DECEMBER VEAL BLOG
Promotions
The Checkoff funded veal promotion program will partner with the Pennsylvania State Beef Council on “Beef and Veal” day (January 8th) at the 104th Pennsylvania Farm Show, the nation’s largest indoor agricultural event held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Food Blogger, Colleen Kennedy of Souffle Bombay will be attending on behalf of the veal promotions program. She will interview chefs on the culinary connections stage as they demo veal and beef recipes and sample to attendees. Colleen will share her experiences with her followers via social media platforms to extend veal’s reach and engagement.
TOP STORIES
2019 Animal Care and Handling Webinar: The Five Freedoms: Where Are We Today?
NAMI will be hosting a free webinar on Monday, December 9 at 1 pm Eastern, entitled The Five Freedoms: Where Are We Today?
Animal Welfare is one of today’s most vital concerns in the meat industry. This webinar will discuss how we relate to these concerns and the responsibility we have to implement proper animal care and handling procedures.
This one-hour webinar is an extension of the recently completed Animal Care and Handling Conference, which was held in October in Kansas City, MO. If you were unable to attend the conference, please join the webinar to learn more about the information that was presented on animal welfare issues.
Speaker: Dr. Cassandra Tucker, Professor, Director of the Center for Animal Welfare, UC Davis
Meeting Name: 2019 Animal Care and Handling Webinar: The Five Freedoms: Where Are We Today?
Date: Monday, December 9
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET
Meeting Details
Go to: https://meat.webex.com/meat/j.php?MTID=m840cf3ee91ad317ecddf56f9289402cb
Click on “Add to Calendar” icon
There is no need to pre-register for the webinar, but you may add it to your Outlook Calendar by clicking the link.
Join by phone
Toll-Free Number: (877) 594-8353
Access Code:38277418
Meat Industry Records All-Time Low Worker Safety Incidence Rates in 2018.
The meat industry’s strong, consistent progress on improved worker safety hit another milestone according to new data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released final 2018 incidence rates for non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses (OSHA recordable cases), by the industry. Meat Industry results improved from both 2017 and 2016 levels, reaching a new, all-time industry low of 4.3 cases per 100 full-time workers, per year. For perspective, this number was 10.3 cases just 10 years ago, while in 1998 the incidence rate was 20.1. 2018 saw continued safety improvement in all meat industry categories. The Total Incidence Rate (TIR) in meat packing reduced to 5.1, meat processing down to 4.6, poultry slaughter and processing to 3.5 and the manufacturing sector (across industries) to 3.1.
REGULATORY AFFAIRS
FSIS Reissues Notice on Analysis for Salmonella of All Imported Beef. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reissued FSIS Notice 46-18 – Analysis for Salmonella of All Imported Beef and Veal Products Sampled for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The new notice has minor changes and key points include:
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Raw beef and veal samples, including import MT08 and MT51 samples, collected for STEC analysis will also be analyzed for Salmonella
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The Salmonella analysis result is non-regulatory, and if positive, the product is not to be refused entry; and
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Instructions for notifying the importer of record when a sample tests positive for Salmonella but is negative for STECs.
The notice is available here.
FSIS Announces New Performance Standards for Salmonella in Raw Ground Beef. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) posted a Federal Register notice announcing new pathogen reduction performance standards for Salmonella in raw ground beef and beef manufacturing trimmings. The proposed standards, if finalized, will apply to establishments that produce greater than 50,000 pounds of raw ground beef and beef manufacturing trimmings, respectively. FSIS intends to use a 52-week moving window to assess whether establishments meet the proposed standards and post establishment performance on the FSIS website. Two positives out of the most recent 48 samples within the 52-week window will meet the standard, while three positives will not. The agency also posted a risk assessment describing the data and methods used to develop the proposed standards. FSIS invited public comments on the proposed standards, which are currently due by Dec. 27, 2019.
FSIS Posts First Public Dashboard of Establishments. In response to feedback from stakeholders and the public, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is combining two existing datasets on FSIS-regulated establishments to be accessible on a single map. This format is expected to enhance the customer service experience by allowing individuals to search by location, production information, or geographical areas on a map to quickly find establishments in their area or throughout the country. The dashboard and more information can be found at Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory.
FSIS Makes Generic Labeling Webinar Available. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) presented a labeling webinar titled “Generic Labeling Overview.” The webinar discussed prior label approval, generic labeling, special statements and claims, the Label Submission and Approval System, how to streamline the label submission process, resources available to stakeholders, how to contact FSIS for guidance, and other labeling related topics. This webinar is available on the FSIS website.
FDA’s Name Used Fraudulently in Phishing Attempt. FDA is alerting industry members of an ongoing phishing scam, which has been directed at certain food businesses using a fraudulent email that makes it appear like it is from FDA. The fake email and a PDF attachment have been sent from the domain names hotmail.com and outlook.com. The email, directed at “management,” falsely states the agency issued an “advisory letter.” FDA warned that, if a company receives a suspicious email like this, it should NOT click any links, open any attachments, reply to the email or forward the email. The email should be permanently deleted and reported to an IT or cybersecurity department.
SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS
Summary Available for 2020 DGAC Third Meeting. The third meeting of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) was held Oct. 24-25, 2019, in Washington, DC. The meeting included presentations by each subcommittee. A summary of the meeting is available here. The next and fourth DGAC meeting will be held Jan 23-24, 2020 in Houston, Texas. There will be an opportunity for oral comment at this meeting. More information on the next meeting is available here.
MEETINGS, EVENTS AND EDUCATION
Exhibit Sales, Registration and Housing Open for 2020 Annual Meat Conference. Exhibit sales, registration and housing are now open for the 2020 Annual Meat Conference (AMC), which will take place March 2 – 4, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. AMC offers a complete education and networking experience, featuring close to five hours of exhibits showcasing the latest in new meat and poultry products and the products and services retailers need to increase their bottom line. Comprehensive education sessions include a variety of ways to explore the latest developments in meat retailing today. For more information on registration and housing, plus special offers, visit the AMC website here.
Exhibit space for AMC is now open as well. The AMC offers the premier opportunity to showcase meat and poultry products and technology to hundreds of meat buyers from national retail chains. AMC is the only industry event dedicated to getting meat and poultry retail buyers, suppliers and consumers in the same place for meaningful networking and interaction. For a floor plan and more details on who attends AMC, click here. Exhibit space can be purchased here
Register Today for IPPE 2020. Registration is now open for the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from Jan. 28 – 30, 2020. IPPE is the only exposition of its kind showcasing the latest solutions and technologies for the global animal food and protein industries. Attendees can experience, learn and connect with more the 32,000 animal food, meat and poultry industry professionals at this event. Workshops include Environmental Conference, Worker Safety Conference and more. Click here to register now or learn more about IPPE here. Meat Institute processor members can register for free by Jan. 10, 2020, as part of the IPPE M2A program.
