SEMA_________________________________

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

THE ECONOMY

Is there opportunity in this changing economy? More people are brown-bagging. Dine-in is giving way to an increase in take-out, with customers looking for dinner specials and saving the 20% tip. Servers are seeing tips decrease as money tightens. To keep their market-share, restaurants are advertising specials, marketing healthy foods, and promoting new products. Retail groceries are seeing some increase in sales and are marketing budget-minded products and meals. Take this opportunity to work with your foodservice and retail customers. Give them marketing ideas by showing the versatile products. Present products that optimize their menus, natural and/or low fat products, products that have a good yield, inexpensive and easy to prepare products.

FSIS-ASK: Sanitation SOP Frequency “As Needed”

Question: Can "as needed" be used as a frequency for an SSOP procedure?

Answer: Under 9 CFR 416.12(d), establishments are to specify the frequency with which each procedure in the SSOP is to be conducted. Therefore, establishments need to select a minimum frequency (e.g., daily, every 4 hours), in conjunction with "as needed." For example, the SSOP may state, "on an as needed basis, but no less than once every three days." The CSI will verify that the establishment maintains sanitary conditions. The Agency will not question the frequency that the establishment specifies unless there is evidence that the frequency is not sufficient to prevent the creation of insanitary conditions.

The above question is part of the FSIS database of questions, askFSIS, which can be accessed at
www.fsis.usda.gov/Help/index.asp.

PODCASTS

The USDA Pod casts can be a useful tool when developing, designing or updating industry programs. The food safety videos offer a collection of streaming video and audio resources for designing a HACCP Plan, developing a Food Defense Plan and other industry issues. The website can be found at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_&_events/Food_Safety_Inspection_Podcasts/index.asp

Vote **** Tuesday, November 4th *** Vote

"A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is strong enough to take everything you have."
Thomas Jefferson

FSIS NOTICE on EXPORT of IMPORTED NATURAL CASINGS

FSIS notice 74-08, instructs inspection program personnel on what is required to certify for export natural casings that were imported from other countries. Since natural casings are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FSIS personnel do not re-inspect imported casings and do not apply the USDA mark of inspection to them. Inspection program personnel can only certify imported natural casings for export, in accordance with 9 CFR 350.3, as a voluntary reimbursable service, and as set out in FSIS Directive 9000.1, Revision 1. Inspection program personnel will certify for export natural casings that were imported into the U.S. provided that they can determine that all of the natural casings in the shipment presented for export certification meet the following conditions:

1. The animals from which the imported natural casings were derived were slaughtered in a country that has an equivalent inspection system to that of the United States for that species;
2. A certificate signed by an official of the government of the country where the animals were slaughtered accompanies the imported casings stating: “I hereby certify that the animal casings herein described were derived from healthy animals (cattle, sheep, swine, or goats), which received ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary inspection at the time of slaughter, are clean and sound, and were prepared and handled only in a sanitary manner and were not subjected to contagion prior to exportation.”
3. The country to which the natural casings are being exported does not restrict the importation of such casings. If the above conditions are met, inspection program personnel will, upon request of the exporter, issue FSIS Form 9060-18, Animal Casings Export Certificate for Countries Requiring Ante-mortem, Post-mortem, and Sound and Clean Statements, to certify imported natural casings for export. Certifying imported natural casings for export is a reimbursable service as described in 9 CFR 350.3(b). More information is available at www.fsis.usda.gov.

FSIS – DRAFT LABELING GUIDE FOR N-60 TESTING

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has posted draft labeling policy guidance for the use of N-60 testing claims for boneless beef manufacturing trimmings concerning E. coli O157:H7. The draft guidance provides information to establishments concerning the conditions needed to use such claims on their raw beef products. The use of labels bearing such claims are voluntary, however; they must be approved by FSIS. These claims could provide the company receiving the product with greater assurance regarding prior controls for E. coli O157:H7 than certificates of analysis (COAs) currently provide. Many small and very small establishments have indicated that they have difficulty receiving COAs either from the distributor or supplier establishment. Labels bearing this claim would not be approved on products sold at retail or direct sale to consumers.

FSIS is requesting comments and if appropriate, will revise the document based on comments received. To review this compliance guideline, visit www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Labeling_Guidance_N60_Testing.pdf.
Comments are to be submitted on or before November 15 to FSISGuidanceDocumentComments@fsis.usda.

<<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->>

Things to Ponder . . . . . . . . .
American is like an eagle, it must have a left and right wing to fly.

<<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->><<-->>

AMI BROCHURES

The American Meat Institute has brochures you can download for your customers. The following topics are currently available.

• Meat and Poultry Nutrition
• Safe Handling of Meat & Poultry Products
• Understanding Product Dating Stretch Your Meat Dollar
• Country-of-Origin Labeling
  
  For brochures and more information visit www.meatmattersinfo.org.

“NO-MATCH” LETTER

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has signed the final rule regarding the steps employers are to take when they receive a “No Match” letter from the Social Security Administration.

On October 10, 2007, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction in AFL-CIO, et al. v. Chertoff, et al. The preliminary injunction enjoins and restrains the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration from implementing the Final Rule entitled "Safe-Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a "No-Match" Letter. The final rule is to be published in the Federal Register.

SEMA MEMBER NEWS

Dr. Ron Beckman passed away Wednesday, October 29th from cancer. Dr. Beckman worked with the Chilton Consulting Group and was a respected member of SEMA. Please keep Ron’s family in your prayers. Condolences can be sent to Mona Beckman (address available by contacting Anna at the SEMA office). Services will be held Friday November 7th at 11:00 am at the North Cliff Baptist Church in Brooksville, FL. In lieu of flowers, Dr. Beckman’s wishes were for donations to be made to the Northcliffe Baptist Youth Ministries in his memory. Northcliffe Baptist Church 10515 Northcliffe Blvd Spring Hill, FL 34608.

Odom's Tennessee Pride is introducing a new turkey product into its traditional pork-only line: All Natural Fully Cooked Turkey Sausage Patties, made with 100 percent turkey.

WELCOME NEW PROCESSOR MEMBER
Schau Southeast Inc.
13949 Alvarez Road Jacksonville, FL 32218
Paul Novak 630.816.9519

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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