Food Policy, Food-Deserts, Affordable Food

In the last week there has been plenty of media attention on creating access to healthy, affordable food throughout America.  Here's a quick update

Michelle Obama has aligned herself with Walmart (again) in order to create fresh produce and healthy foods throughout lacking areas (food deserts) across the United States.  (Meanwhile the Washington Post found Michelle Obama eating a 1,700 calorie meal Shake Shack last week) 

UFCW International President Joe Hansen released a statement, challenging the White House to demand better jobs from Walmart.

The initiative (we helped start in NYC years ago) has retailers salivating to open in what were once unappealing sites now that Michelle Obama has backed it. [SN]

In New York City, City Harvest has addressed the needs in specific areas.

Chase has offered to fund supermarket improvements in Food-Deserts.

Last week the NLRB held hearings on proposed rule changes, Supermarket News recaps arguments from both sides, labor and management.

Event Update: Coalition of Immokalee Workers

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeCome hear Florida Tomato Pickers Speak Out!

UFCW Local 1500 & The Building Blocks Project welcomes the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to New York City, where they will speak out about working conditions and their campaigns to get fast food chains to pay a fair price for the tomatoes they pick.

Join us on Wednesday, December 10 at 7.30 pm at the Church of the Holy Trinity 316 E. 88th between 1st & 2nd Avenues.

Download the Flyer here.

For more information head here.

Morning Read

David Wild, who was said to be heading up the development of Wal-Mart’s small-format Marketside concept, is leaving to join British retailer Halfords Group as chief executive officer, Halfords said Friday.
Read more of this story

The King Kullen Supermarket chain has plans to build a superstore in the Tuckahoe Hills area within the next few years.

A new study has found that New York City needs at least seven new dry docks like that one that Ikea turned into a parking lot in Red Hook. Experts say it could cost about $1 billion to replace the 730-foot-long former graving dock. The Port of New York has 18 dry docks, including four larger graving docks. The study estimated the port would lose $50 million to $150 million in revenue over the next five years because it does not have enough docks. Opponents of the Ikea, which opened last week, want the city to take back its dock because they say it would be less costly than building a new one.

A&P Press Release; MONTVALE, N.J.-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (A&P, NYSE Symbol: GAP) has published on it’s website, unaudited prior year quarterly information for Pathmark Stores Inc, acquired in December 2007, in response to shareholder inquiries concerning the effect of the acquisition on Pathmark’s prior year results including summarization of Pathmark’s results to conform to A&P’s quarterly reporting calendar, the impact of purchase accounting adjustments and classifications of certain non operating items consistent with A&P practices.

Supervalu Inc. hired the CEO of online grocer Fresh Direct to become its new chief marketing officer.

A permanent fresh food market will open on South Street this summer, as part of the long-term redevelopment plans for Pier 17 and the Seaport. The 16-stall market is the first of General Growth Properties' plans, which call for a 495-foot tower, hotels and condos, retail buildings, and the relocation of the landmark-protected Tin Building. A community center and a public plaza are also in the works. Read the entire story here.

The soaring price of food has complicated efforts by Whole Foods, the nation's largest natural and organic grocery store, to move toward provide "more sustainable" products, a company official said on Friday.

Here's more on how Whole Foods & Wal-Mart are coping with high food costs.

Ed Ott, the executive director of the New York City Central Labor Council, an umbrella group for the city’s labor unions, has an unexpected and unnerving warning for New York’s more than one million union members.

There already are vending machines outside most so-called big-box stores that dispense soda cans. But similar machines may soon be collecting them. A bill that cleared the state Senate last week and is now before the Assembly for a vote will, if it passes, require large retail stores such Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's Wholesale Club and Wal-Mart to install reverse vending machines, or RVMs.

Politics

Francis H. Powers, a retired Wall Street executive who was recently selected by Republican leaders on Staten Island as their candidate for the Congressional seat being vacated by Representative Vito J. Fossella, died on Saturday at his home on Staten Island.

When the numbers were finally and officially tallied a little over a week ago, Anthony Como had won a special election for a City Council seat by a mere 41 votes. Mr. Como’s razor-thin victory in a four-candidate race is not only a triumph for him, but also a victory that brings bragging rights for the Queens County Republican Party’s leadership.

Rep. Anthony Weiner has sworn off special interest money for his mayoral campaign next year - but he's raking it in for his congressional reelection bid this fall, federal records show.

Brooklyn community activists are putting up candidates for the borough's Democratic county committee.

Community Board 2 is set to vote on the Hunts Point new mega-development.

Hillary Clinton made her first major public appearance in New York yesterday.

In addition to Obama and McCain, Clinton will speak at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials

Friday Morning One Liners...

Pathmark is trying to return to it's 'Low Cost' roots.

Brooklyn Paper dreams of having Wal-Mart in the neighborhood.

A new study shows that unionized workers in the lowest wage brackets in New York state earn 16% more than non-union workers with similar education.

California's attorney general has filed suit against four manufacturers, including Whole Foods Market Inc., accusing them of failing to label soap products that contain a potentially cancer-causing chemical.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 said today that it is withdrawing two of four proposed ballot initiatives, part of an effort to get business interests to pull their right-to-work measure. "We want to show that we're open to negotiation with the business community," said Manny Gonzales, a spokesman for UFCW Local 7, which represents food and health care workers and barbers in the Rocky Mountain region.

Montauk and Shinnecock fishermen will meet for the second time with representatives of the United Food and Commercial Workers union this afternoon at the Top of the Wharf restaurant in Hampton Bays.

Unionized workers at Tops Markets have overwhelmingly approved a three-year contract. United Food and Commercial Workers Local One said its members voted 97 percent in favor of the deal. Utica-based Local One represents about 9,000 workers at Tops stores in New York state and Pennsylvania.

Penn Traffic has reached a tentative contract agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers Local One, the union representing roughly two-thirds of its workforce, the retailer here said.

John Mackey, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Whole Foods Market here, said he has some regrets about last year’s Wild Oats acquisition, a merger of the two largest so-called “super-natural” retailers that triggered an antitrust investigation and an inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Read more of this story

Specialty grocery chain The Fresh Market here will make its debut in New England next year as part of a new waterfront shopping district under construction in Hingham, Mass.

A major retail expansion is under way in Brooklyn, especially in Red Hook and downtown. The emergence of more retail stores comes in response to rising local incomes, growing demand for quality goods, and a national consolidation of retail into urban areas to avoid high energy costs, experts say....Ikea is leading this new retail push.

Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo said his office intends to take legal action against drug chains Rite Aid and CVS after a state investigation revealed their stores sold expired products including milk, eggs, medicines and baby formula.
Read more of this story

Two statewide drug store chains have been selling expired food, medicine and baby formula, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.Cuomo said the items were found at 142 CVS and 112 Rite Aid pharmacies in New York. Many stores sold milk and eggs that had expired, and some sold medications that were more than a year past their expiration dates.

Officials Find Expired Items at Drugstores in New York

Stores still selling expired pills

BIG RX CHAINS RATTLED

Policy

Just over 3 million city residents, or 38% of the population, had difficulty affording food for themselves and their families last year, according to a report from the city's Food Bank.

Daily News : Tough to pay for food, 35% say

NY Sun :More Families Report Trouble Affording Food

Political

Labor union officials and some liberal activists were seething Tuesday over Barack Obama's choice of centrist economist Jason Furman as the top economic advisor for the campaign. The critics say Furman, who was appointed to the post Monday, has overstated the potential benefits of globalization, Social Security private accounts and the low prices offered by Wal-Mart -- considered a corporate pariah by the labor movement.

The Queens County Board of Elections commissioner, Anthony Como, will represent the 30th district in Queens in the City Council after winning a special election to replace Council Member Dennis Gallagher, who resigned earlier this year after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges of sexual abuse.

Union endorses Hiram Monserrate over Sabini in Queens Senate race

City Councilman Hiram Monserrate picked up another endorsement Wednesday in his bid to unseat state Sen. John Sabini. The New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council tossed its support behind Monserrate

Anthony Weiner wants more foreign models in America.

And it looks like Babe Ruth's house has finally been found.

Obama backs UFCW in Tesco fight....Thursday One Liners

A UFCW spokesman said the union was likely to have "quite a few conversations" with Mr Obama over the coming months about continuing to apply pressure on Tesco.

US union has Barack Obama aid in Tesco fight

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/06/05/cntesco105.xml

An American union has stepped up its campaign against Tesco, releasing a dossier that includes the backing of Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee.

	Barack Obama wrote to Tim Mason [right], Fresh & Easy's chief executive

The 1.3m-member United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW) yesterday launched a 46-page report, The Two Faces of Tesco, to highlight alleged differences in pay, conditions and union recognition between Tesco employees in the UK and the US.

In his letter, Mr Obama said: "Supermarkets play a critical role in America's cities and neighbourhoods as employers, purchasers of local products and anchors for economic development. A recent Occidental College report raises concerns about Tesco's record in these areas."

His Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, also wrote to Sir Terry Leahy, Tesco's chief executive, last November, pointing out that Tesco's non-recognition of union members in the US was all the stranger given its close relationship with USDAW, the UK shopworkers' union.

Tesco rebuffed the tone and content of the report. "The UFCW do not reflect the views of Fresh & Easy staff who are overwhelmingly in favour of the pay and benefits they receive," Tesco said in a statement. It added: "We strongly believe that union membership is a matter of individual choice and if our people want to join a union then they can and will. "

Here's more on the story: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article4069795.ece

Here's the UFCW Press Release

Supermarket News covered it today as well.

The UFCW report on Tesco has received a lot of press in England.

Here's another story.

A&P announced it settled in cash totaling $45.7 million, the 4,657,378 Series A Warrants, issued in connection with the acquisition of Pathmark.

Trader Joe's & Target were lauded for business ethics.

Balducci's is celebrating South America.

Andy Stern, the president of the Service Employees International Union, went into its convention under heavy fire from one of its largest locals, but he emerged stronger — overwhelmingly re-elected for another four years and with his power consolidated.

Michael Barbaro writes on Wal-Mart today.

And The Triborough Bridge will soon be the "RFK Bridge" named after the late Robert Kennedy.

Tuesday Morning One Liners...

D'Agostino Supermarkets President and Chief Operating Officer Nicholas D'Agostino III was recently named chairman of the Food Industry Alliance of New York State here.
Read more of this story

Aldi here on Monday opened the doors to a store in East Syracuse, N.Y., that showcases the chain’s new marketing and environmental approaches, a report said yesterday.
Read more of this story

A State Supreme Court judge in Suffolk Monday invalidated a controversial worker status law that required Suffolk County's 17,000 licensed contractors to prove their employees are not undocumented immigrants.

Talk Bronx, has covered the loss of the supermarket throughout NYC.

Here's more on the UAW withdrawing at Foxwoods.

Dayton, Ohio: As part of its “Eat Local” promotion, Dorothy Lane Market has launched a monthly local food “challenge” and gift card giveaway.
Read more of this story

Politics and What not...

John Tasini comments on SEIU's "Call Centers"

New York State's excise tax on cigarettes becomes the highest in the nation today, when it increases by $1.25 a pack - to $2.75....City Smokers Prepare for New State Tax

The Republican presence in the City Council could be whittled down to two members as voters go to the polls today in Queens to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Council Member Dennis Gallagher

Starrett City residents were assured their rents would stay 'affordable' yesterday

Making Food Deserts Bloom in NY, A Community Food Security Agenda for NYS

On Friday June 6, from 10 to 1:15 PM, Hunger Action will also host Making Food Deserts Bloom in NY, A Community Food Security Agenda for NYS. It will take place in the Senate Minority Conference Room #315 in the State Capitol in Albany.

The conference ties into the work of the Governor’s Food Policy Council, which was established last year to better coordinate work among state agencies to increase access to affordable, nutritional food for all New Yorkers while supporting a sustainable agriculture system for our state (e.g., issues such as food processing, transportation, support for family farms).

The Commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture, Patrick Hooker, is Chair of the Food Policy Council. He will participate in a roundtable discussion at the conference along with Julie Suarez, Director of Public Policy, NY Farm Bureau; Fern Gale Estrow, a nutritionist who is chair of the Food Systems Network NYC; and, Prof.

Tom Forster, a policy advisor to the national Community Food Security Coalition.

The conference will also feature workshops on innovative approaches to bringing fruits and vegetables into low-income communities and strategies to improve the nutritional impact of federal nutrition programs.

Many state agencies and advocacy organizations are interested in how we can bring more supermarkets and other sources of fruits and vegetables into low-income communities. Too often such neighborhoods only have fast food outlets, forcing residents to travel long distances to obtain more nutritious food.

The conference is free but there is limited space, so pre-registration is encouraged. You can contact Mark Dunlea at Hunger Action Network of NYS for more information. 275 State St., Albany NY 12210. 518 434-7371 xt 1#, www.hungeractionnys.org, info@hungeractionnys.org.

The conference is co-sponsored by Just Food, NYS Assembly Task Force on Food Farm and Nutrition Policy, Food Systems Network NYC, Honest Weight Food Co-op, United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 1500, NYS Small Scale Food Processing Association

Monday Morning One Liners

Veteran labor leaders representing 100,000 workers in Colorado have joined forces to fight right-to-work ballot measure.

The American Lung Association recently presented Wegmans Food Markets here with the Lung Champion Award in recognition of its decision to halt the sale of tobacco products.
Read more of this story

Nearly 40 workers at Foxwoods Resort Casino's race book have voted against joining the United Auto Workers union.

The smallest Whole Foods store in the company’s development pipeline -- only 16,790 square feet -- will apparently replace one of the two remaining Bell Markets stores in San Francisco.
Read more of this story

Albor Ruiz of the NY Daily News writes 'The plan to save our dying supermarkets'.

The first location of Pathmark’s new “price impact” format opened Friday in Irvington, N.J.

The Senate will likely re-vote on the full 2007 Farm Bill this week, Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin's office told congressional newspaper The Hill on Friday.
Read more of this story

Council Member Simcha Felder will challenge state Senator Kevin Parker for his seat.

The SEIU is voting to have members use '24-hour call centers', rather than handle grievances with a union delegate one on one.

In the past year, 22,000 New Yorkers who work on Wall Street have lost their jobs, according to a Crain’s estimate. And far more blood-letting is to come.

Friday Morning One Liners...

Industry

Contract negotiations between The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. and the union representing pharmacists at area Waldbaum's stores have stalled after the company declined to budge from its stance on employee retirement plans and refused to discuss other issues, the union said yesterday.

Long Island farmers are in a crunch as diesel and fertilizer costs continue to rise.

Here's an editorial on the problems L.I. farmers are facing.

NYC Food Pantries are scaling back on operations, by reducing handouts and turning people away.

Kroger Co. here yesterday said it has made a "significant investment" in The Little Clinic LLC "aimed at bringing walk-in medical clinics and consumer health solutions to stores across the country."
Read more of this story

Costco Wholesale Corp. here said yesterday that inflation in gasoline prices helped increase comparable-store sales in the U.S. by 6% during the third quarter ended May 11 — a figure that would have been up only 4% without the boost provided by fuel.
Read more of this story

Wal-Mart puts the squeeze on food costs [CNN Money]
With gas, grain, and dairy prices exploding, you'd think the biggest seller of corn flakes and Cocoa Puffs would be getting hit by rising food costs. But Wal-Mart has temporarily rolled back prices on hundreds of food items by as much as 30% this year. How? By pressuring vendors to take costs out of the supply chain.

More than half (54%) of people who dine out regularly are cutting back on restaurant spending due to the economy, according to the findings of a Mintel consumer report.
Read more of this story

John Catsimatidis, said that sales at his Gristedes supermarkets are up this year more than 8% over the same period last year

In a scathing report, the state's Commission of Investigation Thursday criticized the union representing Suffolk County correction officers for "highly questionable" accounting practices that failed to explain spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on things like airline tickets for board members' relatives, big-screen televisions and golf outings

And Donald Trump sold the Trump Marina Hotel and Casino for $316 million.

Politics

Top Republicans yesterday pledged a new push to urge Democratic lawmakers to help hard-pressed motorists by suspending the state's nearly 33 cent-a-gallon tax on gasoline for the summer

Republican leaders in Staten Island on Thursday night endorsed Francis H. Powers, a retired Wall Street executive, as their candidate for the Congressional seat being vacated by Representative Vito Fossella

Another controversial pastor associated with Obama?

Bill Thompson says the city will lose 85,000 jobs.

Thursday Afternoon One Liners...

Chris Chafe will become the new executive director of Change To Win

Here's more on Greg Tarpinian stepping down as the executive director of Change to Win.

RedOrbit News picked up the story on Local 338's strike authorization vote.

Crain's picked up the supermarket shortage story as well.

Here's the NY Observers take on supermarket closings...

Political

Newsday writes, Brian X. Foley's candidacy for state Senate opens up the possibility of a special election for Brookhaven Town supervisor in which Republicans could widen their one-vote majority on the town council.

The Staten Island Democrats voted to endorse Michael McMahon for Fossella's seat last night.

And Ben & Jerry's has a new Ice Cream flavor modeled after John and Yoko.

Save our Supermarkets!! Press Event at City Hall tomorrow!

Save our Supermarkets!

** Reminder! **

Important Press Conference at City Hall tomorrow…

S.T.A.R.T. Members will receive 200 points for attending!

Join Community activists, health advocates and labor leaders in developing a healthy food policy in New York City by providing better access to nutritious foods at full service supermarkets!

The rising cost of food and the disappearance of neighborhood supermarkets are creating a crisis situation in our City!

In order to address the situation UFCW Local 1500 is joining with community based organizations and elected leaders to begin to address this important issue. Come stand with this coalition so that we can generate as much media attention as possible to create awareness on this crisis.

When: Tomorrow- May 28, 2008
@ 1:00 pm

Where: Front steps of NY City Hall

Good Food…
Good Jobs…
Good Health.

For more information simply hit reply on this email.

NYS Council on Food Policy Listening Session in Harlem

NYS Council on Food Policy Listening Session in Harlem

The New York State Council on Food Policy will be in HARLEM to LISTEN to YOU!

The NYS Council on Food Policy is holding a series of Listening Sessions around the state to gain perspective from community members on several food policy issue areas and to seek opportunities to maximize collaboration among stakeholders.

This is your chance to voice out your feelings on food!

"My grocery store just closed down!"

"My bodega only sells junk food!"

"Food prices are burning holes in my pockets!"

The Harlem Listening Session will be held from 5 to 7pm at

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building

163 West 125th Street, New York

The Listening Sessions are open to the public and are an open microphone format. Anyone who wishes to participate will have five minutes to present their opinions and must also provide their comments in written format. Comments should focus on the key issue areas identified by the Council.

Key issue areas include:
1) Maximize participation in food and nutrition assistance programs;
2) Strengthen the connection between local food products and consumers;
3) Support efficient and profitable agricultural food production and food retail infrastructure; and
4) Increase consumer awareness and knowledge about healthy eating and improve access to safe and nutritious foods.

Please RSVP to John Mallen by calling 1.800.522.0456 ext. 212 or by sending an Email

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Local 1500 Campaign featured in Supermarket News

In the March 24th issue of Supermarket News, Local 1500's campaign to bring more Supermarkets to the five boroughs was highlighted. Click on the image to read the piece.