SEMA_________________________________

SOUTHEASTERN MEAT ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 620777; Oviedo, FL 32762 Phone: 407-365-5661

“CHARTING THE COURSE”

The SEMA convention will be held at the Shores Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach FL, June 2nd & 3rd. This four-star resort hotel is on beautiful Daytona Beach and will be a fun place to have a convention and vacation.

The convention program will help you “chart your business course” with presentations on,

• Brand Positioning in the 21st Century
• Diversity training
• The Latest in Packaging
• Management priorities for a Top Performance Operation
• Job Description and Pre-employment Screening Program
• Farm to Table Tracking System for your Products
• How Ozone can keep Bacteria at Bay and your Food Products Safe

SEMA Associate members will be exhibiting the industry’s latest technology and trends. The value of the convention is the time you spend with your peers sharing problems, getting solutions and new ideas.

Friday evening join us for the “Port of Call” dinner beginning with a silent auction to raise money for scholarships. There are some great things to bid on. Later that evening SEMA will award students with $1,000 scholarships to help them further their education. There will be a golf tournament on Saturday and Daytona’s own American Idol variety show Saturday night.

Check out the Shores Resort & Spa on their web site www.shoresresort.com. The convention program and registration are available on the SEMA web site www.southeasternmeat.com or contact the SEMA office at 407.365.5661 for more information.

Companies that invest in employee learning have
higher productivity, revenue growth,
and profit growth than companies that do not.

ALL SANITIZERS NOT EQUAL

An experiment at East Tennessee State University suggests that not all sanitizers are alike. A study published in the CDC Journal, ‘Emerging Infectious Diseases’ found that hand sanitizers need at least 60% ethanol (alcohol) concentration in order to kill bacteria. The study showed that hand sanitizers not containing 60% ethanol did not fight germs.

HIRING ILLEGAL

The Federal government is coming down on employers hiring illegal immigrants. Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security said, "We are going to move beyond the current level of activity to a higher level in each month and year to come”.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that proposes to erect a fence along much of the U.S. and Mexico border and declare illegal immigrants felons. Some meat and poultry plants will close Monday, May 1st due to the immigration rallies throughout the U.S.

More than 8 out of 10 U.S. employers require pre-employment drug tests and nearly 3 out of 10 employers conduct random drug tests among current workers. Society for Human Resource Management/Orlando Sentinel

RETAILERS TO BE LISTED ON RECALLS

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is looking at listing retailers that have received meat or poultry products voluntarily recalled by a federally inspected establishment. FSIS believes the efficiency of recalls will be improved, if there is more public information available as to where recalled products have been sold. By providing consumers this information, FSIS believes that consumers will be more likely to identify and return such products to those locations or to dispose of them.

TOP 5 GENERAL INDUSTRY VIOLATIONS

1/1/05 - 12/13/05
1. Hazard communication-Written program
2. Machine guarding-Types of guarding
3. Hazard communication-Employer must provide hazard information and training
4. Machine guarding-Point of operation guarding
5. First aid-Eye wash/emergency shower facilities not in near proximity to employees
Provided by Jeff Chilton Consulting Group

More than 36,000 U.S. workers a year-typically men 25 to 34 year’s old-require time off because of eye injuries. Nine out of ten workplace eye injuries could have been prevented by wearing proper protection. U.S. Department of Labor/Orlando Sentinel

POULTRY COOKING TEMPERATURE

The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) has recommended a minimum cooked internal temperature of 165°F for poultry products. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), is advising consumers to eliminate pathogens and viruses, poultry must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F.

Scientific research indicates that food borne pathogens and viruses, such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and the avian influenza virus, are destroyed when poultry is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.

You may want to pass on the following three important tips about handling raw poultry to your customers. Clean – Separate - Chill

1. Clean - wash hands and surfaces often.
2. Separate - keep raw meat and poultry apart from cooked foods.
3. Chill - refrigerate or freeze foods promptly.

SEMA INDUSTRY NEWS

Tipper Tie, Inc., Technology Days: May 1st, 2nd and 3rd Tipper Tie will be showcasing new innovative equipment. Call today and reserve your preferred date. 919.362.8811 ext 290.

M & Q Packaging: Bob Cullen has a new address and e-mail, P.O. Box 352, Millwood,VA 22646 and new e-mail address is racullen@adelphia.net.

MEET THE NEW SEMA MEMBERS

ULMA Packaging Systems is one of the largest Flexible Packaging Machinery manufacturers in the World. ULMA has been manufacturing packaging machinery since 1956, and entered the North American market in 1996. ULMA’s North American Sales, Service and Spare Parts support office and warehouse is located in Ball Ground, GA, 50 miles north of Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta. At this same location ULMA offers regularly scheduled Machine Maintenance and Operator Training Classes open to all Customers.

ULMA is a leader in the packaging of fresh and further processed Beef, Pork, Lamb and Veal. Since 1996 ULMA has placed over 2000 Machines in North America. Other markets addressed by ULMA are seafood, prepared foods, produce, dairy products, bakery and non-food products.

ULMA is an ISO 9001 certified manufacturer and worldwide supplier of high quality packaging equipment. ULMA offers a wide range of equipment including Inline Thermoforming Vacuum Systems, Tray Sealing, Stretch Tray Over Wrap, Shrink wrapping, Horizontal (Flow Pack), Vertical Form Fill & Seal (Bagging) and Modified Atmosphere Equipment (MAP). Our latest offerings are an Inline Master Bag System and an Inline Vacuum Bag Machine. Our state of the art facility combined with leading edge technology; afford ULMA the opportunity to offer a solution for just about any packaging application.

ULMA Packaging Systems is an employee owned company. For further information on ULMA, please contact Bill Chastain or John Williams at (770) 345-5300.

Kalman Floor Company, since 1916 has been a national contractor specializing in the installations of trouble-free industrial concrete floor systems. Kalman’s expertise in materials science and floor installation can provide you with many benefits.

The Kalman Seamless Concrete floor system can eliminate approximately 80% of the joints normally required in conventional concrete floors. This results in a flatter floor due to less slab shrinkage and curling which results in improved facility function and productivity. Armoring with steel bars the few remaining floor joints exposed to traffic eliminates joint breakdown and minimizes floor and forklift repair expenses.

Kalman Absorption Process Concrete floor topping is a ¾” thick, deferred dewatered concrete topping placed over a previously hardened base slab. AP Topping is a heavy-duty finish for use in high abrasion environments like forklift truck docks. For intermediate-duty applications, our Monorock monolithic, stone-densified finish is an excellent choice. Both of these finishes, often combined within the same facility, are smooth, non-dusting and area easily cleaned. They do not require sealers or hardeners and provide long-lasting value for the owner.

Kalman can provide the best solution for your industrial concrete flooring needs. For more information, please contact Don Ytterberg, Executive Vice President at 303.674.2290.

RETAIL STORES FSIS EXEMPTION

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has released the new 2006 dollar limitations for retail stores selling meat and poultry products and are exempt from federal inspection. Retailers are only exempt if sales to hotels, restaurants and similar institutions do not exceed 25% of their total sales or exceed the calendar year dollar limits.

The dollar limitations for meat and meat food products will be increased to $55,100 in 2006, from $54,500 last year. For poultry products, the dollar limitation will be reduced to $45,200 from $45,800, in 2005. More details pertaining to the changes in dollar limitations are available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2006_Notices_Index/.

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THINGS TO PONDER………………
A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm
will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.
Mary Kay Ash
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SEMA WORKING FOR YOU

The SEMA web site has a classified section, with four categories:

• Help Wanted - SEMA companies looking to fill a position within their organization.
• For Sale – Processing companies looking to sell excess equipment, paper goods or seasonings. SEMA processing companies needing to sell product overruns, discontinued products or paper goods. SEMA associate members needing to sell discontinued inventory.
• Looking for – Processing companies looking for new or used equipment, packaging supplies
  or products.
• Seeking Employment – People outside the Association who are looking for career opportunities.

The classified section is not password protected so web visitors may find your ad. To place ads, call the SEMA office, 407.365.5661 or e-mail, info@southeasternmeat.com.

SEMA companies, who have a press release or other happenings at your company, send it to info@southeasternmeat.com.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Companies that invest in employee learning have higher productivity, revenue growth,
and profit growth than companies that do not.