News

On June 24, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) denial of marketing applications for menthol-flavored vapor products, affirming the agency's authority to reject applications that do not demonstrate a net public health benefit. The ruling reinforces the FDA's authority under the Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) process. Read more here.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a proposed rule that, if finalized, would help protect the public health of Americans, including youth, by strengthening the agency’s ability to efficiently identify illegal foreign tobacco products — including youth-appealing e-cigarettes — and conduct on-site inspections abroad. Read more here.

On June 29, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Human Foods Program (HFP) released its updated 2026 guidance agenda, including possible new topics for guidance documents or revisions to existing guidance documents that HFP is considering. New topics include:

• Labeling Caffeine Content in Foods and Beverages; Draft Guidance for Industry
• Questions and Answers Regarding Use of the “Healthy” Claim
• Necessity of the Use of Food Product Categories in Food Facility Registrations and Updates to Food Product Categories: Guidance for Industry

Read more here.

On June 23, 2026, the Senate Agriculture Committee released a draft of the 2026 Farm Bill that updates key agricultural and nutrition programs. The House passed its version of the farm bill in late April. As a reminder, the Senate draft does not address the ban on intoxicating hemp products that will begin in November 2026. Committee Chair John Boozman (R-AR) has indicated the Committee will move to mark up the draft after the Senate returns from recess on July 13, 2026.

On June 25, 2026, Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Steve Daines (R-MT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) reintroduced the bipartisan SAFE Banking Act of 2026, which would allow financial institutions to provide banking services to state-legal cannabis businesses without fear of federal penalties. Read the official text here.

The Coalition for Smarter Regulation of Nicotine (Regulate Smarter) welcomed the latest findings shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from the 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) confirming that youth tobacco use has reached historic lows. Read more here.

The White House is vetting finalists for the next U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, including Dr. Jeffrey Vacirca, CEO of New York Cancer & Blood Specialists, and Pentagon health official Dr. Stephen Ferrara. A nominee has not yet been announced, but the eventual selection will require Senate confirmation and will shape the FDA's direction following recent leadership turnover. No nomination dates have been announced. Read more here.

On June 29, 2026, President Trump announced he is nominating acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling to become the agency’s official leader following Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s resignation in April. Sonderling previously served as deputy administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Wage and Hour Division and was a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Read more here.

On June 30, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued modified risk granted orders to Swedish Match USA, Inc. for 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products following extensive scientific review. With this issuance, these ZYN nicotine pouch products—which have been authorized for sale in the United States since January 2025—may now be marketed with the following risk modification claim: “Using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.” Read more here.

On June 24, 2026, the House Education and Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development (HEWD) held a hearing titled, "Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy." The hearing gave lawmakers and stakeholders the opportunity to examine how apprenticeship models help meet new workforce challenges. Expert witnesses discussed how workforce leaders are building innovative pathways that prepare workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Also discussed were barriers that continue to limit employer participation and ways policymakers can support high-quality, employer-driven earn-and-learn opportunities while preserving flexibility and innovation.

This week, Richard Owen, CDA president and CEO, attended the Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors (SAWD) 103rd Annual Meeting. The event, held June 22-25, 2026, at the Tradewinds Island Resorts in St. Petersburg Beach, FL, provided numerous opportunities to conduct business and network, including a "House of Deals," allowing attendees to discuss show deals, order writing and catch up on general business. Also featured was "Ten-2-Profit," a "speed dating" activity designed to maximize face time between business partners, as well as education sessions and receptions.

Attendees take part in the "Ten-2-Profit" event.	Education sessions were held covering several topics throughout the meeting.

Farmer-Owned. Fully Integrated. Protein Expert.

West Liberty Foods powers the protein category end-to-end with true 360-degree solutions. As a farmer-owned organization, the company combines hands-on expertise with full vertical integration to manage the entire journey from source to shelf.

From back-of-house foodservice and restaurant kitchens to grocery retail and ready-to-eat products, West Liberty Foods delivers at every stage. Its portfolio spans raw, cooked and value-added proteins, culminating in high-quality, consumer-ready offerings like sandwiches.

Contact information for West Liberty Foods is as follows:

Jason Silk
Jason.silk@wlfoods.com
West Liberty Foods
228 West 2nd Street, PO Box 318
West Liberty, IA 52776
(602) 832-9501
https://www.wlfoods.com/

Caldwell Wholesale is a trusted c-store distributor serving the Ark-La-Tex. We are a WBENC-Certified business, and we take pride in not only offering a wide range of convenience store products and janitorial supplies at wholesale prices, but also supplying various industrial items.

At Caldwell Wholesale, its primary mission is to support the growth and profitability of your business, especially during these ever-evolving times we navigate. The company's committed delivery and sales teams work tirelessly to uphold its high service standards, ensuring a seamless experience from the road to your store.

Contact information for Caldwell Wholesale Company, LLC is as follows:

Luke Wagnon
lwagnon@caldwellwholesale.com
Caldwell Wholesale Company, LLC
9630 Saint Vincent Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71106
(318) 869-3101
caldwellwholesale.com

On June 24, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the annual Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rates (PER), which measure how accurately states determine who is eligible for SNAP and how much they should receive. The national payment error rate for fiscal year (FY) 2025 is 10.62% - surpassing the congressional threshold of 6%. Read more here.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released findings from the 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) and announcing publication of a peer-reviewed article in Nicotine & Tobacco Research. The FDA’s analysis of NYTS data shows that among U.S. students in middle school and high school, current use (defined as use on one or more days during the past 30 days) declined during 2022–2025 for tobacco products overall, combusted tobacco products, and e-cigarettes. Also, while the number of U.S. high school students reporting nicotine pouch use increased over the same time period, youth use of nicotine pouches remained low overall and was stable during 2024–2025. Read more here and here.

On June 23, 2026, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released the Senate “Farm Bill 2.0” text. The bill is similar to the recent House-passed Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567). The Senate discussion draft differs from the House version slightly, excluding a proposed pesticide labeling measure that would protect farm chemicals from state labeling laws declaring the chemicals dangerous and omits language for year-round sales of E15 ethanol fuel. The Senate draft does not address concerns about a current law that would ban intoxicating hemp products, including those containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container, or unnatural or synthetic cannabinoids, starting in November. Boozman has reportedly indicated that a Senate Agriculture Committee markup will likely occur after the July Fourth recess and before the August break, which runs from July 13 to August 7. Read more here.

On June 22, 2026, a federal district court ruled that the Trump administration exceeded its legal authority when it approved five state waivers barring participants from buying certain items such as candy and soda through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that Congress already defined which foods are eligible under SNAP and did not give the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority to remove specific foods from that definition. She said the law allows certain limited experimental projects to study issues such as obesity, but it does not permit the agency to broadly exclude foods from the program. The ruling means the soda restrictions cannot take effect under the authority cited by the USDA. Read more here.

July 1, 2026 at 2:00 pm ET

Register now to join Dr. Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute for a walkthrough of the 2026 CDA Economic Impact Report and its key findings. This session will explore what the data reveals about the convenience distribution industry’s role in the U.S. economy and provide an overview of the methodology behind the report.

Can’t attend the webinar on July 1? Still register to attend and you’ll receive a recording of the webinar directly to your inbox on July 2. Contact Lauren Herbert with any questions.

Since January, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been officially in a shutdown. Because their work is deemed essential and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act provided them tens of billions of dollars, they were able to move dollars around to pay their employees and contractors during the shutdown.

The shutdown officially ended on June 10, 2026, when President Trump signed the Reconciliation 2.0 bill, officially called the “Secure America Act.” That law provides $70 billion over three years to fund ICE and CBP personnel and operations. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 53-46 and passed the House by a vote of 214-212.

Congress now turns to regular appropriations and Reconciliation 3.0. Republican leaders are considering several remaining priorities, including President Trump’s request for $350 billion in national security funding and the SAVE Act, which would reform federal voter registration laws, and some health-related provisions. While discussions continue, prospects for Reconciliation 3.0 remain uncertain. Read more here.

The 2026 Cross-Industry Compensation & Benefits Study is now available to CDA members, offering comprehensive benchmarking data to help distributors evaluate how their compensation and benefits programs compare across the wholesale industry. The comprehensive 60+ page report covers executive and office employee compensation including salaries, bonuses, commissions and perks, as well as key fringe benefits such as health insurance, retirement programs and paid time off.

If your company participated in the 2026 survey, please reach out to your company’s survey contact to gain access to your additional resources in the portal. Contact Lauren Herbert with any access issues or questions.

CDA Business Academy returns for its second year – a 16-week virtual education program designed for emerging, rising leaders and middle managers in the convenience products distribution industry. The curriculum focuses on people management and business finance, delivered through a fully virtual format combining self-paced learning, live expert-led sessions and peer networking.

The second cohort will run from August 20 through December 3, with live sessions held every third Thursday. Open to all CDA members, the program supports leadership development across the industry. Space is limited – register now to secure your spot by July 31.

Ready to invest in your future leaders? Click here to learn more or contact Lauren Herbert for further details.

On June 15, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a “Listening Session” to provide the industry an opportunity to describe challenges with implementing the food traceability regulations under Section 204(d) of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and discuss possible flexible solutions to comply with the regulation.

Thirty-six speakers provided testimony during the Listening Session, including CDA distributor members Sean Murphy, Doyles Sheehan, and Rene Atayan, AMCON Distributing Company, along with CDA Government Affairs Policy Advisor Tom Briant. Click here to read more about the session and main points made by CDA and members.

On June 10, 2026, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the "SNAP Fraud Reporting Act" to expose and cut down on fraud within federal programs. The bill would mandate that states submit comprehensive fraud data in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) so that the agency can compile a full national report on SNAP fraud and present it to Congress. This legislation was first introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH). Read more here.

Loews Arlington Hotel
Arlington, TX
February 22-24, 2027

Exhibit space is selling fast. Register online today!

Register now to increase your opportunity of being assigned a preferred booth location through the CDA priority point system. The CDA priority point system expires July 31. Exhibit space is assigned on a first-come first-served basis after July 31.

Marketplace brings together distributors with their top trading partners and suppliers over a three-day period, featuring:

• a one-day turnkey trade show
• focused education sessions
• distributor showcase
• and networking opportunities

Attendee registration opens in September.

By exhibiting at Marketplace 2027, you agree to the CDA Notices & Disclaimers and Exhibitor Terms & Conditions.