National Confectioners Association

The National Confectioners Association is an American trade organization that promotes chocolate, candy, gum and mints, and the companies that make these treats. NCA lobbies the American government in favor of the confectionery industry, evaluated at US$35 billion. Confections are produced in all 50 states.

Logo of the National Confectioners Association.

Controversy

In March 2007, the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, whose members include Hershey's, Nestlé, and Archer Daniels Midland, began lobbying the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change the legal definition of chocolate to allow the substitution of "safe and suitable vegetable fats and oils" (including partially hydrogenated vegetable oils) for cocoa butter in addition to using "any sweetening agent" (including artificial sweeteners) and milk substitutes.[1] Currently, the FDA does not allow a product to be referred to as "chocolate" if the product contains any of these ingredients.[2] To work around this restriction, products with cocoa substitutes are often branded or labeled as "chocolatey" or "made with chocolate".

On March 7, 2017, The Washington Post reported that the NCA was lobbying the Trump administration.[3] The NCA's goal, as reported by the Post, was to advocate for the rollback of government policies that make the production of NCA members' products more expensive. One of the controversial issues reported by the Post was the scheduling of NCA events at Trump-owned properties. Thus, money is being paid by the NCA to Trump as they seek to influence government policy.

References
  1. Bragg, Lynn M. (April 2007). "To Our Stakeholders" (PDF). Chocolate Manufacturers Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 December 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2008.
  2. (2007P-0085 Archived 22 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Copy of 2007P-0085 Appendix C – search for cacao)
  3. "'Big Candy' is lobbying the Trump administration. It's also holding events at Trump hotels". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-03-27.


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