120 Participate in NNFAs Natural Foods Day

120 Participate in NNFAs Natural Foods Day

WASHINGTONRetailers, manufacturers and other industry members gatheredMarch 23 for the 7th Annual Natural Foods Day organized by the NationalNutritional Foods Association (NNFA). The event attracted 120 participants from30 states and resulted in meetings at 60 Senate offices and 75 House offices.

Participants began the day with a morning legislative workshop. After Rep.Chris Cannon (R-Utah) and NNFA president Paul Bennett welcomed the group, PaulCoates, Ph.D., director of the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at theNational Institutes of Health (NIH) provided an overview of ODS researchinitiatives. He also emphasized the importance of public-private researchcollaborations and the need for industry to support the development of validatedanalytical methods. Participants also heard legislative updates from KathyKulkarni, the legislative director for Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), and PeterReinecke, chief of staff for Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa). Both emphasized theimportance of continued industry outreach and activism to counter attacks on theDietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). The morning sessionconcluded with an overview of the current issues and suggestions for how toconduct effective meetings with legislators.

Participants spent the afternoon meeting with members of Congress and theirstaffs in appointments that were pre-arranged by NNFA. The association alsoprovided leave-behind materials and product samples. In the evening,participants were joined by several members of Congress for an awards receptionat the U.S. Capitol. NNFA presented Congressional Champion awards to Sen.Joe Biden (D-Del.), Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), Rep. Cannon, Sen. Lindsey Graham(R-S.C.), Sen. Harkin, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Rep. Pallone, and Rep. CliffStearns (R-Fla.).

Additional information on the event is available at www.nnfa.org.