FMI has actively pursued the extension of P-EBT as it has proven to effectively reach children who would typically receive free or reduced school lunches, but are missing these meals due to their schools being closed or operating with reduced hours because of COVID-19.

The past six months has been so “unprecedented” that FMI and NAMI decided to break our trend of annual reports to conduct a The Power of Meat: Midyear 2020 Edition to take a fresh look at what was happening in the meat industry from the shopper’s perspective. In this tumultuous year, it should not be a surprise that what we found was a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

It might be logical to think the fresh industry would have put sustainability on the back burner during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in reality, many industry leaders never departed from their sustainability goals in the face of extreme hurdles. Executives pressed forward, even if they encountered some delays or needed to work in the background for a while. It’s great to see the momentum has continued on topics such as single-use plastics, recycling, and packaging and food waste reduction.

How does a grocery store employee communicate with shoppers, particularly when they are agitated? What should they do when they observe shoppers calling one another out for failure to comply with these requirements? How should the grocery associate ask the shopper to comply? These are questions that store managers face as they navigate mask rules and new safety and sanitation regulations.