Ameritopia_ The Unmaking of America - Mark R. Levin [89]
Incidentally, that cinnamon doughnut the gasoline retailer sells in the snack food section of his store is supplied by a bakery that must comply with federal regulations requiring that all pulverizing of sugar or spice grinding be done in accordance with sugar dust limitation standards.29 Of course, there are all kinds of regulations that apply to virtually all other food items he stocks on his shelves.
Indeed, not just food, but food labeling and packaging are subject to extensive federal regulation. New mandates require food labels “to disclose net contents, identity of commodity, and name and place of business of the product’s manufacturer, packer, or distributor.” Labels must also include the presence of major food allergens. Certain terms like “low sodium,” “reduced fat,” and “high fiber” must meet strict government definitions. The federal government has defined other terms used for nutritional content including “low,” “reduced,” “high,” “free,” “lean,” “extra lean,” “good source,” “less,” and “lite.” If a food is described as “organic” it must meet the federal government’s definition.30 The food industry will also face new federal rules for “front-of-pack” calorie and nutrition labels and federally recommended nutritional criteria for foods making “dietary guidance” statements. For example, “Eat two cups of fruit a day for good health.” Federal regulations also involve “food contact materials,” including cutlery, dishes, glasses, cups, food processors, containers, etc.31
The administrative state is also foster-parenting the nation’s children. Aiming their regulatory power at such foods as Frosted Flakes, the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Department of Agriculture, and Federal Trade Commission recently joined forces to propose “voluntary” nutrition principles for the food industry, including setting limits on sugar, fats, and sodium in food marketed to children. “By the year 2016, all food products within the categories most heavily marketed directly to children should meet two basic nutrition principles. Such foods should be formulated to … make a meaningful contribution to a healthful diet and minimize the content of nutrients that could have a negative impact on health and weight.”32 The Working Group’s proposals go beyond cereal and would affect snacks, candy, juice, soda, and even food served at restaurants. In addition to restricting the content of food, the Working Group is also entertaining proposals to regulate what can be included in product advertising.33 Tony the Tiger may be on the chopping block. Congress also passed legislation authorizing the administrative state to regulate nutrition in schools, including determining the amount of calories, fat, and sodium students should consume each day. The regulations may extend to food sold on school grounds during the day, such as pizza and bake sales at fund-raisers for school events, potentially ending those common practices.34
Restaurants have been hectored into accepting the “goals of smaller portions” to “include healthy offerings” in children’s meals.35 Federal requirements mandate that restaurant chains with at least twenty U.S. locations provide the calorie content of menu items. Chain restaurants are obligated to adhere to a host of requirements pertaining to the listing of food items on their menus, including “[a] statement on the menu or menu board that puts the calorie information in the context of a recommended total daily caloric intake.”36 Federal regulators are expanding the restaurant requirements to movie theater concessions, which will soon be compelled to disclose the calorie information for popcorn.37
So extensive is the federal government’s purview over food that the total federal budget for regulating nearly all aspects of food, from production to consumption, exceeds the