SEMA_________________________________

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

MAY 2003                                   VOLUME 18, No. 5

FSIS DOES MORE TESTING

FSIS has issued Notice 11-03 stating inspection personnel will be notified to collect raw ground beef samples, and other products meeting the identity in 9CFR319.15. This new notice supercedes any other establishment exemptions of testing.

The inspector is to give the plant notice of the samples to be taken in order to allow the establishment to hold product. Prior to sample submission, the pre-shipment review must be completed. In the event of positive results, the establishment is to take corrective and preventative measures.

NUTRITION LABELING REGULATIONS

FSIS has proposed to amend its nutrition labeling regulations by changing the definition of “meal-type” products to allow for nutrient content claims on multiple-serve food containers, adopting the FDA definition of “main dish” and defining how meal-type products and main dishes should be nutritionally labeled. FSIS believes the only labels that would be affected by this proposal are those of multi-serve, meal-type products greater than 6 ounces that would be able to bear nutrient content claims, according to the proposed rule published this week in the Federal Register.

NEW FSIS TEST FOR SALMONELLA

The Food Safety and Inspection Service adopted the BAX system to screen for salmonella in ready-to-eat meat and poultry and pasteurized egg products.

FSIS implemented the BAX system to screen ready-to-eat meat and poultry samples for salmonella on Feb 17 in the agency’s three field service laboratories and the MOSPL laboratory. FSIS began using the BAX screening system for listeria in April 2002.

FSIS is currently evaluating the BAX system to screen raw products for salmonella and is planning to evaluate the BAX system to screen samples for E. coli O157.H& in the next few months.

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

DID YOU KNOW? American Airlines saved $40,000 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first-class.

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

SYSCO TO ACQUIRE PART OF COLORADO BOXED BEEF

Houston-based SYSCO Corp is to purchase the specialty meat-cutting division of the Colorado Boxed Beef Co. and its affiliated broadline foodservice operation, J & B Foodservice, by the end of April.

When the acquisition is completed, Howard Halpern, president and CEO of Atlanta-based Buckhead Beef, a SYSCO subsidiary, will assume added duties as chairman of a new company to be called Buckhead Beef of Florida.

Not included in the purchase are Colorado Boxed Beef’s business segments serving cruise lines, retail boxed beef distribution, the New Generation irradiated products or its custom distribution unit. Colorado Boxed Beef and the Saterbo brothers’ corporate ownership will retain those segments. They account for about $450 million in annual sales.

“This makes strategic sense, because Florida tends to be an ‘on-demand,’ same–day delivery market,” Halpern said. “With the facilities and the top-notch people we’ll have (at the Buckhead Beef of Florida facility), we will be able to service the SYSCO operating companies (in Florida), better service our own accounts and take some of the production pressure off of our Atlanta Facility.”

RED LOBSTER ADDS STEAK TO MENU

Red Lobster, the nation’s largest seafood restaurant chain has added steak to its menu as of April 21.

The new steaks will be part of a line of surf-and-turf combo entrees. “The combination of steak and seafood is an American classic,” said Keith Keogh, executive chef for Red Lobster.
Also included will be a half-pound Angus-beef burger.

JOINT VENTURE

Johnsonville Sausage and Premium Standard Farms have formed a joint venture to purchase the Oldham’s sausage plant in Holton, KS from ConAgra Foods. Terms of the sale have not been disclosed.

“We have been committed to quality since the day my father founded Johnsonville more than 50 years ago,” said Johnsonville President Ralph Stayer. “This venture allows us to acquire a quality plant with a quality partner. It’s just what we need to meet the growing global demand for Johnsonville Sausage.”

WAL-MART WANTS BJ’S WHOLESALE CLUB

Wal-Mart Stores reportedly floated a $1.4 billion bid for rival BJ’s Wholesale Club. According to analysts, Wal-Mart wants BJ’s primarily for its East Coast stores. If completed, Wal-Mart’s acquisition of BJ’s would put the second-largest warehouse wholesaler in striking distance of Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco Wholesale Corp., the industry leader.

PROPOSED CHANGES TO OVERTIME RULES

Here are highlights of the changes that the Labor Department are considering:

• Would be the first major rewrite of the Fair Labor Standards Act since a revision in 1949.
• Would guarantee the right to overtime pay to any employee earning less than $22,100 a year. Currently about 1.3 million U.S. workers making less than $22,100 are ineligible for overtime.
• Would simplify regulations so that only salaried workers whose job duties “primarily involve managerial, administrative or professional skills” would be ineligible for overtime.
• Would make it easier for white-collar workers making more than $65,000 to be considered ineligible for overtime. (Highly paid manual workers, such as mechanics, electricians, plumbers, truck drivers and longshoreman, would continue to be eligible for overtime.)

SEMA WEBSITE DOING WELL
880 Unique Visitors Per Month

The SEMA website is showing up in all of the major search engines: Google, MSN, Yahoo, Netscape, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves & AOL. Most referrals came from Google.com and other sites that have posted a link to the SEMA site.

Several different “keyword phrases” have brought visitors to the site through the search engines: “meat industry”, “meat producers”, “food processing equipment for sale”, “food processing supplies”, “southeastern meat association”, and others.

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

Things to ponder…………….
A home is not where you live but who you live with……….

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

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK

If two heads are better than one, imagine how successful four or more can be in undertaking a project or solving a problem. But what are the fundamentals of effective team efforts in the workplace? These can be expressed as individual qualities. An effective team player:

• Contributes his or her best. That person doesn’t hold back because other workers are there to shoulder the load or risk failure by taking the lead. Instead, he or she invests fully committed efforts in whatever the team in tacking.
• Is willing to compromise. Since teams make decisions based on consensus, the effective player never insisted on his or her own way. Important points should always be open to negotiation.
• Supports the team’s decisions. In public, at least, every player should back the decisions of the team—even if disagreements were significant. Negative attitudes and remarks undercut the team’s cohesiveness.
• Is authentically enthusiastic. This trait tends to be contagious and helps to energize the entire team.
• Listens first, then speaks. Of course, there are times when it’s appropriate to initiate a discussion. But effective team players are listeners first, then speakers.
• Keeps the team’s goals foremost in mind. Every member has some sort of personal agenda. But in the workplace, with team efforts under way, that agenda must take second place.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Contact: Jeff Chilton, Chilton Consulting Group
Phone: 706-694-8325 Fax: 706-694-8316
E-mail: chilton@alltel.net
www.chiltonconsulting.com

CONVENTION REMINDER!!!!!

Southeastern Meat Association
Annual Convention
June 13-15, 2003
Marriott Riverfront, Savannah, GA

Be sure to plan to attend this year’s convention. We have some excellent speakers planned that we feel will be very educational. There will be door prizes given out throughout the whole convention this year. After visiting all the fine exhibitors you will be eligible for a grand prize drawing of a TV. The spouses will be entertained with a city tour of Savannah including lunch, and the ever-popular golf tournament will be held on Saturday afternoon. The convention will culminate with the Riverboat Dinner Cruise on Saturday evening.

If you have not received you registration packet, please contact the SEMA office at 407-365-5661 or via email anna@southeasternmeat.com. Hotel registration deadline is May 13 and Convention registration deadline is May 30.

A Few of the SEMA Convention Exhibitors

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBER

J.M. EXOTIC FOODS
Sidney Page; Vice-President
2916 Commerce Square South, Irondale, AL 35210
Phone: 2053951.0508 Fax: 205.951.3704
E-mail: sidney@jmexoticfoods.com

MEET YOUR NEW MEMBERS

Nu Products
Kim Adrian, Southeastern Sales Manager
Phone: 904.821.1024 or 904.472.0155 or email: kkadrain@attbi.com

Nu Products Seasoning Company has been dedicated for the last 30 years to supplying the processed food industry. We are based in New Jersey with established business in the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast. Nu Products offers an excellent Research and Development team, Quality Control Department, and is 100% OUO Kosher certified. We package our seasoning blends as requested and take pride in our quick turn around time. Kim Adrian lives in Jacksonville, FL and is the southeastern Sales Manger. She is dedicated to building relationships as well as getting the customer what they want and need. She treats all her customers as her only customer.

Engineered Refrigeration Systems
Jim Pritt, Vice-President of Operations
Phone: 251.471.2425 website: www.erscold.com

“Since 1953, ERS Has Put Our Customers’ Refrigeration Worries On Ice.” The beginning of Engineered Refrigeration Systems stems back to 1953, when K.E. Buck and C.R. Carroll founded it under the name of Mobile Refrigeration Service. Since its inception, ERS has become known not only for excellence, but also for its capacity to tackle the difficult and unusual needs that often arise in the refrigeration industry. ERS is now a full-service industrial refrigeration firm specializing in the creation, design, engineering, construction, and servicing of critical temperature spaces ranging from food plants to cold storage applications.

From its humble beginnings of just six employees, ERS has grown to over 65 full time employees and now serves an increasing number of customers and their expanding needs. In doing so, ERS has become one of the most respected refrigeration contractors in the nation by providing quality products integrated into well-engineered systems that will perform well with low operating and maintenance costs.