Linda Doherty

Policy, politics, progress and a pandemic sum up 2021 at the New Jersey Food Council. In a year that started with members fully engaged in COVID vaccination distribution and hope for better days ahead, we conclude with boosters and a new variant that is continuing to cause havoc in operations, workforce, supply chain and food prices. To navigate these waters, NJFC redirected our events, virtually participated in the statewide election year process, fended off some harmful legislation, supported several youth employment laws, increased overall membership, grew our educational development scholarship fund and was awarded a $150,000 state Food Handlers grant to train member associates in proper food safety protocol from the SafeMark and ServSafe programs.

We were pleased Governor Murphy signed a new law that designates “COVID-19 Heroes Day” to recognize the incredible work of essential grocery associates, pharmacy workers, and truckers who serve as a lifeline during this pandemic.

While the industry challenges have been daunting, it’s created opportunity for the food council to serve as a valued partner and resource as members wade through these extraordinary times.

Case in point is the high cost of fuel. Our energy consultants completed an electricity supply contract that will reduce electricity prices for participating members by $2 million on an annual basis and provide savings between 5-20 percent compared to current record prices.

Looking forward, we have a full agenda in 2022. New Jersey is only months away from implementation of a new State law that bans disposable paper and plastic shopping bags and polystyrene foam food service products. In preparation, NJFC launched with government partners a statewide Bag Up NJ education campaign, informing the business community and educating shoppers about the new law. NJFC also created five working groups to work through the challenges of the bag ban.

By spring, the statewide rollout of the eWIC pilot will be completed and all NJ WIC customers will have access to this electronic payment processing program for a swift checkout experience.

There will be a leadership transition in January 2022 with Andrew Kent of Glass Gardens becoming chairman of the board, Suzanne DelVecchio of QuickChek Corporation becoming vice chair, and Mike Styer of Acme becoming secretary. We look forward to collaborating with this ensemble of distinguished leaders.

We bid farewell to Joe Sofia of Wegmans who has been a dynamic and thoughtful chairman. His insight, intellect and passion have led NJFC through our most difficult days and we are grateful for Joe’s selfless leadership and friendship.

In these uncertain times, there is one thing I know for sure, the leadership of our executive team, extraordinary work of the NJFC staff, camaraderie of our trade members, financial support of our sponsors, engagement of our committees, investment in our scholarship fund and spirit of our membership, allowed us to overcome the obstacles of this pandemic and thrive in 2021. We are grateful for the undeniable support and our work continues in 2022. We look forward with hope, optimism, a new leadership team and plans for a bright future.

When New Jersey’s grocery shoppers enter their local food store or supermarket, they expect to walk the aisles filled with fresh food and fully-stocked shelves. This is what consumers take for granted as “normal.”

But for the retailers who make sure consumers have the products they need, things are anything but normal. There remains serious supply chain issues across many sectors of the consumer economy, as well as an ongoing struggle to find workers who are up for the demands of the 24-hour operation to feed New Jersey.

The supermarket industry – like other essential businesses – has stood on the front lines in the days, weeks and months of this lingering pandemic to ensure the stores remained open.  We were there at all hours, and even joined in the effort of delivering COVID vaccines as part of the massive roll-out earlier this year and now offering boost shots.

As the global supply chain remains tight, profit margins are thinner than ever because of inflation. The cost of food last month increased 6.2percent, compared to October 2020 as the staple food items of the typical kitchen are facing some of the highest spikes. Grocers try to absorb costs and insulate consumers from price shocks, but there is only so much that can be done when costs increase so quickly and dramatically.

The industry is tired and stressed, yet, your local market remains open, serving the masses, as a proud essential service.  Now is the time that New Jersey’s food retail industry appeals to our policymakers, as we share with them the pressing challenges of this industry. As the Legislative session comes to a close during this Lame Duck time period, we ask for a reasonable approach to making public policy.

We can start with the significant worker shortage. Supermarket offer good-paying, stable positions, often with some of the best companies to work for in the country. Retailers have raised wages, offered bonuses, and even provide perks like tuition assistance, but positions remained unfilled. Shelves cannot be stocked and stores cannot remain open without dedicated workers. And with the growth in demand for online grocery shopping and delivery, there is an even greater need for employees to fulfill these orders.

Although there is little that our state legislature can do about the various issues impacting the supply chain and price increases, it can avoid making matters worse. There are several bills pending in the Legislature right now that would hamper the daily delivery of food and further increase costs to consumers.  As Adele sings, “Go Easy on Me.”

For example, a proposal to enact new “recycled content” requirements for rigid plastic and glass containers, beverage containers, carryout bags, and plastic trash bags will increase the price of goods and add more hurdles towards sourcing food-grade materials. There’s another proposal to enact fines against retailers that mislabel produce as “locally grown.” It would levy a hefty price on stores for what is too often an unintended oversight in the rush to serve customers.

Gov. Phil Murphy and other top state lawmakers have consistently praised the “essential” food industry for its resiliency and dedication during a pandemic that has dragged 19 months. And rightly so. This industry has stepped up whenever asked, and will continue to do so. But we need our state lawmakers as partners in fulfilling the ongoing mission of feeding New Jersey.

The challenges are significant. As our industry battles with the instability of the supply chain and ongoing struggles in recruiting consistent labor, we want to work together with government leaders on policies that strengthen the food industry.

Everyone needs help sometimes. The food retail industry hopes that relief, not more regulation, is on the way.

Since New Jersey Governor Murphy signed the Plastic and Paper Bag Ban earlier this year, the New Jersey Food Council has been working with the New Jersey Clean Communities Council (NJCCC), the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Business Action Center to develop a statewide education campaign related to the upcoming ban on paper and plastic single use bags beginning May 4, 2022.

The NJCCC has created a number of communication materials that can be used by NJFC members, industry representatives and other partners. They can be easily downloaded from the project website, BagUpNJ.com.  The website is designed as a statewide educational tool, with the latest information on the legislation as well as relevant media coverage and press releases that help educate the public.  All promotional material is “open source” and can be used by any company who is interested in sharing the message with the public.

Moreover, many of these items can be personalized with a company logo by reaching out to the NJCCC at [email protected]. All art is prepared in high resolution and can be downloaded at www.www.BagUpNJ.com. The materials, to date, include:

• The Bag Up NJ logo
• Social media artwork
• Banner art for third-party websites
• Sandwich board sign artwork
• Clings for enter/exit doors/partitions in grocery/convenient stores
• An informational flyer for the public outlining NJ’s single-use plastic law
• A business flyer from the New Jersey Business Action Center (in both English and Spanish)
• A public service announcement to be used in stores
• “Skip the Straw” flyers, encouraging customers not to use plastic straws beginning November 4
• Bag Up NJ Shopping List with Reminder to Bring Your Reusable Bag

We also have the capacity to help industry spread this important message to customers and employees. This campaign is ongoing and growing so our mission is to be as far-reaching as possible. We encourage industry to reach out to NJFC directly for engagement.

We understand this is a significant change in the shopping experience coming to New Jersey shoppers in May 2022. At NJFC, we are here to help.

Governor Murphy signed the $46.4 billion fiscal year 2022 state budget in late June, a 15 percent increase over last year’s budget. It was passed by the legislature along party lines, without support from Republicans. The state budget contains no new or increased business taxes. Considered an election year budget, it is a 35 percent increase from four years ago and more than $1.5 billion higher than governor Murphy’s budget proposal just four months ago.

The final budget provides increased funding for the pension payment, the homestead rebate, assistance to small businesses, childcare, workforce development, and infrastructure.

Besides approval of the state budget, other legislative action was taken that had support from NJFC.

Product Return Law

Governor Murphy signed into law a bill sponsored by Senators Addiego (D-8) and Oroho (R-24) in the Senate and Assemblywoman Chaparro (D-33), which rescinds the product return law, which was enacted in March of 2020 at the request of NJFC. This law generally prevents customers from returning groceries and other foodstuffs during the state of emergency. The end of the public health emergency did not end the prohibition on product returns because this law is tied to the state of emergency, which is still in effect. This new legislation allows the product return law to be tied to the public health emergency, which has now been terminated. We have been advocating for this prohibition to expire with other COVID restrictions, and are appreciative the governor signed this bill so quickly. This bill would allow for the prohibition on product returns to be reinstated in the event of a future public health emergency. This repeal of the prohibition on returns took effect on July 4.

Minor Working Hours

Governor Murphy also quickly signed into law a bill, sponsored by Senator Sarlo (D-36) and  Assemblyman Mazzeo (D-2), which allows minors to work up to 50 hours in a week during the summer beginning on the last day of a minor’s school year and ending on Labor Day. We are very supportive of this initiative, which provides some relief to NJFC members and other employers who are struggling with workforce shortages. The law took effect immediately.

The legislature finished their regular work session to pass the Budget, and now will take a break until after the November elections. If there is some legislative activity the next few months, it will likely be limited. New Jersey will hold our gubernatorial election this year and all 120 members of the legislature are up for election. After the Election cycle, the Legislature goes into a lame duck session until activity concludes in mid-January. Many well-known leaders and industry friendly legislators are retiring from the state legislature, so we can expect a busy lame duck session with a flurry of activity as policy makers attempt to make a last minute push to shepherd their legacy proposals to the governor’s desk.

We remain grateful to our members for voicing their support or concerns throughout this legislative cycle.

While many folks are just getting over presidential election fatigue, NJ is heading into an important gubernatorial election cycle.  The Garden State is only one of two states, the other being Virginia, that hold a statewide election for Governor during what is considered an off year.  However, to NJ residents this should be considered an important election cycle as the top of the ballot is the most significant state executive position to manage NJ, its financial prosperity, tax burden and standard of living.

In early June, NJ held its Primary Election.  NJ Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, ran unopposed and will seek a second term.  In a competitive Republican primary, Jack Ciattarelli emerged as the front runner with 50% of the vote over several ambitious challengers. Now the showdown begins between Governor Murphy and Jack Ciattarelli heading into the November 2 General Election.

Challenger Ciattarelli is a businessman serving as the owner and publisher of Galen Publishing, a medical publishing company. He also worked as a certified public accountant and served as an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University.  He was a member of the State Legislature as an Assemblyman and also on the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders now known as Commissioners.

Governor Murphy is a former Goldman Saks executive, former Ambassador to Germany under the Obama Administration and Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee.  In this first term as an elected official, he had high marks for his handling of the COVID 19 crisis.

As expected, the first post primary poll was just released by Fairleigh Dickinson University days after the primary and Governor Murphy has a 15% lead overall, 48 percent to 33 percent over the Republican. If you break it down, suburban voters have Murphy leading 47 percent to 34 percent, urban voters by 48.5 percent to 20 percent and in rural areas 48 percent to 31 percent.  Interestingly, independent voters are supporting Ciattarelli 28 percent -23 percent.

Murphy’s job approval ratings are slipping as only 50 percent – 39 percent agree with the job he is doing.

The challenge for Ciattarelli is name recognition as a majority of voters have no opinion or have never heard of him.  This could be a tough hill to climb so Jack, as he is being referred to on the campaign trail, has 5 months to make an impression and impact with voters.

Another hurdle for Ciattarelli is the current split in the Republican Party as Trump Republicans may not favor the more moderate Ciattarelli.  If they decide to stay home Election Day, this creates a huge risk for a serious challenge by the Republican who will need the full support of his party and independent voters.

We continue to encourage members to use the resources available on our Election Center on the JerseyVotes website.  This year, new election laws were passed and voters can vote by mail, vote in-person or vote up to 9 days early on machine for this upcoming November Election.

As both candidates hit the campaign trail and NJ emerges from this pandemic, we expect the race to tighten.  At the moment, it appears Phil Murphy has the clear edge as the incumbent but New Jersey always has a way of making it interesting.

In just one year, a new state law will go into effect that bans the use of single-use disposable  plastic and paper carryout bags in grocery stores and imposes a schedule to eliminate polystyrene foam food service products in food stores and restaurants.

While the bag ban takes effect May 4, 2022, state Department of Environmental Protection and the NJ Business Action Center just launched a statewide education campaign geared toward the business community as the countdown gets underway. The Food Council along with New Jersey Clean Communities Council (NJCCC) are the two leading proponents of the new law so this partnership among state agencies and not for profit associations should be an effective tool to educate the business community and consumers.

The effort features the launch of a website that explains the law, business compliance and how it affects New Jersey. The website can be accessed at business.nj.gov/recent/disposable-bag-ban

The state outreach dovetails with a joint mission to combat litter in NJ.  This growing partnership with the state will support a roll out of a three-year communication and marketing campaign to educate every shopper in this state about the new law. The consumer-based campaign, known as “Bag Up NJ,” is geared to educate and prepare New Jersey residents ahead of the law going into effect. The goal is to reach the individual shopper with a very simple message to bring reusable bags.

Another key component of the state’s educational effort will be a vendor clearinghouse that connects manufacturers and suppliers who provide reusable bags and other products that comply with the new state standards.

The state is also planning to conduct roundtables to prepare businesses and their customers through the NJ Business Action Center.

NJFC will host a Podcast placed on our website to respond to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) by the business community as members start to navigate the new law.

Additionally, the state is asking businesses to include the following link on newsletters and social media to help educate more New Jerseyans about the law. It reads:

“Counting Down to NJ’s 2022 Plastic Carryout Bag and Polystyrene Foam Ban New Jersey businesses can start preparing now for implementation of a new law, which takes effect May 4, 2022, which ends the use of single-use plastic carryout bags and polystyrene foam food service products at retail stores and food service businesses and replaces them with reusable bags and recyclable products.  The use of single-use paper carryout bags will be prohibited at grocery stores greater than 2,500 square feet. Plastic straws will be limited to by-request-only. The New Jersey Business Action Center and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection are working together to help businesses comply with the law. Read the law, a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions (FAQs), an easy-to-read chart explaining how to comply, and many other resources at Business.NJ.gov.”

We hope the business community will accept this call to action and work with government and not for profit partners to remind the public to bring a reusable bag and help shape consumer behavior to save our environment and protect our precious resources.

What is essential in our lives? As COVID-19 has restricted ones’ activities over the past year, countless Americans considered this question. It turns out, the answer for most of us is the same—people. Today, we miss our committee meetings and NJFC networking events with our members to the casual exchanges at the gym, the conversations that crop up at the checkout line, and most importantly, time with friends and family.

Of course, New Jersey residents also rediscovered which parts of our economy are truly essential. High on that list alongside our medical infrastructure is food distribution. New Jersey’s grocery stores and their workers have been on the front lines since the pandemic hit like a ton of bricks. Whereas employees in countless other industries immediately switched to remote work, grocery stores and our supply chain partners did not have that option.

Their essential duty is to keep New Jerseyans fed. From the first, uncertain days of this crisis, food stores across the Garden State remained open. The industry pulled together to learn about the virus, implemented safety measures recommended by experts, resolved supply chain issues to keep shelves full, and ensured families could put nutritious food on the table at home.

Moreover, many local supermarkets also have pharmacies. New Jersey Food Council members did as much over the past 12 months to ensure that Dad had a consistent supply of the blood pressure medication he takes with breakfast as they did to stock his favorite cereal.

A number of supermarket pharmacies are also engaged right now in administering vaccines to healthcare professionals, high-risk residents, teachers and others in eligible categories. Finally, food store and food supply employees, essential workers in Category 1B, just received the green light to be vaccinated.  And as vaccination eligibility expands, many more food store pharmacists will be among those giving shots to the general public through the federal retail pharmacy program.

To procure the COVID-19 vaccine supplies to support this roll-out, food stores will continue to collaborate with healthcare distributors. These companies specialize in logistics for medicines and medical supplies. Already, they have succeeded in keeping supermarket pharmacies stocked through the worst of COVID-19. If you recently came in for antibiotics or a fever reducer to treat a sick child, you can thank the partnership between our member pharmacies and healthcare distributors for ensuring the medicine needed was on hand.

Now these companies have added COVID-19 vaccine distribution to their responsibilities. The vaccination effort is an unfolding situation demanding flexibility and agility. Even as new vaccination locations are added, vaccination allocation and other complications arise, these partners have almost no margin for error. Each dose of COVID-19 is precious. Vaccines must remain frozen in transit and arrive securely and promptly so that each vial takes us a step closer to population-wide immunity.

As more supply becomes available, an increasing number of our local supermarkets will be able to vaccinate more customers and their workforce.  Our supermarkets with pharmacies are now coordinating with their NJ grocery store competitors to vaccinate their workforce to protect our frontline workers.

This is just another example of the essential services we all depend on but, until a pandemic hit, rarely contemplated. If there is any good to come out of this crisis, hopefully it is an enhanced and enduring appreciation of all frontline, essential workers. Grocery, food supply chain and agricultural employees, healthcare professionals and support staff, and individuals throughout the medical supply chain, have more than earned our gratitude over the past year and we must continue to admire and appreciate their contributions whenever COVID-19 finally is in the rearview mirror.

Now that the single use bag ban has become law in New Jersey, the next environmental policy proposed in Trenton surrounds packaging. Sponsored by NJ State Senator Bob Smith, powerful chair of the Senate environment committee, this proposal establishes minimum recycled content requirements for rigid plastic containers, plastic beverage containers, glass containers, paper carryout bags, reusable carryout bags made of plastic film, and plastic trash bags sold in the state.

As an industry, many NJFC members are already committed to recycling standards and goals, including increasing recyclable content, minimizing packaging, or reusing material. The food and beverage industry are working to increase the recycling rates for packaged materials, and, investing in and supporting a national solution that addresses the underlying problems in the recycling markets.

Additionally, members and hundreds of other stakeholders partner with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which promotes a transition to a circular economy. This transition includes a commitment to increasing recycled content in packaging to an average of 25 percent by 2025. However, there is currently a shortage of post-consumer recycled materials, which makes it difficult for companies to meet these commitments.

Due to this proactive action by members and the challenges of the recycled content marketplace, we have legitimate concerns with this newly proposed government mandate.

First and foremost, food safety is a primary concern because packaging is designed differently for food. There are barriers to ensure the food remains fresh, and to prevent contaminants from getting into the food. Packaging also protects the food from damage or exposure to elements. Some food packages must be tested for years to ensure proper performance and prevention of microbial contamination. There is significant concern about potential contamination of post-consumer recycled material. Provisions to ensure food safety must be paramount in this legislation.

This extends to the potential contamination of post-consumer recycled material in certain beverage containers. Different types of beverages may require different containers to prevent spoilage. One area that is particularly unique is dairy, which is highly regulated. Grade A dairy products and manufacturing facilities that produce them are required to follow the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance. This is a critical beverage that provides important nutrition and is uniquely susceptible to spoilage and degradation. The packaging and processing of dairy should not be made significantly more difficult and expensive. All dairy products should be categorically exempt until there is technology that will ensure these products can be packaged safely and with FDA authorization.

Additionally, many shelf-stable beverages, such as non-refrigerated fruit and vegetable juices, are heated prior to being filled in containers to kill pathogens. Using a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content plastic in a bottle weakens the strength of the bottle, and it loses some of its rigidity. It is critical that the container withstand the hot filled temperature to prevent deformation and loss of the hermetic seal of the container, which could result in leakage and contamination. Based on these unique scientific factors, the legislation should exempt beverage containers utilizing the hot fill process.

With respect to other types of beverages, we recommend basing compliance with minimum recycled content requirements for beverage containers on national portfolio averages, as opposed to recycled content levels in individual containers. Beverage companies do not produce or warehouse beverages for just one state, rather beverages that are sold in New Jersey are produced all over the country. It would be extremely challenging for beverage manufacturers to certify an exact amount of recycled content in an individual container. Due to the complexity of beverage supply chains and inconsistent availability of recycled PET across a region, beverage manufacturers should be allowed to meet the recycled content requirements based on a national portfolio average.

Additionally, any state level recycling content legislation may conflict with the various federal laws and regulations governing packaging requirements, particularly the packaging requirements pertaining to microbial contamination, structural integrity, or safety of packaging under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. This issue must be thoroughly examined before legislation is approved.

Overall, it would be extremely difficult for manufacturers operating in national and global markets to create specific products to meet New Jersey standards and requirements.

We ask the legislature to take a methodical and deep review of food safety and FDA laws before any legislation advances on minimum recycled content.

For many years, the New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) tackled plastic bag issues at the state house. As more reusable options came to market and towns were passing varying local bag bans or fee ordinances, NJFC started to study the issue closer and review what the best public policy would be for New Jersey consumers, retailers and the environment. Since our members would be complying with the provisions of this bill, we grew to understand the best position would be to strongly support a uniform statewide standard which phases out both single use plastic and paper bags, and encourages the use of reusable bags in New Jersey. This final decision represents years of work and deliberation.

When Governor Phil Murphy signed the proposal into law in early November, we applauded his action in what becomes the most prolific single use disposal bag ban law in the nation. The new law is far from perfect but it puts an end to the municipal madness because it preempts all local ordinances and addresses the underlying goal of reducing our reliance on single-use products.

We believe the ban on paper bags is critically important to the success of this new public policy. Lifecycle analyses from around the globe, including those conducted by Clemson University, California State University’s Institute for Sustainable Development, and the governments of the United Kingdom and Denmark, all show that paper bags have just as significant of an environmental impact as plastic bags. Without a ban, consumers will simply move to paper single-use bags and we will not address the underlying goal of reducing our reliance on single-use products.

This occurred in New York State, which banned plastic bags and did not address paper bags. There has been a significant shortage of paper bags because consumers simply switched from plastic to paper single-use bags. The shortage caused by New York State’s policy continues to cause significant supply chain problems regionally, increases the cost of paper bags, and does nothing to improve our environment.

While we remain concerned about some of the bill provisions, such as those pertaining to polystyrene, we are encouraged by the extended phaseout for certain products and support the waiver process outlined in the new law. We recognize the packaging provisions are a compromise and we will have the opportunity to re-visit some of these issues in the future.

The bag ban takes effect in 18 months and NJFC will work in partnership with the NJ Clean Communities Council and the state Department of Environmental Protection to roll-out the Food Council’s Choose to Reuse public education campaign. It was created in anticipation of passage and we are well positioned to phase out single use disposal bags and move to a reusable bag program with NJ customers over this period of time.

First and foremost, I hope as you read this column you and your family are healthy and safe. The first six months of 2020 have been an extraordinary time and one that will be remembered by generations to come. As we turn back to mid-March, the insurgence of the COVID-19 global pandemic changed the world with the blink of an eye. The grocery and food distribution industry were designated as an essential business and overnight our New Jersey food retailers and suppliers had the overwhelming responsibility to feed 9 million disconcerted residents and it seemed all at once. Traditionally sharing half the food dollar with the restaurant and food service communities, the crush of business weighed heavily on grocery operators who basically became the only lifeline food business in an instance that pull from the same suppliers.

Panic buying by a startled public who were fearful of the uncertainty of the supply of food and household items, self-quarantined workers, rolling federal guidelines and restrictive state executive orders as an essential food business tipped the grocery industry sideways.

Over the years, NJFC planned and exercised with members for a catastrophic event. We lived through Super Storm Sandy, September 11th, countless blizzards and power outages but never did we anticipate the wrath of COVID-19 as its effects were a tsunami every day for three straight weeks crashing unabandoned into the food supply chain.

We rolled with every wave, braced for every new challenge hourly, provided input and interpretation on every new industry executive order, served as a critical resource between members and our government and national partners, and sometimes just engaged as a sounding board for members who tried to make sense of the overwhelming crisis. Under the leadership of our new executive team, we hosted several emergency board of director calls to spitball these unprecedented challenges.

We quickly pushed and got passage of a law to halt product returns for the safety of our workforce, we sought the suspension of local reusable bag ordinances and we sent member communications and official government updates the moment they were released. Our state partners donated to NJFC 100,000 facial masks and we distributed this significant amount of PPE to food retailers for their workers in two weeks’ time.

NJFC and our members were building the plane as we were flying it.

At the request of NJFC, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and his executive team quickly responded and created a special Food Supply Working Group for NJFC to interface with state and regional agencies to work through industry challenges and focus support in areas needed to keep the food supply flowing. This working group allowed NJFC access, input on executive orders, and provided an essential seat at the table. This level of critical support was a game changer. These virtual calls continue today.

As one of the largest industries in New Jersey, it is apparent how nimble the business reacted and confronted the challenges. It is extraordinary how quickly food retailers shifted and embraced the new social distancing mandates, store capacity requirements, high risk hours and the facial covering mandate, the first of its kind in the country. In a matter of two days, the food council created a public education campaign of “Top Ten Shopping Tips” for consumers and took to the airwaves with a public service announcement. We also effectively used social media and other resources so state residents were aware of the new protocols and could grocery shop with confidence. While unprecedented, these high-level restrictions created a more stable shopping experience and allowed the supply chain to catch up.

As customers needed a contactless shopping experience, NJFC pushed successfully for approval of on-line SNAP sales that weren’t expected anytime in the near future. We also received approval for WIC substitutions for out-of-stock items.

Our members went beyond keeping the doors open; they provided essential donations, contributions and community support. NJFC created a new online series of Inspiring Stories highlighting the efforts of our members and their true grit to uplift our communities in crisis.

As the silver lining to reopen New Jersey was upon us, I was pleased to serve with executives from Wakefern and Campbell Soup Company who were appointed by Governor Murphy to serve on his Restart Advisory Council as part of the Manufacturing and Supply Chain Working Group. As an essential business that remained open during the crisis, NJFC created our own member Road to Resiliency Working Group comprised of leaders from our various committees that developed an industry plan that would complement the Governor’s Restart Plan. It was presented to the governor’s team recently for action.

As we phase out of the COVID restrictions, we have work to do in the state legislature. Our focus will include Workers’ Compensation Presumption, a bill which creates an unscientific presumption that essential employees who contract COVID-19 are assumed to have been infected on the job and shifts the costs of medical care to the workers’ compensation system.

Additionally, we seek liability protections for essential workers similar to healthcare workers. NJFC members were called to stand up during this crisis and vigorously followed the recommendations of the CDC and FDA. Liability protection is not blanket immunity. Reasonable reforms will give businesses a liability safe harbor when following an appropriate standard of care to protect its employees and customers from exposure.

As we move past this wave of COVID, there are several things I know for sure. In a matter of weeks, we are a smarter, more efficient and savvier industry. Technology will blossom to strengthen the customer shopping experience in-store and on-line. And the supply chain will become more resilient. If and when there is a second wave, we are equipped and ready with a toolkit of resources, waivers, partnerships and experience.

I have great hope for our future and gratitude for an industry that nourished NJ in a time of need, crisis and uncertainty. When we evaluate the value proposition of NJFC, it is our relationships, resources, and representation that allowed us to navigate the way for our members during this crisis. It is our value proposition that helped us build the plane while flying it.