American Bakers Association launches ‘Baking Feeds America’ advocacy campaign
The campaign celebrates the longstanding and integral role of baked goods in American life with an engaging exploration of how these essential foods contribute to balanced diets, economic strength, and meaningful moments across the country.
USA – The American Bakers Association (ABA), the largest trade group representing the commercial baking industry in the nation, has officially launched a sweeping new advocacy initiative titled “Baking Feeds America.”
Managed by a specialized strategy task force, the summer campaign is designed to educate state and federal policymakers on the foundational role that grain-based foods play in supporting consumer nutrition, driving macroeconomic growth, and mitigating domestic food insecurity.
The strategy directly addresses an era of heightened public and political scrutiny surrounding ingredient transparency and nutrition policy.
According to ABA leadership, the primary objective is to visually translate complex supply chain dynamics into a human storytelling format for legislators.
By illustrating the direct path a baked item takes from rural agricultural fields and equipment manufacturers to regional distribution centres, grocery store shelves, and family dinner tables, the association aims to demonstrate the extensive network of commerce that depends on a favourable regulatory landscape.
A central element of the advocacy push centers on the baking sector’s monumental economic footprint.
Official research data released in tandem with the campaign indicates that the commercial baking industry directly employs nearly 800,000 workers nationwide across more than 1,200 commercial facilities.
When analyzing the broader domestic economy, the industry’s extended supply chain accounts for over 2.18 million total jobs, generating approximately US$42 billion in annual household wages and contributing more than US$533 billion to the national gross domestic product (GDP), representing roughly 2% of the total United States economy.
Beyond economic metrics, “Baking Feeds America” is spotlighting the nutritional necessity and ongoing structural evolution of staple grain products.
The initiative emphasizes that enriched and whole-grain items like bread, tortillas, and crackers supply essential everyday nutrients, including dietary fiber, iron, folate, and crucial B vitamins. Concurrently, the messaging highlights the industry’s proactive responsiveness to changing consumer expectations.
This includes a major recent wave of voluntary reformulations by commercial bakers to completely phase out historically controversial ingredients in their operations, such as potassium bromate, azodicarbonamide (ADA), and certified FD&C artificial colours.
ABA President and Chief Executive Officer Eric Dell stated that commercial baked goods have been a cherished, reliable pillar of household mealtimes for generations.
Organizers announced they will host an interactive industry-wide town hall on June 12 to provide corporate members with cohesive messaging toolkits to further amplify the campaign’s core tenets directly to local legislators through the autumn legislative cycle.
In 2025, ABA earned the prestigious Great Place To Work® Certification, underscoring its commitment to delivering on the Higher Level Impact strategic objective by fostering a strong internal culture that drives excellence for the commercial baking industry.
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