FOOD DISTRIBUTION GROUP HONORS EMERSON

Rep. Bill Emerson has received the food distribution industry's 1994 Thomas Jefferson Award, which was created in 1992 by the National-American Wholesale Grocers' Association (NAWGA) and the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA).

The award was established to recognize members of the U.S. House of Representatives whose voting records demonstrate a commitment to sound fiscal policy, minimal government regulation, free trade and other free-market principles.

Emerson, a Republican from Cape Girardeau, received his award Friday at SUPERVALU, Scott City division, a local wholesale food distribution company.

The Scott City Division is one of 26 divisions of SUPERVALU Inc., which provides groceries and general merchandise to 4,650 customers in 47 states. The Scott City Division services about 90 retail stores and seven military bases in a five-state area from its 264,600-square-foot warehouse.

In determining winners of the 1994 awards, NAWGA selected nine votes, which were considered critical to the interest of the food distribution industry, and to the economic well-being of the United States. Recipients of the 1994 Thomas Jefferson Award voted favorable on at least 75 percent of these votes.

The award itself is a 9-inch custom designed award in pewter and walnut, containing a replica of the standing sculpture of Thomas Jefferson from the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, framed by the four pillars of prosperity -- agriculture, manufacturing, commerce and navigation.

Jefferson's commitment to free enterprise inspired NAWGA-IFDA's use of the former president's name for its congressional awards program.