the feed

Congress recently passed a permanent extension of their enhanced tax deductions for food donations  found in Section 170(e)(3) of the U.S. Tax Code. Per the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, the extension and modification of the charitable deduction for donated food inventory contains four significant changes that benefit companies who give back:

1. Permanently extends the enhanced tax deduction for food donations

2. Increases the deduction’s cap to 15% of the donor’s net income

3. Provides certain taxpayers a new optional formula for calculating the enhanced deduction

4. Provides a formula for determining the fair market value (FMV) of food inventory

In a recent piece by UK-based Meat Packing Journal, British industry insiders weighed in on how the meat industry may get a bottom-line boost as a result of Brexit. 

What will Brexit mean? The one thing we can tell you with absolute certainty is that there has never been a time like this when buying British equipment and distribution or co-packing services; in the short term, at least, it means getting a real bargain.

The American Frozen Foods Institute (AFFI) Logistics Forum provided an opportunity to bring together many different stakeholders that are affected not only by the FSMA Sanitary Transport Rule, but also by the same headwinds that are affecting the entire food industry.  Attendees also had a chance to meet Alison Bodor, the new AFFI President and CEO at the event. The forum shared a wealth of useful information, from legislative topics to case studies, panel discussions, sector summaries by subject matter experts, as well as providing opportunities for networking. To say the least, this conference was value packed.

You’ve trained your workers in the classroom. You’ve even modeled how to perform a task safely on the floor, but accidents still keep happening. What else can you do to help your employees understand just how important it is to follow safety policies and procedures? How can you keep safety top of mind and reduce injuries?

Engaging your frontline workers is the key to driving a positive safety culture and increasing worker performance. Numerous strategies have been launched to engage workers over the years, but choosing the right approach is not as easy as you’d think. Establishing the best approach for your organization must be based on current culture, logistical opportunities, and identified gaps in both worker and leadership knowledge.

In 2015, a federal judge shook the food industry when he sentenced three executives from the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) to serve hard jail time for their role in 2008-2009’s Salmonella outbreak. The landmark decision set a legal precedent that has not only shaped the way the FDA now approaches its own investigations, but also leaves food industry professionals open to criminal liability. Executives and plant management could pay a hefty price.

I recently had the opportunity to spend time in our nation’s capital with many prominent leaders from the meat industry at the North American Meat Institute Outlook Conference. One area of focus for the conference was helping attendees understand the future of labor in the meat industry.

Did you know the average cost of turnover for a firm of 100 employees exceeds $400,000 per year?! Because of the impact, the Meat Institute welcomed us to share data from Alchemy’s Mind of the Food Worker Survey (#MOFWstudy). My presentation featured strategies that encompass employee total well-being using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

A recent Gallup poll showed that over 77% of manufacturing workers are disengaged in their work. This disengagement directly affects safety, quality, yield, and productivity in your organization. Additionally, the estimated cost of turnover for a firm of 100 employees creeps up on $500,000 annually. So, it's more crucial than ever for companies to learn how to positively influence employee behaviors and attitudes. 

To be successful, companies must understand how front-line workers learn, what motivates them to follow safety procedures, and how they best engage with supervisors and managers to build and maintain a culture that allows for continuous improvement. 

As global demands on the food supply continue to climb, it is more important than ever for food companies to reduce waste. Of course we all know it's important to preserve the environment, but not everyone understands that reducing waste is also an excellent means of maximizing profit margins.