FEDA NEWS & VIEWS THE COVER
FEATURES 10
Foodservice equipment and supplies distributors sit at a demanding crossroads of federal and state regulations, and this issue of FEDA News & Views shows just how wide-ranging those pressures have become. Oregon’s extended producer responsibility law is forcing distributors to untangle who qualifies as a packaging producer and how to calculate fees for rules that are still being written. Meanwhile, proposed federal AI contracting requirements, a major infrastructure funding bill, and shifting labor policies each carry real consequences for distributors’ operations. FEDA is tracking these developments closely, working to ensure members’ voices are heard as new requirements take shape.
VIEWS 04
I06 08
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Packaging EPR Puts Distributors on the Front Lines of a
Regulatory Fight As more states impose extended producer responsibility requirements, distributors face uncertainty over who is responsible, how fees are calculated, and whether the emerging patchwork can survive legal challenges.
22
34
EPA’s Revised Refrigerant Compliance Deadlines Ease Transition for Food Industry
Proposed Infrastructure Bill Could Help Keep Foodservice Equipment Moving
The BUILD America 250 Act would invest in highways, bridges, rail, transit, and freight while creating new fees for electric vehicles and addressing transportation bottlenecks.
The updated AIM Act rules extend timelines for lower-global warming potential refrigerants, giving businesses more flexibility while maintaining the federal HFC phasedown schedule.
OPERATIONS 36
Proposed AI Rules Could Reshape
18
Te New Tariff Reality: Higher Costs, Less Certainty
A series of court rulings, new tariff authorities, and shifting trade agreements has created a constantly changing tariff landscape for distributors and manufacturers.
Chairman’s Message By Marc Tell
ndustry Insights By Dave Stafford
Vision Forward By Joe Durham
52
Chief Operator Changes in the Industry
48 OPERATORS 26
Government Contracts The U.S. General Services Administration’s draft clause raises questions about software, data ownership, commercial agreements, and compliance.
Te Labor Issues Distributors Can’t Afford to Ignore From collective bargaining to workplace safety and employer liability, new federal and state developments are changing the rules employers must follow.
ON THE MOVE
Recent Promotions, Hires, and Retirements at FEDA Member Companies
46
new feda members
New FEDA Members Fall 2026 3
40
Decoding Manufacturer
Pricing Policies A practical guide to understanding the different structures and antitrust limits of manufacturer pricing rules.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
