SEMA_________________________________ SOUTHEASTERN MEAT ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2002, VOLUME 17, No. 10FSIS WITHDRAWS E. COLI TESTING PROCEDURES The Food Safety and Inspection Service has temporarily postponed the release of a draft notice on E. coli inspection procedures. An FSIS spokesperson said that the original comment deadline of August 20 has been cancelled, and that the public will be notified when the notice is re-posted. FSIS PLANTS THAT FAIL SALMONELLA TESTS The Food Safety and Inspection Service issued new procedures for plants that fail the salmonella Performance Standard for raw products. FSIS said that the new procedures would constitute a more “scientific, systematic approach” to food safety and to enforcement of current regulations, while increasing consistency and uniformity. The new procedures also emphasize coordination between the new FSIS Consumer Safety Officers, district managers, circuit supervisors, compliance officers and inspection personnel to address inspection failures. For further detailed information check www.meatingplace.com 8/19/02. GFI RECALLS 717,000 LBS OF GROUND BEEF Minneapolis-based GFI American Inc. is recalling about 717,000 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E.coli O157:H7. Each package also bears Est. 2368 inside the USDA seal of inspection. The ground beef was produced on June 25 to 29, on July 1 to 3, and on July 16 and distributed to hotels, restaurants and institutions nationwide. Questions may be directed to Stephanie Golden, customer service manager, at 612-872-6262. For additional recall information go to www.meatingplace.com 8/26/02. END OF RUSSIAN BAN ON POULTRY The six-month poultry trade dispute between the United States and Russia is over. Both sides have agreed to a new veterinary certificate that will allow for the continuation of U.S. poultry exports to Russia. Russia is the largest market for U.S. poultry exports, with sales last year exceeding one million tons valued at over $600 million. TYSON FOODS BRAND NAME The Tyson brand will replace the Thomas E. Wilson brand on roasts and other further processed beef and pork products and case ready pork. These conversions will be completed over the next six months. John Tyson, Tyson’s chairman and CEO in a news release said, “Consumers clearly identify the Tyson brand as one of the strongest and trusted in America with 95 percent recognition. A conversion from the Thomas E. Wilson brand to the Tyson brand will accelerate our ability to meet the needs of our customers, maximize our brand building efforts with consumers.” For a time, Tyson will offer beef in unbranded form to enable customers to provide products uniquely manufactured to meet their specific product and marketing needs. SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION MONTH The goals of the month are: · to reinforce food safety education and training among restaurant
and foodservice workers. This is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. BEEF CHECKOFF FUNDS PROGRAM The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has coordinated a program in response to interest in Beef Value Cuts, a checkoff-funded line of steaks cut from the underutilized chuck and round. The beef industry has assembled the New Product and Culinary Center Team to train meat cutters and processors around the nation. Contact NCBA at 800-368-3138 for Beef Value Cuts training materials. To invite a trainer to your facility, contact Betty Hogan at 312-670-9219.
Thirty-seven USDA/FSIS employees from across the country began the four-week Consumer Safety Officer (CSO) Educational Program on August 5 in College Station, Texas. This session consists of 20 CSO candidates and 17 Veterinary Medical Officers (VMO) who are learning about the CSO work methodology. The CSO’s do not have a checklist when entering plants, but are given examples during their training as to things they should be looking at when visiting an establishment. Some examples are: 1. Assess the statistical validity of the plant’s micro sampling
plans and monitoring procedures. TWO SMITHFIELD COMPANIES WIN ENVIRONMENTAL Smithfield Packing Co. and Gwaltney of Smithfield Ltd. Both received environmental excellence awards for operating their meat plants in Smithfield, Va. with an exemplary compliance record.
Businesses that hope to remain competitive and profitable should act now to improve employee retention and loyalty. They can do that by offering more opportunities for talented employees to grow professionally and finding ways to help them balance their work and family commitments, says Steve Sharp, a vice president of Norrell Staffing in Oxnard, Calif. Organizations that fail to do so risk losing their most valuable talent and probably their competitive edge. Sharp said studies indicate that rapidly changing technology and the retirement of millions of baby boomers will cause critical talent shortages for many companies as soon as 2005. About 60 percent of baby boomers—those born between 1945 and 1964—plan to retire early. Offering flextime scheduling, job sharing, reduced cost childcare and other so-called soft benefits, Sharp says, often is more effective than pay increases at attracting and keeping good workers. It can be cheaper too. “Reinvention of employee commitment is possible,” he says. “All you need to do is decide you want to be the organization of choice.” If the stock market and interest rates do not change, baby boomers may not be retiring early. A PEN FOR YOUR THOUGHTS In other survey news, it appears your chances of success increase if you use a red pen, and decrease if you use a green or purple pen. The source for this startling finding is a recent survey of 645 workers commissioned by Pilot Pen Corp. Pilot Pen would like you to focus on the following findings: Workers who steal pens are most likely to be looking for a new job, while workers with 12 or more pens at their desk are least likely to be job hunting. ATTENTION SEMA MEMBERS!!! The Q & A section is on our website and some questions have been asked. Please help if you have any answers for these people. Answers should be sent (via fax or email) to the SEMA office so that they can be posted. Remember to submit any questions or comments you have for the Q & A section. This is where we all help each other. In continuing to make the SEMA website valuable to our members, we are adding your company website as well. Please send us your company website address and it will be added to the Links page. Associate Members – if you have not and would like to put a few words in about your company, it will be added under your name in the membership list.
Ted Wampler, Jr., President Daniel Dunn, President Jeff Chilton, President THINGS TO PONDER……………….. Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease
to be amused. |