SEMA_________________________________

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

SEMA Convention - Amazing

The SEMA convention theme this year was “Waves of Opportunity – Oceans of Success” and those attending found opportunities in sales, marketing, and production, even amazingly how you can read someone’s face and know so much about them.    

The highlight of the weekend was dinner Friday evening at the South Carolina Sea Aquarium.

A special thanks goes out to Mac Fulfer-Amazing Face Reading, George DuRant-The Brandon Agency, Dennis Reisen-FSIS-USDA and Jack Holmer & David Bulgarelli, Rantoul Foods, for their excellence presentations and for the ideas they gave us to incorporate into our businesses. 

A special thanks to our associate members that exhibited and sponsored our evening programs.  Your participation and support of the association is greatly appreciated.

EXHIBITORS

Special thanks go out to our University partners and Tom Bonner with John R White Co. for their participation in the convention.  Moderating Friday’s program and presenting the scholarship awards was Dwight Loveday from the University of Tennessee.  Tom Bonner kept us on time as he moderated the Saturday program.  The University of Florida’s Larry Eubanks and Chad Carr ran the audio-visual, working with our speakers to make their presentations flawless.

In June, after much research and work, Brian Sapp, White Oak Pastures and Tom Carroll, Sunset Farm Foods presented the new SEMA logo to the membership attending the SEMA convention.  The Florida Meat Association and the Georgia Meat Association joined together 28 years ago to form the Southeastern Meat Association.  The Association has grown to include Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina.  SEMA members work together to be proactive in our industry and encourage food and plant safety.  SEMA is an advocate of education and each year awards $2,000.00 scholarships to University students in the Southeast and SEMA member's children pursuing a career in the meat industry.

SEMA Scholarship Winners

Scholarship recipients received a $2,000.00 scholarship.

particular interest that has proven to be a critical issue for the industry is the consumers’ perception of meat products.  This issue alone has contributed to a tremendous decline in yearly profits for this industry.  
   Without this scholarship many of my dreams of becoming successful in the meat industry would not even be possible. This scholarship gives me the opportunity to focus more on my academics and less on some of my financial worries. It is an honor to receive the 2014 Southeastern Meat Association’s scholarship award. Attending the convention will serve as a wonderful opportunity and great experience for me.  Meeting professionals from the industry may help me gain better insight into my future career and broaden my knowledge about new developments in the industry.  
Thank you for this amazing opportunity.         

Analysis for Salmonella of All Beef Products Sampled for Shiga-Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli

This notice provides instructions for inspection program personnel (IPP) to follow when FSIS starts analyzing for Salmonella all samples collected for Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 and other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).

KEY POINTS:

• New Salmonella verification sets (HC01) in raw ground beef products will be discontinued with the exception of sets scheduled at establishments that exceeded the standard in the most recently completed sample set (i.e., Category 3). FSIS also will also discontinue collecting MT43S samples in very low volume grinding establishments. FSIS analyzed MT43S samples for E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella.
• Raw beef samples, including import and retail samples, collected for STEC analysis will also be analyzed for Salmonella.
• No changes are being made to the raw beef sampling collection methods, sampling eligibilities, or follow-up procedures for samples that test positive for the adulterant STEC.

June 5, 2014, FSIS announced in the Federal Register (79 FR 32436) that raw beef samples collected for routine and follow-up sampling projects for STEC also will be analyzed for Salmonella. This new approach will allow FSIS to gather baseline data to determine the prevalence of Salmonella in ground beef and trim and to gather data necessary to propose new performance standards for ground beef. For more information on this go to www.fsis.usda.gov. Refer questions to this notice to the Risk, Innovations, and Management Staff through askFSIS or by telephone at 1-800-233-3935 (press 1 and 4). When submitting a question, use the Submit a Question tab.

Food Service Industry can Help Prevent Norovirus Outbreak

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports the norovirus as the leading cause of disease outbreak from contaminated food in the United States. Norovirus is very contagious and the CDC estimates 20 million people get sick from norovirus each year. Infected people can spread norovirus to others through close contact or by contaminating food and surfaces. Infected food workers cause about 70% of reported norovirus outbreaks from contaminated food. Norovirus outbreaks occur throughout the year, but, over 80% of the outbreaks occur from November to April.

The food service industry can help prevent norovirus outbreaks by:

• Making sure that food service workers practice proper hand washing and avoid touching ready-to- eat foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables, with their bare hands before serving them.
• Certifying kitchen managers and training food service workers in food safety practices.
• Requiring sick food workers to stay home, and considering use of paid sick leave and on-call staffing, to support compliance.

Retail Exemptions Adjusted Dollar Limitations

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the dollar limitations on the amount of meat and meat food products, poultry, and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements. For calendar year 2014, the dollar limitation for meat and meat food products is being increased from $69,600 to $70,400 and for poultry products from $54,500 to $57,100. The dollar limitations are based on price changes for these products evidenced by the Consumer Price Index.

Ninth Food Defense Plan Survey

The ninth food defense plan survey, began July 1, 2014, and will close on July 31, 2014.  The survey will gather data about industry’s voluntary adoption of a functional food defense plan.  Food defense plans are voluntary (i.e., not mandated by regulation); however, FSIS considers such plans to be an important tool that can reduce the risk of intentional adulteration of food products.  The questions in the food defense plan survey will determine whether official meat and poultry slaughter and processing establishments, egg product plants, and official import inspection establishments (collectively referred to as “establishments” in this notice) have a food defense plan, and if so, whether the plan is functional.  A functional food defense plan is: 1) written, 2) implemented, 3) tested annually, and 4) reviewed annually.

Previous surveys were conducted between August 2006 and September 2013.  This survey will include the same types of establishments as were included in the 2013 survey: official meat and poultry slaughter and processing establishments, egg product plants, and official import inspection establishments.  The initial food defense survey in 2006 determined that 27% of surveyed establishments had a functional food defense plan.  By September 2013, the adoption rate had increased to 83%.  While this represents a significant increase from prior years, FSIS established an Agency performance goal for 2015 to have at least 90% of all establishments with a functional plan.  The Agency will use the results of this survey to guide its outreach efforts and its consideration of whether to undertake rulemaking to require adoption and implementation of functional food defense plans.

The food defense plan survey is to be completed as early as possible.  The survey consists of four questions that require only “Yes” or “No” answers.  

The four questions in the survey ask:

1. Does the establishment have a written food defense plan?
2. Does the establishment have measures in place that address (examples in parentheses are not all inclusive): 1) outside security (e.g., door locks); 2) inside security (e.g., restricted ingredients are secured); 3) personnel security (e.g., method to identify employees in the establishment such as certain badges, access cards, or colored uniforms); and 4) incident response security procedure (e.g., reporting unusual activities is encouraged; see something – say something).  
3. Has the establishment reviewed its food defense plan in the past year?
4. Has the establishment tested its food defense plan in the past year?  (This testing can be as simple as testing locks on doors and conducting a periodic perimeter search.)

For this survey, FSIS will rely on inspection program personnel (IPP) and import inspection personnel to answer these questions about the establishments.  Before completing the survey, however, IPP and import inspection personnel are to review the above questions with the establishment management during a regular weekly meeting (References: FSIS Directive 5000.1 and FSIS Directive 5010.1).

If the establishment does not have a written food defense plan, IPP and import inspection personnel are to inform management that FSIS has developed a General Food Defense Plan that can be adopted simply by reviewing and signing the plan.  If the establishment needs a copy of the General Food Defense Plan, IPP and import inspection personnel are to provide the name and mailing address of the establishment to Natasha Williams, Office of Outreach, Employee Education and Training, by e-mail at Natasha.Williams@fsis.usda.gov or call 1-877-374-7435, and the plan will be mailed.  Alternatively, a copy of the General Food Defense Plan can be downloaded from the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-defense-defense-and-emergency- response.  Establishments having a food defense plan are not required to provide a copy of the plan to FSIS.

FSIS will use these analyses to assess the progress towards achieving the Agency’s performance standard for the percent of establishments with functional food defense plans, as described in the FSIS Strategic Plan 2011 - 2016 and USDA Strategic Plan 2014 – 2018. 

Amazing Face Reading Certification Workshop

Many of you saw Mac Fulfer at the SEMA Convention & asked about his workshops

Would you like to improve your life experience?  Would like to be the person that everyone crowds around to hear what you have to say?  Would you like to eliminate the word "stranger” from your vocabulary because you know the other person better than their best friend even before you finish shaking hands?

Take the Certification Workshop and be able to put a more interesting title after your name than MD., PhD, JD or even MBA because when asked what CFR means you will be engaged in a more in-depth conversation than most people experience on a social level.

This 16 hour workshop will encompass all the aspects of Amazing Face Reading and each session will be in depth and interactive. In addition to all of the features and combinations of face reading covered, the students will have an opportunity to read features with expert coaching. Interactive signals and applications of face reading will also be presented.

The class is kept very small so that each participant receives individual attention and face reading practice. After the workshop, students will have ongoing support available from Mac and Ann for as long as they want it. By the end of the workshop participants will be able to do a complete face reading on every person they meet.

 When: Friday, July 11th from 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
             Saturday the 12th from 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM and
             Sunday, July 13th from 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

 Where: Courtyard by Marriott at University Drive
               3150 Riverfront Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76107
               Discounted stay with reservation made before Friday, June 20th; call 1-800-321-2211

 Cost: $550.00 (includes book, handouts, flash cards*, beverages, 1 lunch and snacks)

Welcome New SEMA Member

        Fintronx, founded in 2002, is headquartered in Raleigh, NC and provides LED lighting solutions for companies in the commercial and industrial sector.  Many Fintronx customers are well known companies; Butterball, Case Farms, MBM, SAS, Colliers International and Domino's Pizza Distribution.  All of these companies have Fintronx lighting solutions in place and continue to use Fintronx for new lighting requirements.

Fintronx can be your resource for turnkey lighting projects including: photometric designs, ROI proposals, installation, identifying incentive rebates and tax deductions, project financing.

LED lighting increases light levels, provides a 60% energy savings, increases lamp life 4-5 times over traditional lamps, and reduces maintenance and production downtime significantly.  All Fintronx products are LM79, LM80, UL, and DLC approved and have a 5 Year Warranty.
Fintronx is looking forward to a long association with SEMA. 

Please contact: Doug Roberson, (919) 675-5419, e-mail droberson@fintronx.com
Fintronx, 5995 Chapel Hill Road; Suite 119; Raleigh, NC 27607

NSMA Names New Executive Director

Frederick, MD, June 16, 2014 -- National Seasoning Manufacturers Association (NSMA) is pleased to announce Geraldina (Gerri) Cristantiello, as its new Executive Director.   Gerri will be succeeding Dick Alsmeyer, who is retiring in February 2015. Dick has been affiliated with NSMA since 1991 as Government Relations Director and assumed the role of Executive Director in 1996. Prior to NSMA, Dr. Alsmeyer retired as National Research Leader, ARS, and earlier served as Chief, Standards Group, Meat & Poultry Inspection Program, USDA and went on to establish his company, Alsmeyer Food Consulting (www.alsmeyerfood.com).  “We are grateful to Dick Alsmeyer for his many years of service and dedication to NSMA, nurturing it to an influential organization in industry and government. I am proud of all that NSMA has accomplished in the last 40 years and am optimistic about advancements yet to come,” said NSMA Vice President, Paul Kurpe. Dr. Alsmeyer will continue through the transition in February, 2015.   “NSMA is delighted to welcome Gerri.  She brings a wealth of knowledge and credentials to NSMA. As the new Executive Director, Gerri will be responsible for leading the NSMA in alignment with its mission, goals, and objectives, and developing member services programs to enhance the value of NSMA membership.  The Board expects that NSMA will continue to grow as an organization building on the strong foundation established by Dick Alsmeyer,” according to Tim Sonntag, current President of NSMA.  Gerri comes to NSMA with over 25 years of association management experience. She began her non-profit association career at the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA), where she performed various association functions. In 2002, she started GC Business Services, LLC which evolved into an association management firm. Her company currently manages a number of small associations that require part-time work but full-time representation. Gerri is currently Chapter Administrator for the New York Section and Central New Jersey Subsection of IFT, Executive Director of NEXCO, and manages several trade shows, including the NYIFT Suppliers Day and Philadelphia Section IFT Suppliers Expo.   Gerri received her BS in Business Administration from Montclair State University and graduated with Merit and Dean’s List from Gibbs College. She is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), National Association of Female Executives (NAFE), Senior Council of US-China Exchange Association and volunteers on such efforts as World Trade Week NYC. Gerri lives in New Jersey with her husband and two boys.

SEMA INDUSTRY NEWS

Chilton Consulting Group, Jeff Chilton, has been selected as a presenter at the SQF Conference in Orlando October 28-30.  Jeff will be giving a presentation on Allergen Control Programs to help companies reduce their risk of a recall.  Make your plans to attend and visit us at the CCG booth at the conference!

Taste of the South Magazine picked White Oak Pastures as one of the 2014 Taste 50, the Best in Southern Cooking.  Will Harris, a fourth generation cattleman and White Oak Pastures is an organic farm that offers grass-fed beef, lamb and sausage in Bluffton, Georgia.  They are one of two on-farm USDA inspected abattoirs in the country.

Jarvis' new SER-04 electrically powered Reciprocating Breaking Saw is perfect for breaking and also for general purpose usage on beef, hogs, sheep and veal. Common applications for the SER-04 include cutting forequarters, shank bones, primal cuts, aitch bones, brisket opening and splitting. For small to mid-sized production facility. Weighing just 19 pounds (8.6 kg), it is lightweight and easy to handle. A 1400-watt motor provides high speed for cutting performance. To handle specific production needs, several blade and support packages are available. Ad with all Jarvis tools, free service and training are provided. For more information about the SER-04, please contact Vincent Volpe at (860) 347-7271

Harpak-ULMA announces its flow wrap package as a silver winner of Dupont 2014 Packaging Awards.  Harpak-ULMA was part of a collaborative team to bring an award winning product to market.  A roast-in-the-bag chicken package was proclaimed a Silver Winner in this year’s Dupont Packaging awards in the USA. The package consists of a high temperature printed Dupont– Teijin mylar film and a quad seal, gusseted flow pack design developed by ULMA.  The award was won for enhancing the user experience and maximizing food safety by taking away the need for the consumer to handle raw chicken while providing the at-home chef with an easy to use and convenient method for making a home cooked meal.  The package design team consisted of ULMA packaging (equipment), FFP Packaging Solutions, Inc (providers of the colorfully pre-printed mylar film), Faccenda (packer) and Asda Butcher’s Selection-UK (a wholly owned division of Walmart).  The package was wrapped on an ULMA Artic Flow wrapping machine. The “quad seal” feature of the package was developed to add integrity and shape to each package and is automatically formed as part of the flow wrapping process.  The result is a more rectangular package which allows for the height needed for a product such as whole chicken.  Harpak-ULMA is the North American source for ULMA packaging and material handling systems

Things to Ponder . . . . . . . . You can’t have everything; where would you put it?

FSIS Notice 23-14 Notifying Retailers of the FSIS Best Practices Guidance for Controlling Listeria Monocytogenes (LM) in Retail Delicatessens

FSIS Notice 25-14 Verification of Non-Food Safety Consumer Protection Regulatory Requirements - Poultry Class Standards

FSIS Notice 27-14 Letter of Caution Issuance Following Food Safety Assessments in Comminuted Poultry Establishments

FSIS Notice 26-14  EIAO Responsibilities Related to Food Safety Assessments in Establishments Producing Comminuted Chicken or Turkey Products

FSIS Notice 27-14  Letter of Caution Issuance following Food Safety Assessments in Commuted Poultry Establishments

FSIS Notice 28-14 - Analysis for Salmonella of All Beef Products Sampled for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (STEC)

FSIS Notice 29-14 Ninth Food Defense Plan Survey

FSIS Notice 31-14 Supplement Instructions for Performing the Hazard Analysis Verification Task in Establishments that Produce NRTE Stuffed Poultry Product

Inspection Related Question - askFSIS as a Valuable Tool

Q.  Does the Agency want Inspection Program Personnel (IPP) to use askFSIS to get clarification of FSIS policy or regulations?

A.  Yes. The Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD) developed askFSIS so that all FSIS customers (e.g., FSIS employees, industry, and consumers) could ask questions and get current information about regulations, notices, directives, or other Agency policies. It is always proper for IPP to use askFSIS when they have questions about FSIS policy, because it is a source of regulatory and policy information supported by the Agency. In addition, IPP are encouraged to share responses with their co-workers and supervisors, as well as with establishment management, so that all parties involved are aware of the information.

Customers can access askFSIS through the Internet from any computer, including home computers, and can search hundreds of posted Q&A’s that deal with a wide selection of inspection topics. If customers cannot find information about their specific issue when they search the posted Q&A’s, they can submit a question through askFSIS. The system will route the question to the appropriate FSIS staff for a response. Customers need to provide as much information as possible about their inquiry so they receive the most complete and accurate response. FSIS encourages all customers to submit their questions through askFSIS because OPPD uses the data gathered by the questions as one way to help identify future policy needs. In addition, clarifying information provided through posted askFSIS Q&A'sis included in future upates of FSIS Notices and FSIS Directives.

askFSIS can help all FSIS customers understand Agency policy and can help in-plant inspection teams by answering questions and clarifying information. Agency staff that reply to questions help customers understand policy and regulations, but are not responsible for making compliance decisions, product dispositions, or supervisory decisions.

Thank You

In recognition of a successful year and convention, SEMA President, Don Wilson presented Anna Ondick, SEMA Executive Director with a beautiful glass bowl from a Charleston area artist.  Anna said “I appreciate being acknowledged for my work but more I appreciate the opportunity to work and be a part of the SEMA family.

Welcome New SEMA Members

Uncle Charlie’s Meats
406 N Estill Dr. 
Richmond, KY 40475
Ray Parsons
859.623.1967

Williamsburg Packing Co.
920 Eastland Avenue 
Kingstree, SC  29556
Sep Harvin, III
843-355-6447

Victory Packaging
350 Gills Dr. 
Orlando, FL 32824
Keith Johnson
888.126.8108

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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