As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, Congress is considering a new stimulus bill. One of the sticking points in the negotiations, however, is limited liability protections for businesses. On behalf of the food industry, FMI’s Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO, offered the following statement on the need for limited liability protections:
“As Congress works to conclude its end-of-session legislative items, I cannot state strongly enough how critical it is that Congress provides limited, temporary liability protections that recognize the extraordinary efforts made by supermarkets and food industry associates to follow government guidance and keep associates and customers safe during the pandemic. The businesses that have acted in good faith and have implemented best practices that reflect the existing state of science and the resulting government safety directives should not have to face lawsuits that second guess after the fact those directives and industry’s efforts to implement them.
“There simply cannot be a successful economic recovery without these protections. The food industry calls on Congress to pass limited liability before the end of the year.”
As the food industry association, FMI works with and on behalf of the entire industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply chain. FMI brings together a wide range of members across the value chain – from retailers that sell to consumers, to producers that supply food and other products, as well as the wide variety of companies providing critical services – to amplify the collective work of the industry.
