Candy and Snack TODAY November/December 2010 : Page 6
PUBLISHER’S NOTE Step Up To Impact Legislation I N THE 1960 S , after almost 80 years in Chicago, the NCA moved its headquarters to Washington, DC. While Chicago was, and is, an important center of the confectionery industry, our members and the Board realized that what goes on in Washington has a major impact on the confectionery industry. That remains true today. The recent midterm elections reshaped Congress — giving us a Republican-led House of Representatives and a Senate controlled by Democrats. This is the biggest gain in Congress by a single party since 1938. On top of that, Republicans won almost two-thirds of the gubernatorial elections and now hold 53 percent of state legislative seats. At the NCA’s recent Washington Forum, more than 100 members came to DC to visit their Congressmen and Senators. These members were briefed on the major issues of the day (see Washington Watch, page 58) and then had candid discussions on Capitol Hill about what pending legislation will mean for their companies and the industry. While some of the issues we work on every day impact manufacturers the most, many of our key issues impact the entire confectionery supply chain, including retailers. Take, for example, the Election Day victory we had repealing an unpopular tax on candy and beverages in Washington state. No one wants to see discriminatory taxes on our products, and the implementation of these taxes is particularly burdensome for retailers and difficult to manage at the retail level. That’s why we need everyone to be politically active in their communities and states. The NCA is a great resource as you ramp up your political involvement. Don’t hesitate to contact us for information both in terms of understanding important pieces of legislation and assessing the political landscape and what it means for your business. In fact, Steve Forbes, former presidential candidate and publishing magnate, will speak on business and politics at the upcoming NCA State of the Industry Conference. To learn more about the conference, taking place February 16 to 19, in Miami, visit CandyUSA.com. Remember, the legislative process is designed so that we can all participate, and it’s important that we do. We should not allow others to frame our issues for us and we cannot sit back and let laws pass without our input. The NCA plays an important role in managing the process, but we need your help to be even stronger. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 VOLUME 02 • NUMBER 06 Publisher Lawrence T. Graham larry.graham@candyusa.com Executive Editor Steve Forster sforster@propressinc.com Editor-In-Chief Teresa Tarantino ttarantino@propressinc.com Senior Staff Writer Sara Lieberth Staff Writers Adam Burroughs Kelli Fontenot Trends Editor Joan Steuer Contributing Editor Sue Gillerlain Design/Production Team Barb Brucker Kris Harmat John Pressello Advertising Sales Teresa Tarantino ttarantino@propressinc.com Editorial & Sales Office 10225 Berea Rd., Suite B Cleveland, OH 44102 (216) 631 8200 Fax: (216) 631 8210 Candy & Snack TODAY (ISSN 2151-1101), a bi-monthly magazine, is published by the National Confectioners Association. Subscription rates: $50 per year in the U.S., $60 Canada, all other countries $100. Current issue single copies (prepaid only) $10 in the U.S.; elsewhere $20, plus shipping. © 2010 Candy & Snack TODAY . All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information retrieval system, without written permission from the Publisher. Periodicals Postage Paid at St. Joseph, MI, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Datascope, Inc., Attn: CST Address Update, P.O. Box 20669, Cleveland, OH 44120-7669. L ARRY G RAHAM , Publisher 6 Candy & Snack TODA Y November/December 2010 w w w. c a n d y a n d s n a c k t o d a y. c o m
Publisher’s Note
<b>Step Up To Impact Legislation</b><br /> <br /> IN THE 1960S, after almost 80 years in Chicago, the NCA moved its headquarters to Washington, DC. While Chicago was, and is, an important center of the confectionery industry, our members and the Board realized that what goes on in Washington has a major impact on the confectionery industry. That remains true today.<br /> <br /> The recent midterm elections reshaped Congress — giving us a Republican-led House of Representatives and a Senate controlled by Democrats. This is the biggest gain in Congress by a single party since 1938. On top of that, Republicans won almost two-thirds of the gubernatorial elections and now hold 53 percent of state legislative seats.<br /> <br /> At the NCA’s recent Washington Forum, more than 100 members came to DC to visit their Congressmen and Senators. These members were briefed on the major issues of the day (see Washington Watch, page 58) and then had candid discussions on Capitol Hill about what pending legislation will mean for their companies and the industry.<br /> <br /> While some of the issues we work on every day impact manufacturers the most, many of our key issues impact the entire confectionery supply chain, including retailers. Take, for example, the Election Day victory we had repealing an unpopular tax on candy and beverages in Washington state. No one wants to see discriminatory taxes on our products, and the implementation of these taxes is particularly burdensome for retailers and difficult to manage at the retail level.<br /> <br /> That’s why we need everyone to be politically active in their communities and states. The NCA is a great resource as you ramp up your political involvement. Don’t hesitate to contact us for information both in terms of understanding important pieces of legislation and assessing the political landscape and what it means for your business.<br /> <br /> In fact, Steve Forbes, former presidential candidate and publishing magnate, will speak on business and politics at the upcoming NCA State of the Industry Conference. To learn more about the conference, taking place February 16 to 19, in Miami, visit CandyUSA.com.<br /> <br /> Remember, the legislative process is designed so that we can all participate, and it’s important that we do. We should not allow others to frame our issues for us and we cannot sit back and let laws pass without our input. The NCA plays an important role in managing the process, but we need your help to be even stronger.
