Serve on a Committee

We have six standing committees to help move the work of the Council forward. These committees function as informal sounding boards to the staff and directors of the WGC, as we plan programs or face questions in any of these areas. Current committees (described in full below) include:

• Whole Grains in Schools Committee

• Restaurants and Foodservice Committee

• Supermarket Committee

• Whole Grain Labeling and Regulation Committee

• Media Committee

• Legislative Committee

Just be on call...

Committees have no regular meetings and require only an intermittent email or phone commitment. If you have an interest and expertise in any of these six areas and would like to provide input on an occasional as-needed basis, please tell us. We are respectful of your many other commitments and call on our committees only occasionally, when we need a variety of points of view to move forward effectively. Email Cynthia Harriman or call at (617) 896-4820, to volunteer.

Whole Grains in Schools Committee

Goals:

To organize national projects that will increase consumption of whole grains in school settings by
(a) cooperating with existing consumer whole grains education projects,
(b) engaging in partnerships with the grains industry,
(c) coordinating with federal, state and local government projects, and
(d) enlisting nutrition professionals in academia and in private practice.

Project Ideas:

1. Develop projects to increase whole grains brought to school by students, faculty and administrators, and to increase whole grain foods served by school food service and feeding programs.

2. Create curriculum materials linked to school curriculum content.

3. Develop incentives for individual and class participation based on collecting Whole Grain Stamps as part of a rewards program.

Restaurants and Foodservice Committee

Goal:

To make more delicious whole grain alternatives available in restaurants, company cafeterias and other foodservice locations, through programs that support and offer incentives to chefs and buyers.

Project Ideas:

1. Develop a door decal program to identify restaurants which regularly include whole grains on the menu and in the bread basket.

2. Offer a one-day event for foodservice chefs, with cooking demonstrations and discussions of ingredients and techniques for working with whole grains.

3. Cultivate relationships with major QSR chains so that many more offer whole grain products within the next year.

Supermarket Committee

Goal:

To encourage supermarkets to offer a wide range of whole grain products, and to work with stores to educate consumers about the Stamp program.

Project Ideas:

1. Develop a membership program for grocers.

2. Create instore signage and education on whole grains and the Stamp in cooperation with major grocery chains; work with chains to educate employees about the Whole Grain Stamp program.

3. Explore possibilities for whole grain sampling events and giveaways at supermarkets.

Whole Grain Labeling and Regulation Committee

Goal:

To keep all Council members informed of labeling regulations that apply to whole grains, and to assist the Council board and staff in ensuring continued oversight and compliance with the Whole Grain Stamp program.

Project Ideas:

1. Work with the Council’s Scientific Advisors in resolving current and future issues related to the definition of whole grains, such as nixtimalization, pearling, recombining and flax.

2. Help monitor usage of the Stamp in the open market, to bring possible misuse to the attention of the Board.

3. Pass along knowledge of FDA rulings and opportunities for comments, so that all Council members will at all times have the best knowledge available on whole grains labeling.

Media Committee

Goal:

To ensure that the Council’s activities and its members’ products maintain a high profile in the media.

Project Ideas:

1. Work with the Council to develop a gallery of grain photos, and a constantly-updated library of whole grains success statistics. We need more of these to maximize media inquiries.

2. Be a spokesperson for the Council. Represent the WGC and its programs at events and conferences you attend, or be oncall to offer the members’ perspective on the value of the Council, in response to media requests.

Legislative Committee

Goal:

To support state and federal legislation that promotes whole grains.

Project Ideas:

1. In ways consistent with our non-profit status, work to educate members of Congress and their staff on the importance of whole grains at both the National and State levels.

2. Work on increasing Federal research grants to encourage more basic and applied research on whole grain nutrition and use.

3. Establish working relationships with experts to educate national leaders on the importance of encouraging a whole grains agenda.