New Jersey Food Council
30 West Lafayette St., Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: 609/392-8899
Fax: 609/396-6571
Email: mailto:njfc@njfoodcouncil.com

U.S. ATTORNEY CHRIS CHRISTIE TO SPEAK AT NJFC LOSS PREVENTION CONFERENCE
The New Jersey Food Council is proud to announce that U.S. Attorney for the State of New Jersey, Chris Christie, will be the featured guest speaker at the Joint NJFC/NJRMA Northeast Retail Loss Prevention Conference and Exhibition.  The presentation will take place as a Town Hall meeting format and will directly address Organized Retail Theft, Gang Violence and Corruption Issues.  Chris Christie’s presence at this event highlights the serious Loss Prevention challenges confronting retailers everyday and the value of company Loss Prevention programs.  This event is not to be missed!

This year’s conference will be held on October 30, 2007 at the Forge Inn, Woodbridge, New Jersey.  At the event, NJFC will be recognizing Barry Elliott Director of Loss Prevention of Food Circus Super Markets with the second annual Loss Prevention Leadership Award. 

NJFC would like to send a special thanks to breakfast sponsors Armored Money Services, LLC and Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer and luncheon sponsor Evolution Robotics for their commitment to the event.  To register, please contact the NJFC offices at (609) 392-8899.

NJFC DISCUSSES PAID FAMILY LEAVE WITH ASSEMBLY SPONSOR
Even though the Legislature is in recess until the November General Election, NJFC and our members are busy promoting our agenda and fighting offensive proposals.  This week, NJFC and members of the NJFC Government Affairs Committee met with Assemblyman Albano to discuss the industry’s opposition to A-3812, which would extend TDI to provide Paid Family Leave benefits to workers caring for sick family members or the birth or adoption of a new born child. 

NJFC members explained the tremendous hardship this bill would place on the industry via increased costs associated with hiring replacement workers, disruption to the work force, abuse of leave time and a host of other issues that would arise as a result of this legislation.  NJFC believes that employee benefits, specifically Paid Leave, are best negotiated between employer and employee and should not be legislated by government. 

NJFC will continue to work on this issue and express the industry’s opposition to Paid Leave initiatives. 

NJFC DEVELOPS “GREEN AGENDA” FOR THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION INDUSTRY
Global warming warnings, greenhouse gas initiatives, escalating energy costs, and environmental awareness are some of the public policy issues confronting legislators, regulators, decision makers and the business community.  NJFC members can play a leading role in creating public awareness and adopting programs that can create environmental benefits as well as help reduce costs in operations.  The New Jersey Food Council is supporting a new campaign to endorse “green” programs that favorably impact the environment, enhance public education, benefit the communities in which we do business and create a model for other industries to emulate. Today’s food industry recognizes that partnerships with State environmental and energy policy leaders will enable us to reach our joint goals and create programs to serve our mutual environmental interests. 

The “Green Agenda” will continue to endorse the reinvigorating of recycling, pursue opportunities for food waste composting, develop voluntary plastic shopping bag recycling initiatives, support the Clean Communities program, develop energy efficiency and incentive programs and partner with State departments and agencies on these initiatives.

PRODUCE MISLABELING
The NJ Department of Agriculture has issued its annual memorandum to State agricultural interests and food retailers reaffirming State law in regard to misbranding of Jersey Fresh produce.  NJFC reminds members that under New Jersey law, it is illegal to misbrand any article of food and suggest members review company protocol to ensure products are not unintentionally misbranded.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DEFINES “VINE RIPENED” TOMATOES
Last year, the State Department of Agriculture and the State Board of Agriculture developed and adopted new rules which established the definition of “Vine Ripened” tomatoes.  The law applies to all tomatoes sold in New Jersey that bear the label “Vine Ripened,” regardless of where they were grown.  The law reads as follows:

“Vine Ripened” means tomatoes have been left on the plant until the surface of the flesh of each tomato has achieved some discernable degree of pink or red color at the time of harvest and have not been treated with ethylene gas.

Tomatoes labeled “Vine Ripened,” which have not met the standards set forth above shall be subject to a penalty of not more then $50 for the first offence and not more then $100 for each subsequent offense.

If you have any questions regarding this change in the law, please contact the New Jersey Division of Marketing & Development at (609) 292-5536.

SALES AND USE TAX COMMISSION ENDORSES ELIMINATION OF SECURITY GUARD TAX
The New Jersey Sales and Use Tax Commission held their June meeting to review several pieces of legislation that would amend the taxable status of certain goods and services currently subject to the Sales and Use Tax.

Of particular interest to the membership was the commission’s endorsement of S-2592, which would eliminate the Sales Tax burden on investigation and security services.  NJFC Associate Director of Government Affairs Mike DiRocco testified in support of this bill and discussed how the increased tax burden has made it difficult for NJFC members to increase security at facilities, compete in the labor pool for quality guards and protect store assets and the food supply. 

Now that State homeland security officials categorize the food supply as critical infrastructure, it is imperative that the State remove this burdensome tax on security guard services and make it easier for the food industry to protect company assets and develop effective emergency preparedness programs. 

NJFC CONTINUES ELDER CARE PROGRAM
This week, NJFC continued to collaborate with the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs to host a Senior Health and Consumer Awareness Forum at the Bayshore Senior Day Care Center in Keansburg.  At the event, Acting Consumer Affairs Director Steve Nolan provided consumer fraud information and NJFC President Linda Doherty presented food safety tools for senior citizens.  Special thanks to Pathmark, Wakefern, Marcal, and Kings for providing the seniors with gift cards, refrigerator thermometers, shopping bags, hand sanitizer and food safety brochures.

HAVE YOU REGISTERED FOR THE NJFC ANNUAL GOLF OUTING?
The NJFC Annual Golf Outing will be held on July 23, 2007 at the Suburban Golf Club in Union, New Jersey. 

The Annual Event features 18 holes of spectacular golf with a choice of A.M. or P.M. shot-gun starts and provides networking opportunities with top New Jersey Food industry executives.  A continental breakfast will be served along with a delicious BBQ luncheon overlooking the beautiful course.  The event will close with an open bar cocktail reception with hearty carving stations, mouthwatering hors d’oeuvres, international foods and hot dishes.  Also featured will be golf awards, spectacular door prices and raffles for participants.

Sponsorship opportunities, goody bag donations and tee signs are still available.  Please call NJFC at (609) 392-8899 and register today!

Photos Galore

Don't forget to check out our library page to view photographs from our events.