SEMA_________________________________

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

Meeting SEMA Members Needs

The SEMA Board of Directors met in August at the Savannah Marriott. Newly elected President Scott Kelley told the SEMA Directors during his term he would like to build the SEMA membership and strengthen the meat industry by working together. Don Wilson, Treasurer reported membership income is up this year and the convention was a breakeven, keeping SEMA in a strong and sound financial standing. Membership Chairman Gene Funkhouser said membership continues to grow and has held up well considering industry consolidation and plant closings over the years.

Bulletin Points Discussed

1. Continue building SEMA’s membership by inviting processors and associates into the Association and encourage their participation. Offer 50% off convention registration for one person from a never before SEMA member company.
2. Continue partnering with the SEMA Universities.
   Currently the SEMA Directors and University personal are looking into research projects
   that will benefit not only SEMA members but the industry.
   SEMA recently wrote letters on behalf of the University of Georgia, helping them to get
   grants for research projects for the E. coli O157:H7 inhibition in multi-needle injected beef
   cuts project and for the Salmonella spp. inhibition in ground beef using novel antimicrobials
   project.
   SEMA scholarship program has been successful and will continue.
3. Continue partnering with other Associations. NAMP organized and SEMA partnered with NAMP and other industry Associations the successful August E.coli Conference in Chicago. The SEMA members that attended spoke very highly of the conference.
4. The Directors and staff began working on next year’s convention at Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris, Georgia. There are many challenges in our industry and many good topics were brought up to explore.

The SEMA Board of Directors has and will continue to work for the betterment of the industry. If you have any topics you would like to recommend for the convention or need any help from the Association, please call the SEMA office at 407.365.5661 and speak with Anna.

New General Food Defense Plan

In October the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will be mailing a letter to establishments that did not have a food defense plan when asked during the 2008 food defense plan survey and to establishments that received a grant of inspection after FSIS conducted the 2008 survey. Attached to that letter will be a new general food defense plan. More information is available on the Food Defense Plan for small and very small plants at:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Defense_&_Emergency_Response/index.asp

State Inspected Plants – Interstate Commerce

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing regulations to implement a new voluntary program under which State-inspected establishments with 25 or fewer employees will be eligible to ship meat and poultry products in interstate commerce. State-inspected establishments selected to take part in this program will be required to comply with all Federal standards under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA), as well as with all State standards. These establishments will receive inspection services from State inspection personnel that have been trained in the enforcement of the FMIA and PPIA. Meat and poultry products produced under the program that have been inspected and passed by designated State personnel will bear an official Federal mark of inspection and will be permitted to be distributed in interstate commerce. FSIS will provide oversight and enforcement of the program. Twenty-seven (27) states operate state meat or poultry inspection programs.

“Natural” Labeling

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to assist the Agency in defining the conditions under which it will permit the voluntary claim "natural'' to be used in the labeling of meat and poultry products. FSIS has concluded that further solicitation of comments could produce information that would help to clarify and resolve the issues surrounding the "natural'' claim. Moreover, additional comment will help FSIS to assess how best to coordinate its regulation of "natural'' claims with the standards for voluntary marketing claims developed by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), particularly with AMS's "naturally raised'' marketing claim standard. The current FSIS policy states that the term "natural" may be used in the labeling of meat and poultry products provided that the product does not contain any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredients, chemical preservative, or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient and that the product is not more than minimally processed.

FSIS Notice 64-09
INTENSIFIED VERIFICATION TESTING AND “FOR CAUSE” FOOD SAFETY ASSESSMENTS IN RESPONSE TO READY-TO-EAT TESTING RESULTS

Notice 64-09 cancels FSIS Notice 78-08 and provides information for scheduling a “for cause” Food Safety Assessment (FSA) performed with Intensified Verification Testing (IVT). It also clarifies that an IVT FSA will be performed in response to positive food contact surface and product tests from routine Risk Based Listeria monocytogenes (RLm) testing. It also provides instructions for performing an IVT and “for cause” FSA in response to a ready-to-eat (RTE) product positive for Salmonella.

For more information on the articles above go to www.fsis.usda.gov and click on news & events.

FSIS Directive 5100.4 - Issued 9/21/09
PRIORITIZED SCHEDULING OF FOOD SAFETY ASSESSMENTS

This directive provides the decision criteria for use in scheduling food safety assessments (FSAs). The agency will place processing and slaughter establishments into a priority level for FSA scheduling. A meat and poultry facility will be classified (1, 2, or 3) based on criteria within that directive. Any facility receiving a 1 will receive a “for cause” FSA. The agency will also schedule routine FSA’s and routine risk-based Listeria monocytogenese (RLm) microbiological sampling, which includes the completion of a comprehensive FSA, at a minimum once every four years.

1st Priority

1. FSIS positive E.coli O157:H7 – ground beef or raw beef components
2. Establishments identified in STEPS as a sole supplier of a positive E.Coli O157:H7 in ground beef or raw beef components
3. FSIS positive Listeria monocytogenese, salmonella, or E.Coli O157: H7 in RTE foods
4. Establishment that produced and shipped adulterated or misbranded product undergoing a Class 1 or Class II recall.
5. Establishment subject of a Part 416 or 417 related enforcement action that is not the result of FSA action
6. FSIS positive Salmonella in heat treated, not fully cooked, not shelf stable stuffed poultry product
7. Human illness linked to FSIS-regulated product.
8. Establishment with a history of health related noncompliance records and is in the highest percentile of health related NR rates

2nd Priority

1. Establishment in PR HACCP Salmonella Category #3
2. Establishment produced product with repetitive Salmonella serotypes of public health concern
3. Establishment produced product with Salmonella PFGE matches
4. Documented change in an establishment’s production process that may impact public health
5. Consumer complaints associated with meat or poultry products as reported through CCMS.

3rd Priority

1. New establishments coming under permanent grant of inspection.
2. Repeat residue violators from same supplier source
3. Establishment subject of other enforcement action that is not the result of an FSA

Provided by Jeff Chilton, Chilton Consulting Group

FSIS-ASK: Updated, How do I submit a question in askFSIS?

Question: How do I submit a question in askFSIS?
Answer: The "Submit a Question" tab, will only be activated once you've performed a search. If you've searched our knowledge base and are unable to find the answer you're looking for, you can access the "Submit a Question" tab to submit a question to our support staff. The system may suggest possible answers, which you can view before finally submitting your question.

Employee Care Program

Marketplace Chaplains USA., with Southeastern Regional headquarters in Atlanta, currently serves more than 400 companies in the U.S. along with five foreign countries, offering workplace chaplain service since 1984 to secular businesses across the nation as a unique proactive, personalized faith-based Employee Care Program.

Marketplace Chaplains applies a distinctive approach that emphasizes care and compassion in the workplace. Chaplains enable employers to care for the needs of employees and their family members on and off the job, 24 hours a day. This ECP serves businesses of any size or type, with its workplace chaplain service, helping employees and their family members cope with the stress of daily life at work, home and leisure.

The more than 2,500 full and part-time chaplains work in more than 45 different kinds of businesses, from banks and law firms to meat packing plants and oil change facilities. No need is too small for a Marketplace Chaplain to help an employee or their family member.

Now celebrating its 25th year, the program has thrived by using the hallmarks of being confidential, voluntary and non-denominational.

“We are so thrilled to see the outpouring of support for this unique workplace service to others in today’s marketplace,” said Southeast Regional Manager John Mileson. “Marketplace Chaplains have grown by serving others and it’s exciting to see so many CEO’s see the value in this employee benefit.”

One longtime Marketplace Chaplains client company is Hatfield Quality Meats located in Hatfield, PA, specializing in all aspects of pork production. The Chairman and CEO Phil Clemens said the marketplace chaplains visiting his companies have been able to provide care in a very specialized industry.

“We have all kinds of needs and all kinds of issues in our industry, but the chaplain is there to help each one,” Clemens said. “We have different types of languages spoken here, different type of work conditions and different kinds of family situations. That’s why Marketplace Chaplains has been so important to our success.”

For more information on Marketplace Chaplains in the Southeast and elsewhere, go to www.mchapusa.com or call John Mileson at 877-875-1704 or 678-985-2582.

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Things to Ponder . . . . . . . . .
Only the Government would believe
that you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket,
sew it to the bottom and have a longer blanket
Old Wise Indian
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Daylight Savings Time Changes 11/01/09

SEMA Member News

White Oak Pastures was the cover story of the September Independent Processor Magazine. Not only were they the cover story but they were highlighted in a documentary. The University of Mississippi, The Southern Foodways Alliance and Whole Foods Market partner each year to produce documentaries. These films focus on producers in the Deep South who embrace southern traditions in their effort to provide non-industrial food for consumers who appreciate fine dining. These documentaries embrace food traditions that honor sustainable, artisan, and humane production practices that are perpetuated by southern family farms.

The link will let you see this documentary. http://vimeo.com/6177004

Chilton Consulting Group welcomes David Rowe and China Reed as new Associate Consultants. David will be specializing in helping clients with OSHA compliance, Process Safety Management, and Workers Comp/Accident Reductions, and HACCP Plan reassessments. China will be specializing in FDA plant HACCP Reassessments, Audit Preparation, SQF Documentation, and Research and Development assistance for clients. Sharon Chilton has joined the team and will be handling all administrative functions including client scheduling, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Invoicing, travel arrangements, and other general office duties.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS