“Peter is a dynamic leader representing our industry in the nation’s largest state,” FMI President and CEO Tim Hammonds said in presenting the award at the Day in Washington public affairs conference, which is co-sponsored by FMI. “Over the years, Peter and the California Grocers Association have reformed countless laws and regulations with common sense improvements, and have proactively enacted programs that benefit the industry, consumers and the state.”
During the California energy crisis, for example, Larkin met with then-Governor Gray Davis and formed the CGA Energy Conservation Task Force, Hammonds said. This group crafted a plan for retailers to cut electricity use by 10 percent during emergencies by reducing lighting, air conditioning and nonessential energy use when necessary. Food retailers won statewide acclaim for becoming part of the solution, and other retailers soon joined the bandwagon.
Larkin and the CGA addressed the costly problem of workers’ compensation when claims crossed the $30 billion mark, according to Hammonds. The association developed a comprehensive plan to cut medical costs, promote competition and reduce claims. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state legislature adopted most of the plan, and the cost is now declining.
CGA also made its mark on country-of-origin labeling by creating a state labeling program known as California Grown. The success of this initiative is why country-of-origin labeling is not mandatory in California, which grows half the nation’s produce.
Larkin is an active member of FMI’s Government Relations Committee. He serves on the boards of the Food Industry Association of Executives and the Western Institute for Food Safety and Security, and previously was chair of the Sacramento chapter of the American Red Cross.
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