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Produce Marketing Association hails passage of COVID-19 stimulus package
Late Sunday night, the U.S. House and Senate leadership reached agreement on a $908 billion COVID-19 stimulus package that will bring a desperately needed financial infusion into the U.S. fresh produce and floral industries. The package is expected to be approved by the full House and Senate today and the President has indicated he will sign it.
The package includes key programs that will benefit a number of sectors of the economy, including:
Funding of $284 billion for continuation of the Paycheck Protection Program small business loans that helps employers keep workers who otherwise might go on unemployment
Managing Editor Despite the lack of liability protections in Congress final relief package, the legislation did provide new opportunities for independents to take part in nutrition incentive projects and the SNAP Online program.
Food retailers hoping for liability protection for their businesses amid the challenges of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic were disappointed in the COVID relief package passed by Congress on Dec. 21.
“While we appreciate the bipartisan effort to provide much-needed economic relief to the American people, the bill unfortunately falls short of the needed liability protections critical to independent grocers,” noted Greg Ferrara, president and CEO of the Arlington, Virginia-based National Grocers Association (NGA), which represents the independent grocery sector. “Independent supermarkets have led the way in keeping workers and customers safe and have remained open when their communities need them most. It is unacceptable for C
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The NGA Foundation Technical Assistance Center (TA Center) has introduced a new website
to provide necessary information to retailers interested in nutrition incentives such as those funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP).
“While providing those in need with free or discounted produce may appear simple, the technology to conduct efficient point-of-sale (POS) transactions, provide accurate reimbursement to retailers and maintain program accountability is complex,” noted Ted Mason, TA Center project director. “This new website aims to simplify the process by offering a resource that can help answer questions that grocers may have about providing nutrition benefits to their customers who need them.”