Help Amplify Your Voice in Washington

By: Steven Harris, Director, Policy Development and Regulatory Compliance

Even as a life-long native to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and a frequent admirer of the U.S. Capitol building on morning runs, I have enough self-awareness to understand that not everyone follows the workings of our government on a daily basis.  I also realize that not everyone is closely familiar with the legislative and regulatory processes nor do they read the Federal Register every morning. We all have our interests, responsibilities and our strengths; variety is one of many aspects that keep life interesting. Bringing the voices of our food retail members to Washington helps provide lawmakers with real feedback and context with regard to what is going on outside of the beltway.

FMI’s member companies take great pride in the selling of groceries to the thousands of communities in which they serve across the country. Selling safe, quality and affordable food is both an interest and a responsibility for food retailers, so traveling to Washington may not appear as an important duty for our members, but participation in the policy making process has never been more important. Lawmakers crafting comprehensive legislative packages must hear from their constituents and business leaders about the real impact of certain policy decisions on both the operations of companies and on the economies of each lawmakers’ district. The first-hand examples and stories from our members are invaluable resources and one of our most effective advocacy tools.

We look forward to hosting over a hundred grocers next month as part of our annual Day in Washington fly-in. Participants will meet with their lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss the many issues that they think about on a regular basis as they run their businesses back in the districts. Key issues for this year’s fly-in include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the program without placing unnecessary burdens on retailers or customers, and educating members of Congress on the future of retail consumer payments.

We have a great group of attendees already registered to visit Washington on April 10 and 11, and we encourage you join us to ensure that your voice is heard on Capitol Hill.