The National Grocers Association (NGA) announced that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will address the independent supermarket industry during the 2018 NGA Show opening keynote session on Sunday, February 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“We’re excited to welcome Secretary Perdue to The NGA Show and have him share his thoughts on the public-private partnership shared between the USDA and stakeholders within the food retail industry,” said Peter Larkin, president and CEO of NGA.
“Independent, community-focused retailers and wholesalers are the backbone of their communities, taking on the roles of job creators, innovators, and economic drivers. We look forward to hearing the secretary’s thoughts on regulatory reform, the outlook of a Farm Bill and other policies that directly impact our industry,” added Larkin.
Secretary Perdue announced the Farm Bill and Legislative Principles for 2018 in January, where he stressed that these principles will be used as a road map to letting Congress know what they heard from the people involved in the agriculture industry.
The NGA Show gathers over 3,000 independent grocery retailers, wholesalers, food industry executives, manufacturers and service providers from around the world to discuss emerging trends within the food retailing industry.
In a recent interview with Abasto Magazine, the NGA president highlighted the importance of the NGA Show, “I don’t think a better place exists for an independent supermarket operator to learn and understand industry trends. They will see these trends in the show, they will learn how other businesses respond to these trends through our education and networking events. They will also be able to meet new and innovative products in the exhibition area.”
The independent supermarket industry is accountable for close to one percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating over $131 billion in sales, nearly 1 million jobs and $30 billion in wages paid. Defined as a privately held, or family-owned entrepreneurial business, independent supermarket operators run businesses of all formats and sizes and are dedicated to their customers, associates and communities.