FM FYI: Further Readings on General Trends Affecting Onsite Foodservice in 2014

compiled by John Lawn

There Are Multiple Perspectives on FDA's New Rules for Antibiotic Use in Meat Production
In Superbugs: From Farm to Table,  Bloomberg BusinessWeek recently to a critical look at both the forces behind the news rules and the likely impact they will have on the market.

Sysco shows how to distribute food with ruthless efficiency.
The Economist, the international news magazine,  weighs in on the Sysco-US  Foods merger...
Meanwhile, here's the take  offered by The Wall Street Journal: Sysco, US Foods Await Word on Their AntiTrust Reviewer.

Why the GMO Labeling Battle is Heating Up
Should GMO ingredient labeling be mandatory? Voluntary? When and How? National Geographic describes how the "Real Food" and "Show Me the Science" forces are facing off.

Here's another perspective on the GMO issue by writer Rachel Hennessey for Forbes magazine: GMO Food Debate in National Spotlight. She looks at some of the history of GMOs in fruit and vegetable production and also at some of the efforts to regulate labeling at the state level and and in international arena.

What to Expect in 2014 from the Food Safety Modernization Act

The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) will face a number of implementation deadlines in the coming year, several of them affecting supply chain regulation. For an update, What's Ahead for FSMA in 2014.

GS-1 Pilot Between Reinhart and Subway/IPC Advances Supply Chain Initiative

Data-synchronized supply chain initiatives have been advancing slowly for years in foodservice. For the latest update on the status of the GS-1 initiative, procurement  managers should check this pilot project report:

http://www.ifdaonline.org/News/Data-Sync-Pilot-Tests-New-Publication-Workflow-IPC

Are Manufacturers Turning Their Backs on Wheat?
The desire of increasing numbers of consumers to minimize their consumption of gluten has led to a 22-year low in domestic U.S. wheat consumption.This Bloomberg BusinessWeek story  reports that a good number of major food manufacturers have apparently decided that rather than beat the trend, they should join it: Gluten Attacked, and Food Makers Don't Defend Wheat.

What ACA Insurance Options Mean for Full Time Employment in the Future

A new Congressional Budget Office Report confirms what many experts have said: that over the next few years, the guaranteed availability of healthcare insurance will likely encourage some individuals to retire earlier. Another effect: its subsidy for those with lower paying jobs will likely cause others or opt for lower paying or part time jobs in order to maximize government subsidy payments.

This New York Times article offers a good summary of the report: Health Care Law Projected to Cut the Labor Force. In a separate, opinion piece from the NYT Editorial Board, the paper argues that "The new law will free people, young and old, to pursue careers or retirement without having to worry about health coverage."

You can access the original CBO report, The Slow Recovery of the Labor Market, here.