SEMA_________________________________ SOUTHEASTERN MEAT ASSOCIATION
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APRIL 2009 |
VOLUME 24, No. 4 |
Thompson Farms Smokehouse and SEMA member White Oak Pastures are “opening doors” with natural beef and pork products. Both companies raise their animals and process products for the retail and foodservice industry. They will be on hand to share their visions and tell their success stories.
2009 will likely bring significant changes to state and federal employment laws and enforcement initiatives. David Long-Daniels, a well known trial lawyer and Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Atlanta Labor and Employment Practice, will cover the top issues to watch in 2009 and some steps employers can take to get prepared. Topics include: The Employee Free Choice Act; recent amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act; potential amendments to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act; recent amendments to Family Medical Leave Act; and the new Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
Terry Vargo from the Citizens Bank of Florida will touch on managing working capital, the economy and establishing banker relationships. Need a loan? Terry may be able to give you some inside tips.
In these economic times everyone is cutting expenses but the best companies never had expenses that were not justified. So the only way to improve the bottom line is to SELL more. Our keynote speaker will give you tips on how to “open doors” and make the sale.
Daytona Beach is a great family destination with 23 miles of sparkling beaches, perfect for building sandcastles, jogging, cycling, fishing or just relaxing. Unique shopping can be found in historic downtown Daytona Beach or hope the water-taxi and shop the historic downtown or beachside of New Smyrna. You may want to visit the Daytona International Speedway and be a part of the Daytona 500 Experience. The SEMA golf tournament will be held at the LPGA.
Convention information will be out mid-April
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U. S. Department of Agriculture has issued a conditional license to Epitopix, LLC, of Willmar, Minn., for a vaccine to reduce the prevalence of E. coli O157 in feedlot cattle. "Providing the American people with safe and nutritious food is a top priority for President Obama and the U.S. Department of Agriculture," Vilsack said. "The conditional licensing of this vaccine is an important step toward our goal of improving food safety in this country."
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) granted the conditional license following the acceptance of data supporting product safety and a reasonable expectation of efficacy. The safety data included the results of studies that evaluated the product under normal conditions, including field safety trials of the size and scope required for full licensure. The company will conduct additional potency and efficacy studies during the one-year period of the condition license.
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued Notice 18-09: Changes in Sampling Frequency for E. coli O157:H7 Testing in Raw Ground Beef.
This notice announces that inspection program personnel may receive FSIS Form 10,210-3, Requested Sample Programs, for E. coli O157:H7 sampling and testing of raw ground beef products (MT43) at the following monthly rates:
FSIS is increasing sampling at high volume ground beef establishments because these establishments produce product that is most widely consumed. The increase in sampling will allow the Agency to estimate the amount of uncontaminated raw ground beef with a higher degree of certainty.
Small and very small plant owners and operators are invited to join FSIS inspection personnel at regulatory education sessions. The workshops include a walk-through of a variety of topics, which may include HACCP, Sanitation Performance Standards, Sanitation SOPs, Rules of Practice, Food Defense strategies, E. coli 0157:H7 workshops. Currently there are no workshops in the Southeastern U.S. for online information about upcoming sessions go to:www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a final rule to amend the federal meat inspection regulations to require a complete ban on the slaughter of cattle that become non-ambulatory disabled after passing initial inspection by Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspection program personnel. The final rule amends the federal meat inspection regulations to require that all cattle that are non-ambulatory disabled ("downer") cattle at any time prior to slaughter at an official establishment, including those that become non-ambulatory disabled after passing ante-mortem inspection, be condemned and properly disposed of according to FSIS regulations. Additionally, the final rule requires that establishments notify inspection program personnel when cattle become non-ambulatory disabled after passing the ante-mortem, or pre-slaughter, inspection.
Under the final rule, cattle that become non-ambulatory disabled from an acute injury after ante-mortem inspection will no longer be eligible to proceed to slaughter as "U.S. Suspects." Instead, FSIS inspectors will tag these cattle as "U.S. Condemned" and prohibit these cattle from proceeding to slaughter. Discontinuing the case-by-case disposition of cattle that become non-ambulatory disabled after ante mortem inspection will eliminate the time FSIS Public Health Veterinarians spend conducting additional inspections on these animals, thereby increasing the time inspection program personnel can allocate to other inspection activities. With this final rule, these cattle now must be humanely euthanized.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and outlined the Administration’s plans to bring reform to USDA and discussed how the President’s budget will revitalize rural America. The following is an excerpt from Secretary Vilsack’s remarks:
Food Safety: “We are committed to modernizing the food system, focusing on preventing rather than mitigating the consequences of food-borne illness. Food-borne illness affects everyone from the consumer back down to the producer and taxes our health care system far more than it should. Our budget proposal for 2010 includes additional resources to improve food safety inspection and assessment and to enhance the ability to determine food safety risks. I am also proud to be a part of the Food Safety Working Group and look forward to meeting with you on ideas to improve the food safety system."
Question: Does this directive limit inspectors to only looking at food contact surfaces while doing pre-op in processing?
Answer: No, this does not change the inspector's evaluation of an insanitary condition. If during the performance of pre-op sanitation verification, FSIS inspection personnel observe an insanitary condition on non-food contact surfaces, he/she is to document it under 06D01.
Last week, more than 100 participants gathered at The Drake Hotel in Chicago for a half-day E. coli O157:H7 Mini-Conference sponsored by SEMA and six other meat industry associations. The conference focused on two main areas to help further processors with their E. coli control programs: preparing for a food safety assessments and exploring intervention options.
Bobby Palesano, Vice President of Technical Services for the International HACCP Alliance, led participants through a session to help them prepare for an FSIS Food Safety Assessment.
In addition to leading participants through a discussion for preparation and what to expect from an FSA, he provided the following suggestions:
Dr. Jim Marsden, Regent’s Distinguished Professor at Kansas State University, then talked about intervention strategies that further processors can apply. He told participants that the way to solve the E. coli O157:H7 problem was through a truly integrated process that includes the following:
Intervention technology presentations were made by the Chad Company, Cozzini, Ecolab, and Ingersoll Rand Industrial Refrigeration.
Stripling’s started as a family store on the family farm in 1964, known then as “Sausage Kitchen”. It was a simple butcher shop. Today, Striplings has three generations working in three locations. To read the whole story visit Striplings.com and click on 45th Anniversary. Congratulations!
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Things to Ponder . . . . . . . . .
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
Norman MacFinan
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Citizens Financial Partners, Inc. (CFP) is the financial services affiliate for Citizens Bank of Florida. CFP is centralized in Oviedo, however, has representatives throughout the eastern part of the United States. CFP specializes in custom designed portfolios for small business owners. We help maximize tax strategies, retirement, and estate planning without forgetting the business owner’s need to satisfy the desires of their employees, particularly those employees who are key to the success of their business.
CFP’s “out-of-the-box” strategies are a combination of knowledge of investment tools and a thorough understanding of current tax laws. CFP also conducts free educational seminars and workshops for individuals. On-going topics include information on US Savings Bonds, identity theft, college funding, trusts, the economy, retirement, leaving a legacy, and estate planning.
Contact Del Burfitt, at 800-536-6066 or my E-Mail at dburfitt@citizensfp.com
Walsroder Packaging for over 80 years has specialized in the design and production of fibrous casings and plastic casings for the meat industry. Our fibrous casings are an industry standard with consistent uniformity, sizing, and peelablilty. Walsroder Packaging's versatile range of fibrous casings reflects the latest marketplace trends and technological advancements.
Walsroder Packaging's plastic casings are ideal for your entire production
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from raw meats to cooked products. Walsroder Packaging's plastic casings
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Our fibrous and plastic casings are available in a wide range of colors
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| Southeastern Meat Association 407.365.5661 Annual Convention |
Daytona Beach, FL |
June 11-13 |
| AAMP Annual Convention 717.367.1168 |
Omaha, Nebraska |
July 16-18 |
University of Florida -
Basic HACCP Training |
Deerfield Bch, FL | May 12-13 |
University of Florida - Advanced HACCP Training |
Deerfield Bch, FL | May 14 |
| North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP) 703.758.1900
E. coli O157:H7 Mini-Conference |
Drake Hotel Chicago, IL |
March 26 |
| World Poultry Show For Information e-mail: conferences@agra-net.com |
London, England | May 13-14 |