November 17, 2020 — U.S. foodservice organizations protested new restrictions on indoor restaurant dining being implemented in several states and cities due to soaring coronavirus cases across the country.
The U.S. reported more than 166,000 new COVID-19 cases on 17 November, and related hospitalizations rose to a record 73,014.
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.
March 20, 2020 — As more U.S. states begin mandating restaurant closures or limited seating, restaurant and hospitality operators are reporting plunging profits and are instituting furloughs.
The United States National Restaurant Association and the International Foodservice Distributors Association are asking for immediate help from the Trump administration and Congress to stave off what they’re calling an imminent crisis for the U.S. foodservice industry.
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.