Saving Seafood

Foodservice Associations, NFI Praise PLUS Act Aimed at COVID-19 Relief for Distributors

July 23, 2020 — Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the Providing Liquidity for Uncollectible Sales (PLUS) Act. The legislation, which provides a tax credit to offset uncollectable debt incurred due to COVID-19 shutdowns, received support from the United Fresh Produce Association, the International Food Distributors Association (IFDA), and National Fisheries Institute (NFI).

Shutdowns lead to significant losses in the foodservice distribution sector as restaurants and other entities were unable to pay distributors for products. According to the NFI, these losses piled up to over $12 billion, with seafood distributors noting that $2.2 billion in debt owed to them, produce noted a $5 billion tab and broadline distributors also saw a $5 billion number.

Read the full story at Seafood News

US food organizations urge government relief

April 3, 2020 — Sixteen United States food organizations are urging Congress to provide relief for their employees, including providing direct payments.

These “essential critical infrastructure” workers should be exempt from federal taxes and have immediate adjustments to their tax withholding or receive direct payments, the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA), the United Fresh Produce Association, and several other groups said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other legislators.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

SeaShare, food distributors work to keep food supply moving amid COVID-19 pandemic

March 19, 2020 — Seafood producers and foodservice distributors alike have formed partnerships amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic to ensure that U.S. residents continue to have a supply of food.

On 19 March, the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) and the FMI-Food Industry Association announced an ad-hoc partnership to help cope with the supply-chain disruptions caused by the ongoing epidemic. The new partnership consists of a matching program, connecting foodservice/broadline distributors with excess capacity – either products, transport services, or warehousing services – to food retailers and wholesalers that need additional resources to meet the rapidly increased demand seen in the retail and grocery industry.

Read the full story at Seafood Source