Milling & Baking News - March 14, 2006 - 27

N E W S F E AT U R E
pursue policies that promote our members
interests, giving them new marketing opportunities. We have to fight misguided
government policies that are going to hamper our members' businesses.
"For instance, our petition on folic acid in
whole wheat bread is a great chance to open
the door to new market opportunities."

Strong international background
Mr. MacKie's predecessor at the A.B.A.
spent several years in the Central Intelligence
Agency earlier in his career. Similarly, much
about Mr. MacKie's background would seem
to point away from a career with a trade association focused mostly on domestic issues.
Hailing from a family with a military
tradition dating back more than 200 years,
Mr. MacKie was born in Paris, when his
father was stationed there for the U.S. Army.
A sister was born in Vienna, Austria, but

Mr. MacKie joined the trade association
world, spending five years representing
the construction industry. In 1995, he
joined the A.B.A. as vice-president of
government relations, a position he held
until his recent promotion.

Time to think about 2010 guidelines
Successful lobbying on behalf of the
baking industry often requires advanced
planning and activity, Mr. MacKie said,
suggesting the industry should begin
preparing now for the 2010 edition of the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. While
the industry did far better in the 2005 edition
than could have been reasonably expected
coming at the peak of carbohydrate phobia,
Mr. MacKie said the industry needs to
position itself better next time.
"If you look at what happened last time
going into the debate, we had the fruits and

'As an industry, we need to find
creative ways to retain a quality
workforce at all levels and
attract new leaders.'
- Robb MacKie, president and
chief executive officer, American
Bakers Association

Mr. MacKie's strongest early impressions
were not formed in the cosmopolitan
centers of Western Europe.
"When I was young, I spent 2½ years
with my father in Moscow, at the height of
the Cold War," Mr. MacKie said. "I was in
first and second grade, and it made a lasting
impression and gave me a strong sense of
patriotism. Since then, I've always had a
strong interest in world affairs, politics."
To pursue this interest, Mr. MacKie
attended Frostburg State College in
Maryland, a school with a strong political
science program with an international focus.
A campaign activist during his college
years, Mr. MacKie accepted an internship
on Capitol Hill after graduating.
"From the first day, I knew this was
something I wanted to do," he said. "I
loved work on the Hill. Later, I worked
for Representative Jim Colby of Arizona. It
worked out great. He is one of the smartest,
nicest people you'll meet. He was on the
appropriations committee, which gave me
experience in domestic spending bills."
After six years in the office of Mr. Colby,

28 / Milling & Baking News, March 14, 2006

vegetables people who were everywhere,
all over the Department of Agriculture, the
F.D.A., promoting fruits and vegetables," he
said. "That's great, but I didn't feel the grainbased foods industry had the same presence.
"I see a great opportunity. We know they
go through the review on a set schedule. We
need to be looking four years from now to
have the scientific background to promote
the healthfulness of our products.
"We need to have a common strategy
in place to tell the story, and we need a
government relations plan in place. We
need to be laying the groundwork for that
now. We can't go in four years from now,
participate in a stakeholder meeting and
expect our message to get through."
Preliminary steps already have been
taken, Mr. MacKie said. For instance, a
small industry group recently met with Eric
M. Bost, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and
Consumer Services, and Eric Hentges,
director of the Center for Nutrition and
Policy and Promotion at the U.S.D.A. With
Mr. MacKie were Judi Adams, president of
the Grain Foods Foundation, and Elizabeth
A. (Betsy) Faga, president of the North
American Millers' Association. Also present
was a representative of Mullen, the public
relations agency of the foundation.
"We were there making our case," Mr.
MacKie said. "It was a good preliminary

meeting. We need to build on our progress."
In particular, the industry representatives
were exploring ways with the U.S.D.A. to make
grain-based foods a larger part of the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants and Children (better known as WIC)
and the National School Lunch Program.
"There may be opportunities for A.B.A.
to work with the U.S.D.A. to direct the
Grain Foods Foundation to those in
charge of the various school districts with
a message of balanced eating and healthy
lifestyles," Mr. MacKie said.
Beyond the guidelines, the baking
industry must continue to fight its perennial
battle against those who disparage the
healthfulness of baked foods.
"There is a public perception among a small
but persistent minority that a) bread makes
you fat and that b) white flour is unhealthy,"
he said. "Some of the new products may help
dispel it. What do we as A.B.A. do to help,
as the chief advocates for grain-based foods?
"Clearly, the Grain Foods Foundation is
one of our most effective tools. That group
has done amazing work when we consider
where we were two years ago. We need to
build on the momentum."
Mr. MacKie's desire for momentum
and progress is balanced by a recognition
that patience will be needed and ongoing
reassessment.
"The foundation allows outreach to the
consuming public, but I'm under no illusion
that changing consumer attitudes happens
overnight," he said. "We do need to assess
whether we are on target with our messages.
When we did the original consumer piece,
Wirthlin gave detailed and extensive consumer
analysis. I think we should do it every few
years. I'm not sure at what interval."
Among the most valuable benefits of
the G.F.F. is the advisory committee, Mr.
MacKie said.
"It is a very exciting resource," he said. "We
have the preeminent nutritional experts who
are independent advocates for our product.
They are doing their own research. The Grain
Foods Foundation is utilizing these experts
very effectively."
He said the committee could be helpful
the next time the nutritional guidelines are
under consideration.
More generally, Mr. MacKie said the
industry must continue to fight a recurrent
tendency to characterize certain foods as
"good foods" pitting them against others,
dubbed "bad foods." The focus should be
on balanced eating, moderation and healthy
lifestyles, he said.

Sees greater role on fuel expenditures
Even as health and nutrition issues have in
recent years drawn a growing percentage of
A.B.A. resources, the association has not lost
sight of other ongoing and emerging issues

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Milling & Baking News - March 14, 2006

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