Plant Based Foods Association Hires DC Lobbyist to Fight “Dairy Pride” Act and Promote the Plant Based Food Industry on Capitol Hill
San Francisco (PRWEB) March 07, 2017 -- Today, the Plant Based Foods Association announced it has engaged the services of the law firm Alston & Bird to represent its interests on Capitol Hill.
Leading the DC-based team is Shannon Campagna, a senior policy advisor on Alston & Bird’s Legislative & Public Policy Team, and 25-year veteran of government affairs.
“I am thrilled to join the Plant Based Foods Association team to represent the interests of this important food industry sector,” said Campagna.
The plant-based foods industry has recently come under attack by the dairy lobby, which aims to stop companies from using terms such as soymilk and almond milk. Alston & Bird will help the trade group educate members of Congress on why such a policy is not necessary and potentially harmful to the growing plant-based foods industry.
According to the most recent data analysis by SPINS, the plant-based foods industry now tops $5 billion in annual sales. Plant-based milks are the largest category, with sales topping 4.2 billion over the past year. In addition, cheese alternatives are a fast-growing category, showing 18 percent growth over the past year.
For the past six years, Ms. Campagna served as the director of federal government affairs for Mars, Inc., and has also represented Safeway, the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the National Beer Wholesalers Association.
Apu Mody, the CEO of Plant Based Food Association member TerraVia, worked closely with Campagna while they were both at Mars. "I am confident that with her experience and expertise, Shannon will play a key role in driving the mission of the Plant Based Food Association.” TerraVia is a plant-based food, nutrition, and ingredients company that specializes in algae.
“We are excited to work with Ms. Campagna to give plant-based foods companies the voice they deserve on Capitol Hill,” said Michele Simon, executive director of the Plant Based Foods Association.
Additional issues the Plant Based Foods Association has on its agenda include the next revision of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the 2018 farm bill, and federal school food guidelines.
The Plant Based Foods Association is a trade association representing 75 of the nation’s leading plant-based food companies. Launched in March 2016, the association is celebrating its one-year anniversary at the upcoming Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, CA with a panel and reception.
Alston & Bird is a leading national and international law firm. The firm’s core practice areas are intellectual property, complex litigation, corporate and tax, with national industry practices that include financial services, technology, health care, manufacturing, life sciences and energy. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Beijing, Brussels, Charlotte, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Research Triangle, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C.
Michele Simon, Plant Based Foods Association, https://www.plantbasedfoods.org, +1 510-465-0322, [email protected]
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