“This is a big win for the baking industry in the state of Texas. ABA is grateful to Rep. Cole Hefner (R-TX-5) and Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-TX-1) for their outstanding leadership to get this important legislation passed through the Texas Legislature and on to Gov. Abbott’s desk.”-Knowles
Austin, T.X. – After months of work by the American Bakers Association State Affairs Working Group, the passage of the Tray Loss and Prevention Law in Texas was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott.
“The baking industry’s concern is the epidemic of organized theft of plastic bakery containers,” said Kelly Knowles, Vice President of State and Political Affairs, American Bakers Association. “Our members have seen the problem grow every year, resulting in excess of 25 million dollars of lost equipment and countless operational disruptions over the past five years in Texas alone.”
“The theft of these trays is of substantial importance to the baking industry and other food industries,” said American Bakers Association State Affairs Working Group Chair, Craig Pizer of Bimbo Bakeries USA. “The final signature on this legislation provides law enforcement with the seamless legal framework to deter and prosecute this pervasive and serious criminal activity – for both the health of the Texas economy and the health of the environment.”
“The law incentivizes law enforcement and dis-incentivizes criminals from carrying out tray thefts,” said Robb MacKie, President & CEO, American Bakers Association. “The law discourages tray theft by applying criminal penalties and supporting civil recovery by prosecutors for registered returnable containers, including theft of and damage to such containers.”
The legislation builds upon the Texas Retailers Association’s Stop Theft of Plastics Products (STOPP) Initiative, an initiative that has had success, although not complete, in combating tray theft. In 2013, the ABA lead similar successful reform efforts in the Maryland Legislature.
Read more about the economic impact of baking in Texas.
-American Bakers Association-
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is the Washington D.C.-based voice of the wholesale baking industry. Since 1897, ABA has represented the interests of bakers before the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and international regulatory authorities. ABA advocates on behalf of more than 1,000 baking facilities and baking company suppliers. ABA members produce bread, rolls, cookies, crackers, bagels, sweet goods, tortillas and many other wholesome, nutritious, baked products for America’s families. The baking industry generates more than $153 billion in economic activity annually and employs more than 799,500 highly skilled people.
