Hot Off the Grill Edition #15

"Hot Off the Grill" - Edition #15

In This Issue:

• Senate Scrutinizes the Food and Beverage Industries This Week

• The Top Food and Beverages That Could Be Impacted by Tariffs
• OSHA Heat Rule Comment Deadline Pushed to January 
• Registration Now Open for The 2025 Public Affairs Conference 

What We Eat and Drink is on the Menu for Senate HELP Committee

What’s Happening: Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee is holding a hearing titled, "What Is the FDA Doing to Reduce the Diabetes and Obesity Epidemics in America and Take on the Greed of the Food and Beverage Industry?"

Why Now: The hearing follows a letter sent by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf and Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones requesting their testimony on the agency's efforts to develop a front-of-package nutrition label and other FDA nutrition priorities.

What to Watch for: We don’t expect this hearing to have a restaurant focus, but we’ll listen closely for any discussions around packaged foods in our supply chain or questions about policies that could impact restaurant operators.

Why it’s Important: We anticipate that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marty Makary, as Secretary of Health and Human Services and Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration respectively, will support a similar approach to examine nutrition labeling and ultra processed foods.

Watch Here: The Committee will livestream the hearing, starting at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday.

Weighing the Impact of More Tariffs

OSHA Heat Rule comment deadline pushed back to January

New Information: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) extended the deadline for comments on its proposed Heat Rule aimed at preventing heat illness and injuries in the workplace, making the new cut-off date January 14,2025.

Register Now: That means there’s still time to join us on December 17, for a webinar hosted by Director of Labor and Workforce Policy Jordan Heiliczer that will walk operators through the details of the proposed rule. She’ll discuss its potential impact on restaurant operations, and outline ways you can provide feedback to ensure the industry’s voice is heard on the rule.

Why it Matters: The Heat Rule outlines steps employers would be required to take to protect indoor and outdoor workers from the risk of heat illness. It includes many requirements for employers—like restaurant owners—who conduct work outdoor or indoors, including heat control measures triggered by ambient temperatures. 

Next Steps: Register for the webinar on Dec. 17 @ 2 p.m. ET.

It’s time! Registration open for the 2025 Public Affairs Conference

Registration is now open for the 2025 National Restaurant Association Public Affairs Conference! Join us in Washington, D.C. April 1-3, 2025, to be a part of the restaurant industry’s largest grassroots advocacy event! Meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and get the latest inside scoop from top political speakers, then celebrate the industry at networking events. Take advantage of early-bird pricing. Register now!

In the News…

Handwashing, leftovers, and more: Keep your kitchen safe this holiday with expert advice

This holiday season, food safety experts are urging home cooks to follow healthy practices to ensure safe and enjoyable meals. Key tips include proper hand washing, cleaning kitchen sinks to prevent cross-contamination, labeling of leftovers to track safe storage times, and thawing turkeys in the refrigerator to avoid bacterial growth. Taking these steps can make a big difference in keeping your family safe.

Voters deliver mixed verdicts on increasing minimum wage, but support paid sick leave

In the recent elections, voters across the U.S. showcased varied stances on minimum wage and paid sick leave ballot measures. Missouri and Arkansas approved measures to incrementally raise their minimum wages to $15 an hour and require employers to provide paid sick leave. Meanwhile, Nebraska voters passed as weeping sick leave policy. California narrowly defeated a proposal to increase its minimum wage to $18 an hour, and Massachusetts rejected a plan to raise the tipped minimum wage. Similar efforts to alter tipped wage structures failed in Arizona.