ARLINGTON, VA — April 15, 2011 — The Food Marketing Institute issued the following statement from President and Chief Executive Officer Leslie G. Sarasin on the U.S. Department of Labor’s announcement that it will be conducting enforcement activities to protect the welfare of the nation’s farmworkers:

“We commend the U.S. Department of Labor for demonstrating its commitment to America’s farmworkers. We are encouraged that the Wage and Hour Division will be visting farms in South Florida to ensure that labor contractors and growers are following federal labor laws. We firmly believe that all employers throughout the food supply chain should operate their businesses in compliance with the existing labor laws and regulations.”