Lt. Gov. Husted Headlines OMA ‘Food Day’

On Dec. 9, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted addressed industry leaders at the OMA’s 2020 Ohio Food Manufacturers Policy Council — held virtually this year due to the pandemic. The event was chaired by Jennifer Sweeney of the Campbell Soup Company.

The lieutenant governor told attendees that the DeWine administration is trying to balance three things at once: protecting health, protecting the economy, and coordinating the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines — with a goal of getting at least 70% of adults vaccinated. Public health expert Martin Tremmel warned that the number of COVID-19 cases could continue to rise throughout February. OMA General Counsel Chris Slagle of Bricker & Eckler noted that food manufacturers are expected to be prioritized in the second phase of Ohio’s vaccination plan.

Other presenters included representatives from Tyson Foods, JobsOhio, Ohio Department of Agriculture, and Ohio EPA.

The production of food and beverages contributes nearly $12 billion annually to Ohio’s economy, making it the state’s third-largest manufacturing sector. Ohio has approximately 1,300 food and beverage manufacturers, which employ more than 61,100 Ohioans. 12/9/2020