After A Century, A Voice For The U.S. Salt Industry Goes Quiet

Salt has existed for millions of years. The Salt Institute has existed for just over a century. And now it has dissolved.

The Salt Institute, the voice of the U.S. salt industry, spent decades questioning government efforts to limit Americans' salt consumption. It got a fair amount of publicity over the years — its president, Lori Roman, even appeared on The Colbert Report to point out that people "need salt to live, you cannot survive without it."

But the trade group has been officially shuttered by the salt industry executives that serve on its board of directors.

"The Salt Institute was first established in 1914 and has long advocated the numerous uses and benefits of salt, ranging from winter roadway safety and water quality to health and nutrition," the board said in a statement. "Over the years, the Salt Institute has made a positive impact demonstrating the essential nature of salt in our daily lives through fact-based information, research studies and educational tools."

The statement didn't reveal why they decided to close now. Roman said that she's no longer speaking for the Salt Institute. NPR reached out to major salt companies like Cargill and Morton Salt, whose employees served on the board. They wouldn't provide any more information, either.