SAN FRANCISCO (FNS) -- The food industry must take proactive steps to address genuine environmental issues to ward off the prospect of excessive, often politically motivated, regulations being enacted.
"We shouldn't have to work against government. It shouldn't be a question of us against them. We should work with the federal and state officials and environmentalists to develop environmental rules that satisfy all sides," said Robert Gal, senior vice president at Wakefern Food Corp., Elizabeth, N.J.
Gal addressed more than 100 attendees here at the annual Environmental Affairs Conference sponsored by the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Food Marketing Institute, both based in Washington.
If the food industry fails to develop a strategy in this area -- and in effect falls short of becoming a self-regulated industry -- the result could be additional mandatory regulations with severe implications for business practices, Gal told SN following the presentation.
"Time is important. We first started hearing about problems with the Earth's ozone layer about 25 years ago and we're just now starting to have an effect on [minimizing] the damage done by chlorofluorocarbon gases," Gal said.
"It isn't necessary to have final scientific proof that there is a problem before we start working to solve it. We should begin as soon as there is strong indication that the problem exists," he added.
Wakefern, a 37-member cooperative wholesaler that operates 184 stores under the ShopRite banner, has fully embraced the concept that cooperation is the easiest and best way to make progress and achieve beneficial goals for all sides in the environmental arena, he said.
Gal stressed the importance for all food industry segments to take action today to prevent serious environmental consequences tomorrow. He urged attendees to identify critical environmental issues facing their firms and devise a set of long-term goals and implementation strategies for achieving them.
As part of Wakefern's approach to solving, or preventing, environmental problems at its company, the wholesaler worked with a group from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study global environmental trends and their effect on business.
Wakefern continues to work closely with the group, which meets every two weeks. "We did not ignore science in developing our issues and goals," Gal said.
One problem Wakefern is now trying to address is taking the next step in the areas of packaging and solid waste management.
"We have to start concentrating on the problem. This is going to be difficult and complex. What we now need to decide is what do we want to accomplish over the next five years. How will we get there? What are our goals? How will we finance it? Do we have the energy and desire?" Gal said.
Education, he stressed, is key and must be a major part of any program that is going to succeed. "Without education, it's difficult to accomplish anything. If people know what's right, they will do right. Otherwise you have to drive them, and that doesn't work."
