SEMA_________________________________

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

NOVEMBER 2002                        VOLUME 17, NO. 12

HACCP UPDATE WITH DR. McKEE FROM FSIS

Dr. Garry McKee, Administrator, Food Safety and Inspection Service addressed the American Meat Institute (AMI). Protecting public health was his number one priority. FSIS wants to maintain a healthy and direct relationship with the industry. As part of their collaboration, he assured the group that FSIS will NOT just hand out policies or regulations and declare: “You are on your own. Figure it out. Good luck.” Dr. McKee admitted the in-plant inspectors were not as well trained in HACCP as they should have been at the start. However, FSIS was there to help plants correctly implement and run their HACCP programs.

Dr. McKee went on to say HACCP is a book being written. The first chapter covers getting the rule published. The second chapter is implementing HACCP. The third chapter is still being written and is the most important chapter. The plot of it in a phrase is: in order to protect the public health we will enforce HACCP. He stated that he was at the meeting to give fair warning about their intentions. Read the HACCP rule carefully. His message is a clear one: “Know the rule and have it fully incorporated and implemented into your HACCP plan or we will have to take enforcement action.” Their message to the industry is: Unless you can validate your HACCP plan’s effectiveness, then you are not in compliance. The number one omission the Consumer Safety Officers are finding is that plants are not validating their interventions.

To read more on Dr. McKee’s address to the AMI long on to: www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/speeches/2002/gm_ami.htm

RECALLS IN 2002 ALREADY SURPASSING 2001 TOTALS

Although it is still only October, the number of recalls at USDA-Inspected meat and poultry plants has already exceeded last year’s total, according to the department’s own data.

The recall records for 2001 list 86 recalls from inspected plants for the entire year. Recalls this year reached that level in early October. Several 2002 recalls have been significant, with at least three cases involving millions of pounds of product. The discovery of E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria in product prompted the largest recalls.

HISPANIC POPULATION WILL LIKELY BENEFIT U.S. BEEF INDUSTRY

Buying power for Hispanic households has increased dramatically and is increasing at a much greater rate than the population in general. Hispanic households spend 25 percent more for food at-home than non-Hispanics, and significantly more on beef.

The group is younger, with larger households, than other markets. They also make less money and are more likely than the general population to have a female-headed household. Nearly one-half of the Hispanic population is under the age of 25, the new release added.

LEAN GROUND BEEF GIVES GROUND TURKEY A NUTRITIONAL RUN FOR ITS MONEY.

The Agriculture Department recently announced that it has updated its ground beef data, thanks in part to the beef check-off. Many of today’s consumers have misperceptions about the role of ground beef in an overall healthful diet. The survey shows that 86 percent of individuals believe that ground turkey is lower in fat than ground beef, however, 93 percent would choose lean ground beef over ground turkey if they knew that the ground beef’s nutritional value and fat content was better or comparable to ground turkey.

About 65 percent of consumers are now purchasing 80-percent lean or leaner grades of ground beef. USDA data further points out that a 3-ounce cooked serving of 95-percent lean/5 percent fat ground beef has only 5 grams of total fat, which meets the government guidelines for “lean,” and contains an abundance of essential nutrients. Compared to ground turkey, ground beef provides:

• 35 percent more of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin B12
• 19 percent more of the DV for zinc
• 5 percent more of the DV for niacin
• 4 percent more of the DV for iron

Ground beef, even the leanest grade, is full of essential nutrients. A 3-ounce serving of ground beef provides 10 percent of the DV for zinc, iron, protein and many B-vitamins.

PILGRIM’S PRIDE RECALL

Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, dba Wampler Foods, Inc. of Franconia, PA has expanded its recall to 27.4 million pounds of fresh and ready-to-eat turkey and chicken products due to the possibility of Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

For information on Listeria precautions, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 800-535-4555 or www.fsis.usda.gov.

TOP TEN FOOD-SAFETY CHALLENGES

Jim Marsden, Kansas State University meat science professor and food safety expert, laid out a daunting series of issues that the meat industry must engage in the ongoing battle against both microbial pathogens and government and media pressures that complicate any initiatives. To read more log on to: www.meatingplace.com

COURT RULES ON PORK CHECKOFF

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Judge Richard Enslen, ruled that the Pork Production, Research and Consumer Education Act of 1985 is unconstitutional and ordered the Agriculture Department to “cease the collection of assessments under the Pork Act,” and to “cease the operation of the Pork Check-off Program effective 30 days from the issuance of the Final Judgment and Injunction.”

USDA Secretary Ann Veneman responded with, “I am disappointed that the U.S. District Court in Michigan has ruled that the Pork Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act is unconstitutional. The U.S. Department of Agriculture regards such programs, when properly administered, as effective tools for market enhancement. The pork promotion has helped to increase demand for pork and pork products and has contributed to increased U.S. pork exports. These results have led to widespread support for the program by pork producers. We are consulting with the U.S. Department of Justice to determine the next steps regarding this matter.”

“This is a blow to future research and promotion for the U.S. pork producers,” said Dave Roper NPPC president pork producer from Kimberly, Idaho. “We strongly support the pork check-off and disagree with this ruling. We will ask the government to immediately request a stay of the District Court’s ruling.

NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION

The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold a public meeting on November 6 and 7 in Washington, DC. Three NACMPI subcommittees will meet the evening of November 6 to discuss three separate issues:

• Education and training of the field workforce to achieve a public health vision
• E.coli O157:H7 developments
• Procedures for evaluating state meat and poultry inspection programs.

The NACMPI was established in 1971 to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture about meat and poultry inspection program. The committee addresses food safety concerns and policy issues affecting USDA.

COSTS RISE

Health insurance costs are skyrocketing. According to a recent poll by the National Federation of Independent Business, 28 percent of the small-business owners who provide health coverage spent 10 percent to 19 percent more this year, 34 percent spent 20 percent to 30 percent more, and 28 percent had an increase of more that 30 percent. The majority of Florida’s uninsured – 60 percent are either owners of a small business or work for one, according to the report.

UPCOMING EVENTS

BEYOND BASICS: HACCP PLAN IMPROVEMENT WORKSHOP FOR SLAUGHTER OPERATIONS
November 7-8, 2002
Texas A & M University
College Station, Texas
Contact: Southwest Meat Association
Telephone: 979-846-9011
Fax: 979-846-8198

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBER

Steve Champion, Sales Representative
FEDERAL TECHNICAL SERVICES
980 Kenmill Drive N.W.
Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: 800-543-3516
Fax: 770-426-5191
e-mail: auchampion@cs.com

THINGS TO PONDER……………………………………

Did you know the word listen has the same letters as the word silent?

KNOW YOUR ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

POLY-CLIP SYSTEMS CORP; Glenn Peterson
Phone: 931-456-5178 Fax: 931-456-5178 e-mail: glennintenn@citlink.net

Poly-clip Systems’ clip-closure products play a major role in enabling meat processors to develop new products and open up new markets. This is a flourishing, dynamic, and successful company that its partners and employees alike can rely on. Innovation, service, and customer orientation form the pillars of the company’s strategy for success and provide the guiding principles for employees and management. As a growth-and profit-oriented company, Poly-clip Systems has established production facilities in the United States, Brazil and Germany, and subsidiaries in Argentina, China, France, Great-Britain, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Turkey. Additionally, exclusive sales partners in more that 40 other countries provide an excellent service network throughout the world, offering Poly-clips customers what they most need—reliability. Poly-clip System is the reliable partner of the meat-processing industry, an industry becoming known for ever-shorter innovation cycles.

ROBERT REISER & CO., INC. - Bob Ballieu
Phone: 781-821-1290 Fax: 781-821-1316 e-mail: sales@resier.com

With over 40 years experience in selling and servicing processing and packaging equipment to the meat and poultry industries, Robert Reiser & Co., Inc. is recognized worldwide for high-quality equipment and outstanding service and support. Reiser’s processing equipment line includes Vemag portioning, extruding and stuffing equipment; Holac dicers; Fomaco injectors, Seydelmann choppers and grinders, as well as AMFEC tumblers, massagers, mixers and blenders. Additionally, Reiser has become the premier resource for companies looking for innovative packaging ideas. With over 400 installations worldwide, Reiser is the most experienced manufacturer of case-ready packaging lines. Reiser’s full line includes Form, Fill, Seal machines; Supervac vacuum packaging machines and shrink tunnels as well as Ross Inpack modified atmosphere or seal-only packaging machines. Reiser is fully committed to building partnerships with their customers and continually strives to provide unparalleled service and product support.