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Beef Industry News |
Dec. 29, 2009 >> Food Industry News -- Technomic chief outlines five restaurant trends for 2010; By Rita Jane Gabbett
Technomic Information Services President Ron Paul sees five foodservice trends that are likely to play out in 2010. He outlined them as follows in the food industry research firm's Foodservice Digest newsletter:
- Continued blurring of retail and foodservice. Expect to see even more upscale foodservice offerings from retailers. More supermarkets will open their own restaurants. More c-stores will upgrade equipment and systems to make a play for the foodservice market. Meanwhile, restaurateurs will continue to increase emphasis on takeout and catering. In addition, more restaurants will expand their reach by offering branded retail items.
- Destination restaurants. Surroundings and ambiance are playing a bigger part in the way consumers weigh the value equation of a restaurant meal. Even limited-service operators from Burger King to McDonald's to Starbucks are creating more elaborate, lounge-like prototypes.
- Discounts and deals. Just as consumers are learning never to pay full price at the shopping center, they've come to expect deals in restaurants. Restaurants at all price points will offer eye-popping deals and combos, increasingly relying on limited time offers, seasonal specials, flavor enhancers and rotating combos to keep menus fresh.
- The environment counts. Consumers will increasingly reward restaurants that practice "green" initiatives, treat their employees well and source fair-trade products and humanely sourced proteins.
- Social media and technology. As restaurants increasingly turn to Facebook and Twitter to build and deepen interactive relationships with their customers, social media will take on a formalized role. Systems that track product yield, purchasing patterns and speed of service will make operations more efficient and reduce waste along with the cost of goods served. Sophisticated point of service (POS) systems will help operators measure the timing and impact of the guest's restaurant experience.
"As I see it, the high expectations of today's more frugal, pickier customers will be met and exceeded by a leaner, stronger, more disciplined restaurant industry," said Paul. "The standards to which diners hold restaurants will never go 'back to normal.' In 2010, we expect Americans will continue to eat out less than they once did, and demand more when they do visit restaurants."
Dec. 4, 2009 >> Food Prices Matter To Consumers; Subject: Consumers in US concerned with rising costs of food: Beef Production using conventional practices.......
As consumers place more emphasis on price and value as they fill their grocery carts, America’s conventional beef producers are helping ease the financial burden of rising food costs.
According to the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) 2009 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends1, nearly 70% of shoppers say the recession is affecting their food shopping — up from 48% in 2008. Consumers in every income bracket are checking prices before checking out at the grocery store.
“U.S. consumers are facing rising food costs in a very challenging economy. What most consumers don’t know is that conventional production systems and using modern technologies keep beef affordable,” says Jan Lyons, owner of Lyons Ranch near Manhattan, Kansas. “Conventional beef production significantly increases the volume of beef produced while conserving natural resources and reducing production costs across all segments of the industry. The result is more affordable beef for everyone.”
Conventional beef production keeps meat-case prices down
A 2009 analysis by Iowa State University agricultural economists Dr. John Lawrence and Maro Ibarburu shows if conventional beef production practices were replaced by organic- or natural-only practices, beef production would decrease by 18% and retail prices would increase by 11%.
“Conventional grain-fed beef production utilizing safe growth-enhancing technologies that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes beef production more economical and sustainable for both producers and consumers,” adds Lyons, former president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and past chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “It’s an important message for the beef industry to share with consumers, especially after the recent misinformation about food production in America as reported by Bryan Walsh in TIME magazine.
“Contrary to the TIME article, Americans are lucky to have the safest, most affordable food supply in the world. On average, Americans spend only 10% of their income on food compared to 30% or more in less industrialized economies,” Lyons continues. “The technologies used in conventional beef production certainly contribute to this efficiency and affordability.”
Campaign includes customer-friendly facts about conventional beef production
To provide beef producers and other beef-industry stakeholders with key messages about the “eco-friendly and economical” benefits of conventional beef production, the Growth Enhancement Technology Information Team (GET IT) recently introduced a marketing campaign focused on the economical and environmental benefits of conventional beef production. The campaign encourages the industry to share the facts with family, friends and neighbors who might not be familiar with the benefits of modern beef-production systems.
The GET IT campaign includes both print and electronic advertising in producer publications, electronic newsletters and Web sites. Special-edition newsletters and videos also will be developed. Visit www.beeftechnologies.com/eco for more information.
If you visit the www.beeftechnologies.com/eco website, you’ll find a wealth of facts and information. One of the most interesting to me is that an Iowa State University shows that beef animals finished in a conventional feedyard using grain-based rations and growth-enhancing technologies are three times more land efficient than organic or grass-fed beef animals.
It goes on to explains that conventional feedyard-production technologies make the most efficient use of total farmland resources. This is particularly important as we consider:
• The world population is estimated to reach 9 billion by the middle of the 21st century
• The global demand for food will double by 2050 and there will continue to be increased per-capita demand for beef and other high-quality animal protein
• Worldwide, we have a limited land area on which to produce food, feed and fiber
• It is critical that we continue to conserve natural and biodiverse natural habitats
We are constantly looking for simpler ways to explain how conventional agriculture provides safe, abundant and affordable food while at the same time conserving environmental resources. This information and website should be bookmarked as a favorite because it’s something we can go back to time and time again to get the facts.
Geni Wren, Editor
Bovine Veterinarian Magazine
Dec. 16, 2009 >> Consumers and industry work together in Ontario. Click here for the Ontario Farmer article on local foods in Ontario
December-15-09 >> Beef Producers should think about how they can be prepared for a more aggressive production plan
Cow-calf producers, like most in the cattle industry, have been on the defensive for the past three years. First buffeted by unprecedented high feed and other input costs in 2007 and early 2008, profitability remained weak as cattle prices collapsed under the weight of the recession and poor beef demand this past year. Poor profitability stalled out the fledgling cow herd expansion that began in 2005 and by 2007 the cow herd was declining.
That sets up the situation in late 2009. Beef production is decreasing and projected to continue decreasing for a couple more years. Several macroeconomic indicators suggest that the worst of the recession is behind us and that we should see recovery that leads to improved beef demand in the next few months. The timing is, of course, uncertain. The macroeconomic signals are a mixed bag right now. The stock market has made a significant recovery from the low in early 2009. GDP growth was positive in the third quarter is likely to show growth, albeit modest growth, in 2010. However, unemployment is still rising and likely has not peaked yet. Consumer spending remains limited as consumers work to repair their balance sheets. Recovery of beef demand depends on consumers having the financial ability to purchase more beef, along with other things.
The good news is that beef demand is fundamentally sound. Consumers still want to purchase and eat beef and they will as soon as they can afford to. That will lead to higher prices and the incentive for the beef industry to expand production when it occurs. This scenario is likely to kick in sometime in 2010 and could be relatively strong in the last part of the year.
However, because of the current herd inventory situation, the beef industry has limited ability to expand very quickly. The initial stages of expansion will pull even more heifers out of feedlots and further squeeze beef production. The beef herd expands or contracts on a more or less annual basis due to the seasonality of forage production. It is unlikely that the recovery described above will be in place and obvious enough for the beef industry as a whole to begin much expansion in 2010. However, individual producers may well want to think about how to be positioned for beef market opportunities in the next year without necessarily committing to an aggressive expansion until the macro picture clears a bit better.
What does all this have to do with basketball? Basketball is full of transitions from defense to offensive and vice versa. The key to transitioning into offense is anticipating it and how you play out the final stages of the defensive phase. This is similar to the situation for cow-calf producers. Cattle industry expansion begins with cow herd expansion and cow-calf producers have an opportunity now to think about positioning themselves to be ahead of the game when it comes time to be on the offense. Decisions to expand in 2010 or at least building the flexibility to begin expansion mostly need to be made in the first few months of the year before summer grazing.
This might involve returning cow numbers to normal if they are currently low or it might involve saving a few more heifers to set up herd growth in the next 12-18 months or it might involve producing replacement heifers that may get to be in strong demand in late 2010 or in 2011. Producers should think about how they can be prepared for a more aggressive production plan and what signals will trigger them to act ahead of the pack and perhaps a full year ahead of the industry in capitalizing on beef market opportunities that could break out quite dramatically when they happen.
Source: Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist
Dec. 15, 2009 >> Industry News - AM
PR Newswire via Yahoo!
Methane digesters on dairy farms could soon be a common source of energy for residents and businesses in the state of New York. That is one result of the Dairy Power Summit, held Oct. 29 and 30, 2009, in Syracuse, N.Y., which brought together more than 200 New York dairy farmers and industry stakeholders from across the country to discuss the potential for dairy-supplied renewable energy.
December 11 2009 >> USDA Rules related to National Animal Identification System put on hold.
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service declined to forecast publication of a final rule on National Animal Identification System; Use of 840 Animal Identification Numbers for U.S.-Born Animals Only, in the agency's semi-annual regulatory agenda published Dec. 7. APHIS spokeswoman Joelle Hayden tells Food Traceability Report that rules related to the NAIS have been placed on hold "until [Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack] has determined what the future direction of animal disease traceability will be. At that time, they will be reviewed and appropriate actions taken."
APHIS says the rulemaking would amend the regulations concerning the interstate movement of animals to limit the use of the animal number (AIN) with the 840 prefix to animals born in the United States. It also would require that if such a device is lost following importation into the United States, the animal may only be retagged with an official identification device using a numbering system other than an AIN beginning with an 840 prefix.
Dec. 13, 2009 >> Animal Health Starts on the Farm: The Government of Canada Launches Animal Health Awareness Campaign
TORONTO, November. 13, 2009 - The Government of Canada launched a national awareness campaign focused on key farm management practices that will help keep animals healthy and safeguard the Canadian food supply. The announcement was made today by Larry Miller, MP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound and Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.
"Farmers have a long-standing and successful history of using preventive measures as a means of keeping animals healthy on Canadian farms," said Mr. Miller on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. "This campaign will remind farmers that farm-level biosecurity is the best investment they can make to maintain the health of their animals’ and business."
As part of the Animal Health Awareness Campaign, producers across Canada will receive tips and information about biosecurity measures. Producers will be encouraged to revisit their biosecurity plans, continue to observe their animals for signs of illness and regularly consult with their veterinarians on the health of their animals.
"Healthy animals strengthen the viability of Canada’s agriculture sector – increasing food safety protection for consumers and building trust and confidence among trading partners," said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. "Our Government will continue to invest in on-farm biosecurity measures to protect the health of our animals and the industry as a whole."
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has developed this campaign and national biosecurity standards, protocols and strategies for livestock, poultry and aquaculture production in collaboration with producer organizations, provincial/territorial governments and academia.
For more information about protecting animal health, or to order an animal health campaign 2010 calendar, please contact the CFIA by telephone at 1-800-442-2342, or online at www.inspection.gc.ca
For more information, contact:
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Media Relations: 613-773-6600
November 9, 2009 - Industry News - AM. Prof debunks ‘green’ food myths
By Ann Bagel Storck on 11/9/2009
Although many consumers believe eating grass-fed meat or locally grown food are environmentally friendly decisions, that's not always the truth, according to a paper presented at the 71st Cornell Nutrition Conference.
Pasture- or grass-fed meat is perceived to be more eco-friendly than conventionally produced beef, said Jude Capper, an assistant professor of dairy sciences at Washington State University and one of the paper's authors. However, the time needed to grow an animal to slaughter weight is nearly double that of animals fed corn, she noted, which means that energy use and greenhouse gas emissions per pound of beef are increased three-fold in grass-fed beef cattle. In total, finishing the current U.S. population of 9.8 million fed-cattle on pasture would require an extra 60 million acres of land.
Another emerging trend among American consumers is the desire to purchase food grown locally. "Often 'locally grown' food is thought to have a lower environmental impact than food transported over long distances due to carbon emissions from fuel," Capper said. "This simplistic approach fails to consider the productivity of the transportation system, which has tremendous impact on the energy expended per unit of food."
The desire to protect the environment and to do so, in part, by altering personal behaviors, is admirable, Capper said. However, she emphasized that those decisions must be based on logic rather than intuition.
"Consumers might think they are making the responsible, virtuous food choices, when, in truth, they are supporting production practices that consume more natural resources, cause greater pollution and create a larger carbon footprint than more efficient, technology-driven, conventional methods," she said.
To read the full paper, click here.
Oct. 2, 2009 >> Subject: Natural fed cattle outperform artificial practices in Carcass Results at the Ontario Outdoor Farm Show Carcass Competition.
The competition held on Oct. 2, 2009 with the harvest of the 20 entries to the competition, gave out for 1st prize $2000, 2nd $750, and 3rd $250!
Production results brings into question the need implants and Rumensin and the assumption it costs 25 cents more to feed a NATURAL. It appears that if producers feed young cattle within their 'NATURAL GROWTH CURVE", they will excel, they will perform, the window of opportunity is 11-16 mos, beyond this age, you need to restart the engine, cause the "opportunity" of genetic potential and natural growth does not go beyond this age.
Roy Miller fed 5 Pinzgauers, they went 1/2/6/7/9, they were fed on our KENPAL WHOLE CORN PROGRAM. These PINZ continue to amaze with outstanding carcass qualities. Previous to this year, they have won a few years ago and were 2nd in another year.
Carl Wilcox/Tillsonburg, 1st with a p/b Pinz.
Bill Stephenson/Tillsonburg, 2nd with a PinzX.
Doug Einwechter, Shorthorn/Blue X, 3rd.
4th Lloyd Kuntz, he has been at the top before, Wagyu X.
5th, Gary Betzner, Angus/CharX.
6th, Roy Miller/Mt Elgin, P/B Pinz.
7th, Greg Wilson, another P/B Pinz.
8th, Paul Goodyear, a Pied/Angus X, Paul has been in many carcass competitions and has won his share, Arthur area.
9th, Dennis Robinson/Brigden, he to has a P/B Pinz.
The following calves were fed on the KP distillers program:
Ken Mills went 10th, calf came from Sally Pellebore, was a May 08 calf, carcass wt last week of 957 lbs, he was a AAA, he was a Sim/Angus, he was 15-16 mos old,
Hugh MacNeil went 11th, a calf he bought from Henry/Jeff Brunett, Angus X.
Cathy Langstaff/Brigden went 12th, a P/B Blonde, he was a AA and went yield at 62.
Paula Ritchie-Morton, this one fed at COSTALOTA RANCH, he was a Brunett calf, Angus X, placed 13th.
14th, and entry from Stan Brien/Highgate, a Char purchased out of the Bruce County Calf Producers sale last October.
Clarence Coke he placed 15th, on our KP Gluten program.
10 out of the top 13 were fed by KENPAL, 9 on the KP Natural program.
12 out of the top 13 entries, were by cow/calf finisher guys.
The same 12 were NATURAL's, no implants and no ionophores.
The avg age of these 12, was 15.4 mos.
The avg carcass wt was 797 lbs.
Production results brings into question the need implants and Rumensin and the assumption it costs 25 cents more to feed a NATURAL. It appears that if producers feed young cattle within their 'NATURAL GROWTH CURVE", they will excel, they will perform, the window of opportunity is 11-16 mos, beyond this age, you need to restart the engine, cause the "opportunity" of genetic potential and natural growth does not go beyond this age.
Oct. 1, 2009 >> Crossbreeding – Other Factors to Consider; as Crossbreeding must have a defined methodology, and is most useful for traits that are hard to select for such as Reproduction; but unless a Producer in introducing outcross genes to maintain heterosis, the effect is lost. Click here to review this article from the 2009 GAR sale catalogue.
Oct. 1, 2009 >> Crossbreeding – Back to the Future
Is there a rationale explanation for our unwillingness to take advantage of a proven technique to enhance economic return? In my previous paper I outlined the “top ten” reasons that we have failed to capitalize on this important genetic attribute: Click here for the whole paper, from David A. Daley,
California State University, Chico
Aug. 11, 2009 >> Beef Industry News
Cattlemen fight critics on Twitter
AgWired.com ; At a recent conference, a group of cattle producers discussed ways to use social media to engage consumers and share the group's side of the story on a host of issues. The cattle industry faces a range of critics on topics such as food safety, animal welfare and environmental concerns. The cattlemen say platforms like Twitter are a personal, effective way to address these issues, one consumer at a time.
Aug. 1, 2009 >> WASHINGTON: Impinj Speedway® readers and antennas monitor freshness of meat products in METRO group's real,- future store
Impinj, Inc.
Web Site
SEATTLE , WA -- Leading UHF Gen 2 radio-frequency identification (RFID) solutions provider Impinj, Inc. today announced a groundbreaking implementation in food freshness and customer safety. Impinj delivered a UHF RFID-based system to the world's third largest retailer, METRO Group, in the most comprehensive in-store quality assurance initiative to date. At the launch of their Future Store, METRO Group began using RFID in the butchery to guarantee freshness, increase customer safety and efficiently manage inventory.
METRO Group adds an Impinj Monza™ powered tag to each meat package before placing it in a customer-facing Smart Freezer. Approximately 50 Impinj Speedway® readers and 200 Impinj near-field UHF antennas inside the Smart Freezer continually monitor the "best before" date for each package and alert store personnel to remove goods before they reach that date. Additional read points at both point-of-sale terminals and exit gates make sure that stock levels are accurately monitored at all times. As a key element in METRO Group's goal of ensuring that customers purchase only fresh meat products, Impinj's technology provides real-time, automated inventory, eliminating a tedious and error-prone daily manual inventory.
Seeking a safe, effective and financially sound solution, METRO Group selected long-term partner Impinj to pioneer the meat-tagging solution. "Impinj's position as a leader in the RFID business and their experience with item-level tagging made them the natural choice for our implementation. We have worked with them in the past and have been satisfied with the results each time," said Dr. Gerd Wolfram, managing director of METRO Group Information Technology. "We use RFID in our real,- Future Store in Toenisvorst in order to ensure the quality assurance and inventory of fresh self-service meat products. We believe it is our responsibility to provide customers with the highest level of safety possible, and working with Impinj RFID technology gives us maximum levels of performance with minimal integration issues."
The food-safety market is an ideal fit for Impinj's near- and far-field UHF RFID technology, and highlights Impinj's proven ability to deliver UHF Gen 2 RFID solutions for compelling industry problems. With successful deployments in the in-store butchery at METRO Group's real,- Future Store, Impinj has positioned itself as the leading innovator in UHF RFID solutions for food-safety applications.
Aug. 4, 2009 >> Jolley: Five Minutes With Marc John Sarrazin & The Traditional Meat Business
Let’s talk about the really good stuff. Prime cuts. The top 2%. Beef that’s insulted by even the presence of a steak knife in the same room. It’s meat that comes from only the best cattle America can produce. These are genetically blessed animals produced by a few cattlemen who know they can’t afford to take shortcuts in herd management. Until recently, these cattle produced the thick-cut, well-aged filets found almost exclusively on the menus of the finest steak houses; those richly mahoganied rooms with leather banquets, personal wine cabinets and fine cigars.
The cigars are gone. You can’t smoke in most public places today. The economy has cut into the business done by most of those ‘expense account’ restaurants. The silver lining in all this? More of that top grade, fork tender middle meat is finding its way into neighborhood supermarkets where it’s reaching a new consumer and expanding the future demand for the quality of meat rarely seen outside of Morton’s or Ruth’s Chris.
Producing beef of that quality takes an unwavering dedication to excellence that starts with the breeder and continues down the production chain all the way to specialty meat companies like New York City’s DeBragga and Spitler where Marc John Sarrazin, Jr. shares a passion for top quality beef with his customers. A second generation meat man and a third generation connoisseur, he owes his career to the influences of his grandmother, who owned a café in “old country” France, and his father who was a butcher.
Less than 20 years after immigrating to America in 1954, Marc Sarrazin, Sr. purchased an interest in the hotel-supply meat shop his son manages and co-owns today. First, though, he taught his son the art of hand cutting and dry aging beef. A half century later, Sarrazin, Jr. is still convinced the traditions and the quality he can deliver matter more than the size of his business. Up against competition from large broadline distributors, he manages to get exceptional beef onto the menus of some of the best restaurants in New York.
Sarrazin is serious about catering to his restaurant customers and understanding their need for the finest beef. While honoring the family traditions, he’s brought the business into the 21st century by watching new restaurant trends and anticipating the desires of the chefs they supply.
Regardless of Sarrazin’s understanding of his niche market, can an old-fashioned meat specialist like DeBragga and Spitler survive in today’s brutal, lowest-cost-at-any-cost marketplace? Is there still room at the top? And what can a beef producer do to help businesses like DeBragga prosper?
Q. DeBragga and Spitler is an old school business with a lot of traditions. What are some of those, and how do they serve your business today?
A. There is no substitute for quality, which is what my father believed in. This used to be a country like in old Europe – of small independent farmers, small ranchers, small grocers, small supermarket guys – the kind that pack vegetables in a bag and add up the numbers for you. That’s part of the background I come from. I have a real appreciation for, and know why things are done the old-fashioned way: because it works. That being said, you have to add some modern methods and technologies like vacuum packaging and sanitation processes. These are all good things. But at the end of the day, you have to have a great product and handle it right.
I think the artisanal kind of approach of really doing things the way they should be done is a tradition that matters. It’s a real personal commitment on my part that can’t possibly be changed. That’s what’s going to differentiate us from the broadliners of the world. Small, independent meat purveyors are going to survive with a certain amount of determination and perseverance. We have to take that route and not short-cut things. To get that true, dry-aged flavor profile our customers want, we have to put at least three to four weeks on it. You can’t rush this process. These are the kinds of traditions that are going to help us survive and prosper. I really believe that.
Q. Times are tough, especially for white table cloth restaurants. They’re your business’s sweet spot and they’re closing down or cutting back while they try to ride out the economic downturn. How do you manage to keep a strong demand for beef when your best customers are tightening their belts in foodservice?
A. We fight the price battle all the time, and I can tell you, there’s nothing easy about it. But at the end of the day, I remember one of the oldest lessons I’ve learned – the most expensive thing in a restaurant is an empty seat. To draw people in now, you’ve gotta have quality, quality, quality. Nowadays, diners are deciding maybe they don’t need to eat beef four or five times a week like they did 30 years ago. So when they do eat it, they want that incredible experience. For those people, the fact that a dry aged piece of beef costs a little bit more is worth it. They’re only going to eat it once or twice a week, so they have more of a tendency to want a really great piece of meat.
The best thing that happened to our company was when we went on board with Certified Angus Beef ®. That was nearly 30 years ago, and it’s still the product we’re proud to serve, still the lead item we sell. Customers chase the product. We tell them we think it’s a good product, they try it, they come to love it, and they recognize that it’s consistent and quality that they don’t get anywhere else. In the end, the customer doesn’t change; the demand for quality beef is still the same.
Q. You started as a meat cutter three decades ago. Now you deal with restaurant owners and chefs who sell your beef product directly to end consumers. What do these consumers want from beef producers?
A. I wish I knew more about the production end of the business. You know, I don’t put myself in the position that I should tell anybody what to do. I can just tell them what my client’s needs are, and that’s continued great quality, continued commitment to humane animal handling, coming up with new products and better communication. Maybe education is what is really needed, because there is a lot of misinformation about the beef industry, even amongst distributors like myself who consider themselves meat specialists. Certainly among chefs there’s a lot of misinformation – I don’t think people understand the money or infrastructure needed for the beef industry to survive and produce quality cattle.
People are going to look for a more naturally raised product. I think animal husbandry is a big deal. There are a lot of newer chefs, especially classically trained chefs, who want “better” products, and to them it means products that are cleaner, products that are handled better, products that are responsible to the environment and to the animal. The customer base hasn’t changed. The newer generation of chefs may be looking for more natural products, but they want natural beef that still tastes good, has great beef conformation, great marbling and flavor.
Q. What keeps you going away from the shop, and what keeps you up at night?
A. My pride and joy are my family, wife Bernadette, and our children, Kristen, Eric and Peter. I like to golf and entertain friends and family. With three children, I think about those three college tuitions to pay.
The economy keeps me up; bad credit keeps me up. I wonder am I going to get paid for the merchandise I am going to sell? Am I going to be able to survive in a world of convenience and the “fast food nation” approach versus the way I believe product should be handled? I think about that every day. That’s what keeps me up at night.
That being said, I enjoy my work and I promise you that our company will keep fighting and leading the charge for great products and ingredients for the next generation of chefs.
Aug. 1, 2009 >> US giving too much food safety control to foreign countries
By Rory Harrington, Related topics: Quality & Safety, Cleaning / Safety / Hygiene
The United States is giving away too much control to some foreign countries over food safety as trade concerns over-ride health issues, a leading US politician has said.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro made the comments as she called for the US Department of Agriculture to reform its system for the granting of meat imports. The Democrat representative for Connecticut, who chairs the congressional committee in charge of appropriating funds to the USDA, said the current arrangements ceded too much control to overseas authorities. "I think we need to take a hard look" at overhauling the way the United States deems other nations' food safety rules equivalent to the U.S. system”’ she said. “When you grant equivalency, you lose most of the control of the process.”
She challenged the wisdom of a USDA’s decision taken a few years ago to allow imports of poultry from China. She said that recent Chinese food scandals made her question whether US importers could be sure the meat had been properly cooked in the first place.
DeLauro’s committee has stopped the USDA from giving Chinese poultry imports the go-ahead and urged the ban continue into next year. A bill, which currently awaits Senate approval, would insist on special inspections before the imports were permitted.
Opponents of the ban – including a coalition of US meat companies – fear the measure could trigger economic reprisals from China – which has already lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The group includes major meat processors and producering companies such as Tyson, Sanderson Farms and Pilgrim’s Pride.
Coalition spokesman and lawyer Kevin Bosch said: "We will not be able to avoid a serious trade confrontation with China if Congress does not reconsider.” During the hearing, other members of the committee expressed concerns over the safety of meat imports, with two consumer groups called for more inspections on foreign plants. Consumer group Public Citizen said Japan and Europe had “gone one better” and had their own overseas inspectors as well as carrying out a greater number of border re-inspections.
July 31, 2009 >> Canada – Minimal Producer Cost Expected for Traceability: Federal Agriculture Minister, Gerry Ritz, says livestock and poultry producers need not worry about seeing significant increases in their costs due to the new announcement of the implementation of a mandatory traceability system by 2011. Ritz also stated that farmers will have to bear some of the cost but that the investment will pay off tenfold as our products reach new markets. Web Site
Canada – Traceability Helps Find Markets: McDonald’s Canada has decided that its ground beef from Canadian cull cows will come from Quebec, in part because it has a beef traceability program. A Japanese restaurant chain has also decided to invest in a Quebec facility that will supply product to Japanese consumers based on Quebec’s ability to guarantee the lineage of the meat. Gib Drury, chair of Canada Beef Exporters Federation says that “Traceability isn’t our only selling point but it has been key. It has been a marketing gold mine”. Web Site
Canada – Traceability a Detriment Unless All Countries Comply: Ted Bilyea, a former senior executive with Maple Leaf Foods says that Canada gets labelled as being riddled with animal health and disease issues because it has an effective surveillance system and is transparent in reporting outbreaks. Many other countries may or may not have surveillance in place or report what they’re finding. Web Site
Twenty- Eighth Regional Conference for Latin America and the Carribean This is a 2004 report but might contain useful information for anyone interested in this area. Web Site
Jamaica – Animal Identification System Coming: The government will be turning up the heat on livestock thieves who continue to plague farmers. State Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries JC Hutchinson announced in Parliament that a multi-million dollar contract has been signed to implement the Animal Identification System (AIS) in which a microchip will be used to trace animals. Web Site
July 30, 2009 >> Canadian Angus Association Member Update
World Angus Forum Highlights
Six years of planning. One thousand Angus cattle. Seven hundred and seventy registered attendees from 20 countries. More than 450 volunteers working thousands of hours. One world-class equestrian facility. It all adds up to an overwhelming success.Canada's Angus breeders have much to be proud of. We showcased our best and hosted the world at an event that will not soon be forgotten. We have outlined some of the highlights below. Visit our website for more highlights and some photos. Click here for full story.
July 20, 2009 >> Wal-Mart considers eco-ratings
By Dairy Herd news source
A new environmental rating program is being unveiled by Wal-Mart Stores this week.
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, this step could redefine the design and makeup of consumer goods sold around the globe. The downside is it could boost costs for suppliers and customers.
This new environmental rating system would give Wal-Mart customers the ability to pick and choose products – from t-shirts to televisions, based on the products environmental ratings. And, the index would not just measure the environmental cost to produce the product, but also the impact the product would have over its life span.
It is unknown when consumers will see the labels in store. It could be a half decade or as early as 2011. And, experts say the labels would need to understandable by consumers yet scientifically accurate.
Wal-Mart executives believe that someday environmental labeling will be just like nutritional labeling on products is today.
The Wall Street Journal reports that some of Wal-Mart’s earlier efforts have had a wide-ranging impact -- from selling more than 100 million low-energy fluorescent bulbs to the creation of concentrated detergents that use less packaging and water.
Read the entire article.
Source: Wall Street Journal
July 16, 2009 >> 10th World Angus Forum The Canadian Angus Association hosted the 10th World meeting of the Angus breed in Calgary, Alberta. Angus Forum Results website, Click here.
Stefan Oellinger, VP Operations & Greg Nolan, CFO of Kerr Farms Sales attended the event for the Media Launch of the Angus genetic verification program, "Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed" program. Kerr Farms Sales has joined this initiative, and will move towards the traceability of our Producers production within the Angus & CCIA database that will provide the opportunity to eliminate our own database of sourced verified Angus genetics. This program provides an independent certification and in fact, certifies our customers with the CAA endorsed product.
July 14 > The World Sale was held, with top price of $32,500. Results
July 15 > Red Angus breed show. Results
July 16 > Angus breed show. Results
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June 1, 2009 >> Kerr Farms announces the appointment of Greg Nolan, MBA as Chief Financial Officer of the Company effective June 1, 2009; Greg brings a wealth of beef industry experience to the Kerr Farms Ontario Angus Beef team, and he will be located in the Toronto head office of Kerr Farms, at 10 Shorncliffe Rd, Toronto ( 427 & Dundas) ; Office Phone at 416 767 7322 or Toll Free 1 888 593 1349.
Click here for the Kerr Farms Ontario Angus Beef website.
The Kerr Farms brand was created to bring together farmers who believe in raising natural and traditionally raised food in an animal friendly and environmentally friendly way.Kerr Farms was founded in 2005 by three Ontario farmers and the owner of a local food distribution company. The four founders were united by their shared passion to provide the marketplace with healthy, local food that allowed the farmers involved to remain sustainable and earn a fair income.
In July of 2008, Kerr Farms head office went through some changes that are ongoing and as of June 1, 2009 have initiated a growth strategy plan, including bringing onboard Corinne Sweetin as Kerr Farms Producer Partner Alliance Coordinator, whom will operate the database for providing the finished cattle for harvest based upon customer demand.
At present, the Kerr Farms product line is focused on the Production Protocol of “Traditionally Raised” without the use of added Hormones, Antibiotics or Animal By Products; on cattle containing at least 50% Angus genetics. Payments to Producers are based upon “Traditionally Raised” Production Protocol & the Kerr Farms Value Grid of a combination of a targeted Quality Grade (QG) of AA & AAA & Yield Grade (YG) of Y1 & Y2.
Kerr Farms products are available at all Ontario Sobeys stores under Sobeys’ Compliments .......Just Beef brand, Kerr Farms OAB high value cut such as Tenderloins, Striploins, & Rib steaks, as well as hamburger patties at various retail locations, as well as a complete line to most Foodservice Providers for restaurant and Food service trade. (out)
Please contact the Kerr Farms Ontario Angus Beef office for more information of how you can become part of this Beef Production Value Chain.
Eugene Miniota,
President
Kerr Farms Sales (Chatham) Ltd.
(416) 767-7322
888-593-1349
Fax 416-767-4466
Email: Treeline@bellnet.ca
www.kerrfarms.ca
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