Government & Public Affairs

State Affairs

The State Government Relations Department helps FMI member companies manage myriad public policy challenges that affect the food industry. FMI's state staff provides resources and information, sits on committees, drafts testimony, coordinates meetings and helps build broad industry coalitions to mobilize members and other key players to respond to state and local policy initiatives of importance to our members.

• State Issue Resources
  Current legislative charts, statutes, talking points, and strategies are available for a wide variety of issues including: alcohol, country of origin labeling, drug reimportation, gift certificates, item and unit pricing, minimum wage, OTC sales restrictions, price accuracy, SSTP, tobacco, and weights and measures.
• USDA Releases New Policy on EBT and Manufacturer's Coupons USDA's Food and Nutrition Services has released a new policy regarding EBT purchases and the handling of manufacturer's coupons and or cash-back incentives. Cash may no longer be exchanged for manufacturer’s coupons. This USDA Policy Memo contains very specific and technical information on required front end system changes that must be made by September 19, 2007, and that every retailer who accepts food stamps needs to know.
• State Compass
  State association executives' strategies on prominent state legislative issues are shared in FMI’s State Compass. This quarterly newsletter discusses strategies, successes and activities at the state level that affect supermarkets in a variety of states.
• FMI Endorsed State Legislation
  FMI has compiled a docket of endorsed state legislation to be used as a resource by members, state legislators and state associations. FMI is endorsing this legislation as representative of some of the best ideas and solutions being put forth by state legislators across the country. The Institute believes these bills/laws represent good legislative solutions for many of the issues affecting food retailers and wholesalers, as well as their customers.
• State Report
  FMI's State Report provides succinct information on state and local legislation and evolving trends of interest to the industry.
• Regional Legislative Planning Meetings
  Government relations professionals from FMI member-companies and state retail and food association executives come together to strategize and plan for the upcoming state legislative sessions at FMI’s Regional Legislative Planning Meetings.
• State Boards of Pharmacy Appointment and Election Guide
  FMI's State Boards of Pharmacy Appointment and Election Guide offers information on necessary qualifications, application processes, term expirations, and contacts for all fifty states.
• 2008 State Legislative Outlook
  FMI and its members annually compile information on priority state issues for the current legislative session to provide members with insights on the likelihood of passage for proposed legislation.
• iStateLink
  Click here to access FMI's on-line 50-state legislative tracking service. This members-only service allows you to view, print or save customized legislative reports focused on our industry's priority issues.
• State-by-State Food Code Adoptions
  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publishes the Food Code, and each state then uses it as a guide to establish their own Food Code. The objective of FDA's Food Code is to assist food handlers with scientifically sound techniques for handling food at retail and food service establishments. In 1997, FMI established the Food Code Monitoring Project to help our members search each state's food code, and FDA has now taken the lead in this endeavor.
• Hot Links
  Click here to view FMI State Association Council Links and Other state legislative links
• Staff Contacts

• Retailer/Wholesaler Members