From the Campaign Trail

Last week, the North Carolina Ag Partnership called out the Democratic Nominee for AgCommissioner, Sarah Taber, for broadly attacking North Carolina grocers without evidence, claiming that they were “systematically overcharging customers.”
 
Word spreads fast, and this week, Business NC asked Taber about these wild accusations. Did we get an apology? Not even close – Taber doubled, and again provided no evidence that any grocer in North Carolina engaged in any “systematic overcharging.”
 
“Andy Ellen, CEO of the N.C. Retail Merchants Association, called Taber’s comments ‘very disturbing. It’s disappointing that she thinks these companies would intentionally treat their customers this way.’
 
Higher food prices reflect inflation’s impact on energy, wages and other input costs, Ellen says. ‘The grocery industry runs on a 1% to 3% profit margin, which is one of the lowest that is out there.’ He noted that bananas are often used as a “loss-leader” for groceries, priced at a low price to attract customers to their stores.’”
 
Andy is right. Taber’s comments are revealing – she finds grocers, big and small, guilty of a crime without evidence. The North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture provides a critical consumer service by accurately checking the scales used to sell consumer goods. Commissioner Troxler noted that his employees ensure North Carolina’s laws are upheld and consumers are protected. His department regularly reports on scale issues and fines companies that are not compliant with the law.
 
Here’s the thing: recent enforcement data shows that more grocery stores are fully complying with the law. The data shows reality is precisely the opposite of Taber’s claims.
 
Tabors politics are too extreme for North Carolina – Our research shows that her disruptive governing approach will INCREASE prices consumers pay for food and hurt the very family farms and businesses the Office of Commissioner of Agriculture promotes and regulates.  North Carolina farmers and small businesses across the state cannot afford an AgCommissioner who thinks they are guilty without evidence.