute
American Scallop Association
Consumer Brands Association
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
International Foodservice Distributors Association
Get more information about the National Restaurant Association industry-first restaurant relief program and other industry impacts here.
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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry’s largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National Restaurant Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Sean Kennedy today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7010 the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act.
Authored by Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Chip Roy (R-TX), the bill makes a number of important improvements to the PPP which will benefit restaurants and their employees. The bill was passed by a vote of 417-1.
“Restaurants have suffered more job and revenue losses than any other sector of the economy because of mandated closures and restrictions on operating. This is why we have expressed, since the beginning of the COVID crisis, that our industry’s unique operations require a flexible recovery program.
“While the PPP program can be a critical tool for helping restaurants and small businesses, changes to the program are needed so it can be utilized as intended.
“Today, the House of Representatives acted with overwhelming bipartisan support to make the PPP program more flexible. We are grateful for the leadership of Reps. Dean Phillips and Chip Roy, and for the bipartisan support of more than 400 of their colleagues who voted for these changes.
“Our focus will now shift toward achieving similar bipartisan results in the Senate because enacting these PPP changes will help restaurants get the relief they need to get employees back to work and on the path to recovery.”
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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry’s largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.
