SEMA_________________________________ SOUTHEASTERN MEAT ASSOCIATION
2005 USDA BUDGETThe 2005 Department of Agriculture budget proposes a program level of $952 million, a net increase of about $61 million over 2004. Of the total, $715 million would be funded through appropriated funds and $237 million would be funded through user fees. That is $124 million over last year. The budget would include an increase of $47 million to fund a multi-agency effort to protect the food supply from BSE. The 2005 budget also requests an increase of $7.1 million for training of inspection personnel, over a 50 percent increase in the FSIS training budget. “USER FEES”User fees are to recover the cost of overtime, holiday and voluntary inspection. Under the 2005 Federal budget, legislation will be proposed to collect an additional $124 million in user fees annually by recovering the cost of providing inspection services beyond an approved eight-hour primary shift. The Federal government would continue to fund inspection services for one complete primary work shift. SEMA has joined with other associations in writing to the U.S. Congress and Senate on rejecting the new user fee program. WHERE’S THE BEEF? The U.S. exported 10% of its domestic beef production in 2003 at a value
of $3.6 billion.
FOR EVERY JOB OPENING IN THE UNITED STATES, THERE ARE ABOUT 3 UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE………. <<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->> LABELINGManufacturers of meat and poultry products have expressed growing interest in making carbohydrate-related claims and statements on the labeling of meat and poultry products. The nutrition labeling regulations in Title 9, Code of Federal Regulations (9 CFR), Subpart B, Section 317.300-317.400, for meat products, and Subpart Y, Sections 381.400 – 381.500, for poultry products, clearly state that claims that, expressly or by implication, characterize the level of a nutrient, may not be made on the labeling of a meat or poultry product unless the claim is made in accordance with the nutrition labeling regulations. Because there are no existing regulations permitting the use of carbohydrate claims on foods governed by the FSIS, labeling of meat and poultry products bearing expressed carbohydrate claims, including, but not limited to, “Low Carbohydrate,” “Lower Carbohydrate,” and “Carb Free,” cannot be approved. Likewise, labeling for meat and poultry products that bears claims that imply that the level of carbohydrates in a product are low or place significance on a specific level of carbohydrates, including, but not limited to, “Only X grams Carbs,” “Under X grams of Carbohydrates,” and Just X grams Carbs,” cannot be approved. Statements that the Agency will not object to on any panel of the labeling of meat and poultry products include statements that do not expressly state or imply a specific level of carbohydrates, e.g., “Carb Conscious” and Carb Wise.” Because there are no regulatory definitions for these terms, they must be accompanied by specific information informing the consumer of the meaning of the use of such terms on labeling and providing the calculation necessary to determine the number of carbohydrates included by the term TYSON PRICE-FIXINGTyson, the nation’s largest beef packer, was found to have unfairly manipulated cattle prices. The lawsuit contends that IBP leveraged contracts with a select few beef producers to create a captive supply of cattle while prices in the cash market were high, and entered the cash market for cattle only when prices were low. Those moves, in effect, drove cattle prices down. Tyson Fresh Meats must pay $1.28 billion to a group of cattlemen. Attorneys for Tyson said they plan to appeal. EAT SMART, STAY HEALTHYMarch is National Nutrition Month. The American Dietetic Association reinforces the importance of nutrition as a key component of health, along with physical activity. <<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->> 472,000 AMERICANS WHO ARE 75 YEARS OLD OR OLDER ARE WORKING FULL-TIME……. <<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->> CFC LOGISTICS TO USE GAMMA IRRADIATIONCFC Logistics has USDA approval to irradiate ground beef and poultry at its cold storage warehouse in Pennsylvania. CFC Logistics is a division of the Clemens Family Corp., the holding company that owns Hatfield Quality Meats. SMITHFIELD FOODS EXPANDS OVERSEASSmithfield Foods, Inc. bought into Spanish processor, Campofrio Alimentacion. Camprofrio is the largest meat processor in Spain and one of Europe’s largest diversified meat processors primarily processing pork and further processed pork products. Spain is the second-largest pork producing country in the European Union and the market is growing. Spain has the highest annual per captia consumption of meat protein in Europe, with pork representing more than 50 percent. Smithfield Foods is the leading processor and marketer of fresh pork and processed meats in the United States, as well as the largest producer of hogs. FSIS / USDA ACRONYMSHere is a list to keep you up-to-date with commonly used USDA-FSIS acronyms.
HIRING – IGNORE THE GLOSSHiring decisions are hard to make. Someone can come off great in the interview, but be a nightmare to work with. Sunny Kobe Cook, co-founder and former chief executive of Sleep Country USA, says to analyze candidates off-stage where they show their true colors. The best way is to observe them when they don’t realize they’re being watched,” Cook said. Applicants sit in the lobby or client waiting area for at least 10 minutes. She wanted to see how they’d behave and make use of their time during those unguarded moments. She’d look for the following: Were they pleasant? Did they make small talk with the receptionist or did they talk down to them? Did they ask questions about the company? What sorts of questions? If there were company materials displayed in the lobby, did they read them? Show any interest in them? “All these bits of information give you a glimpse into the non-interview
personalities of the people you are considering,” Cook said. When
it came to hiring, Cook says she was after attitude over skill. A winning
personality couldn’t make up for inadequate accounting skills in
a controller, she says, but it was worth holding out for a pleasant person
who also knew the job. <<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->> <<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->> FSIS WORKSHOPS ON BSEThe workshop is designed to provide an overview of the Agency’s
new regulatory requirements to owners and operators of small establishments
that process cattle or produce product using Advanced Meat Recovery (AMR).
The workshop will be held March 6, 2004, at Binghamton, New York. LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES WORKSHOPThe University of Florida is hosting a Listeria Monocytogenes Workshop on Thursday, March 11, 2004. The cost of the program is $250. For more information contact Larry Eubanks at 352.392.1921. <<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->> NEARLY 2 MILLION AMERICANS ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR WORK HAVE BEEN JOBLESS FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS………. <<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->> SEMA CONVENTIONAdams’s Mark Hotel “TEAM STRATEGY = VICTORY LANE” We are coming into the 3rd turn as we begin to wrap up the program for our 2004 convention. This year’s theme will be based on teamwork. Convention topics will include sales, new product development, plant sanitation, USDA updates, succession planning and a few surprises. So plan on bringing your management team to help keep them a winning team. A new addition to the convention this year will be a silent auction. All proceeds from the auction will go towards the scholarships that SEMA awards every year. Be sure to mark your calendars and come join us for networking and fun. WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERRATCHFORD’S MARKET INC, <<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->> THINGS TO PONDER ..... If the salesman is so sure the stereo is well made,
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