<p>By: Steven Harris, Director, Policy Development and Regulatory Compliance, Food Marketing Institute<br /> <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/fmi_produce_ad_final.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=1e87c6e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Economic Impact Infographic" title="Economic Impact Infographic" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" /></p> <p>There are a lot of new faces around Washington, DC these days. Many of the lawmakers currently in Congress were not holding their seats just a few years ago. As representatives of the industry in Washington, one of FMI&rsquo;s main jobs is to meet every member of Congress and to educate them about the industry and how our member companies can provide safe, quality and affordable food every day to customers across the globe. <br /> <br /> We rely heavily on our members to share their stories with their representatives by coming to Washington during our <a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/meeting/Microsite/DIW2018">annual fly-in</a> and throughout the year. One of the most important stories of the industry is the significant contribution that FMI members have on communities in every congressional district in the country. There are 535 elected representatives and senators in the U.S. Congress, and we feed families (including lawmakers&rsquo; families) and provide jobs in the districts of each and every one of these elected officials.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.fmi.org/government-affairs/grocery-industry-economic-impact">recent analysis</a> released by FMI, our industry pays over <strong>$167 billion in wages</strong> to its <strong>almost five million workers</strong> in the U.S. Our significant economic impact includes the <a href="https://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/gr/economic-impact/wisconsin-1-district-impact-table.pdf?sfvrsn=70957c6e_2" title="$367 million in wages">$367 million in wages</a> in House Speaker Paul Ryan&rsquo;s district in Wisconsin as well as the over <a href="https://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/gr/economic-impact/california-12-district-impact-table.pdf?sfvrsn=77957c6e_2" title="11,000 jobs">11,000 jobs</a> in House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi&rsquo;s congressional district in California. The industry has both a powerful and bipartisan effect on federal, state and local economies across the country.</p> <p>We encourage you to look at the data in your operating districts to help further illustrate the important role that your company plays as food retailers, as merchants, and as employers.</p> The full economic impact analysis and interactive map breaks down the data by state, congressional district, and state legislative district, and can be accessed at: <a href="https://www.fmi.org/government-affairs/grocery-industry-economic-impact">www.fmi.org/GrocersImpact</a>.