April 28, 2016 – WASHINGTON, DC – Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Senior Director of Sustainability, Tax and Trade Andrew Harig testified in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition today, focusing on the issue of food prices and the consumer. He joined Jason Henderson, associate dean and director of Purdue Extension in Purdue University's College of Agriculture, and Ephraim Leibtag, assistant administrator of the Agriculture Department's Economic Research Service, on the witness panel.
Harig testified, “As the final link in the supply chain, food retail plays a crucial role in connecting consumers with farmers and ranchers. FMI and our industry feel a strong sense of responsibility to create a better understanding of the role that agricultural policy and the health of the farm sector play in making sure that the United States has the safest, most wholesome and most affordable food supply in the world.”
“The flexibility and resilience shown by American consumers should be heartening to everyone in the food supply chain. Despite sometimes sharp (and unexpected) changes to prices in a number of different sectors over the past few years, they have continued to adapt their purchasing strategies.”
As the demands on U.S. agriculture increase, it is important that consumers understand these changes so that they can continue to make the best use of their food dollar. Hundreds of variables go into establishing the price of foods in grocery stores, including costs to the grower, the processor, the manufacturer, the distributor and lastly, the retailer. Some factors, such as the cost of energy, get multiplied because they must be calculated into the costs experienced by each link in the food chain.
FMI appreciated the opportunity to testify and provide insights with the Agriculture Committee to share the industry’s research and work to keep the U.S. food supply the safest, healthiest, and most affordable in the world.
For Media:
Andrew Harig’s full testimony can be found here
U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Nutrition Public Hearing page
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