Food Marketing Institute spent $337,000 in 2Q lobbying gov’t on credit card fees, labor

Food Marketing group spent $337K on 2Q lobbying

WASHINGTON — The Food Marketing Institute, whose members include grocers such as Safeway Inc. and Kroger Co., spent $337,000 in the second quarter to lobby on labor, retail crime and other issues, according to a recent disclosure report.

That’s a significant drop from the $1.1 million that the group spent in the year-ago period but slightly more than the $280,000 it spent in the first quarter of 2010.

The trade group for food retailers and wholesalers also lobbied on the budget, Wall Street reform, credit card fees and other matters.

Besides Congress, the group lobbied the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and others in the April-through-May period, according to the report filed July 20 with the House clerk’s office.

Adam Schleich, who used to work for former Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., was among those lobbying on the Food Marketing Institute’s behalf.