Grocery manufacturers spent $720K lobbying in 1Q

The Grocery Manufacturers Association spent $720,000 in the first quarter to lobby on food safety and other issues, according to a recent disclosure report.

The trade group _ whose roughly 500 members include Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., ConAgra Foods Inc. and Hormel Foods Corp. _ lobbied on various pieces of legislation involving ethanol, food safety and other issues.

Besides Congress, the group lobbied the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration and trade officials during the January-March quarter.

Eileen Jarvis, formerly a staff member for the House Rules Committee, was among those lobbying on the group's behalf, according to the report filed April 17 with the House clerk's office.