| Archived
News - February 2005 |
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FSIS
Ground Beef Sampling Shows Substantial E. coli O157:H7 Decline
In 2004
The
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service released data
showing a 43.3% drop in the percentage of E. coli O157:H7
positive ground beef regulatory samples collected in 2004
compared with the previous year. -
Posted 2/28/05 by JBW
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USDA
Releases Technical Assessment On The Implementation Of The
Canadian Feed Ban
USDA
team said the ban is being effectively implemented, leaving
intact the department's plans to reinstate some trade
in beef and cattle with Canada on March 7th. -
Posted 2/28/05 by JBW
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USDA
Releases Technical Review Of Canadian Feed Ban
USDA
reviewed the Canadian ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban and
compliance by feed mills/operators and essentially gave
the Canadians a clean bill of health. -
Posted 2/28/05 by JBW
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OIE
Appears To Back USD In R-CALF Lawsuit
David Wilson,
head of international trade development for the World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE, its initials in French)
appears to have backed the USDA in its litigation with
R-CALF USA. -
Posted 2/24/05 by JBW
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Import
Processes Available Online For Canadian Cattle And Products
From APHIS
APHIS
has issued a series of documents for importers that plan
to import cattle and beef product from Canada. -
Posted 2/23/05 by JBW
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Clothing
Drive
The U.S.
Supreme Court will decide if meat plant workers should
be paid for donning and doffing their gear. -
Posted 2/23/05 by JBW
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Meat
Matters
Pregnant
vegetarians may be harming their unborn children.
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Posted 2/23/05 by JBW
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Sausage
Made Easy (4th Edition)
New 4th Edition is Now Available! Fifteen
years have passed since Jerry Hall wrote the first
edition of Sausage Made Easy now known throughout
the industry as the "source" for sausage making
and smoked meat products. -
Posted 2/23/05 by JBW
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FSIS
Released Generic E. coli and Salmonella Baseline Results
The
FSIS published the results of baseline studies that it
has conducted on generic Escherichia coli (E.
coli) and Salmonella. -
Posted 2/17/05 by JBW
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The
American Meat Institute launches a new website
(www.animalhandling.org)
aimed at enhancing
humane animal handling.
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Posted 2/17/05 by JBW
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Death
Penalty Given
The U.S.
sausage processor, who killed three meat inspectors, is
sentenced to death. -
Posted 2/17/05 by JBW
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Gloves
Or Bare Hands? It's A Wash
Los
Angeles Times article. - Posted 2/15/05 by JBW
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Crawford
To Head FDA
President
Bush announced that he will nominate Lester M. Crawford
to serve as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
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Posted 2/15/05 by JBW
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FSIS
Establishes Food Emergency Response Network Division
The USDA's
FSIS announced the establishment of a new division that
will play a major role in developing the Food Emergency
Response Network (FERN). -
Posted 2/15/05 by JBW
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Senate
Coalition Attempts To Stymie Canadian Border Opening
Nine U.S.
senators have formed a bipartisan coalition and introduced
a "resolution of disagreement" with the USDA's final rule
designating Canada a minimal-risk region. -
Posted 2/14/05 by JBW
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Delay
Possible
A technicality
may delay USDA's plans to reopen U.S. markets to Canadian
cattle and beef. -
Posted 2/14/05 by JBW
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| Japanese
Man Dies From vCJD
Japan confirmed
its first case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a
fatal brain-wasting disease similar to bovine spongiform
encephalopathy. -
Posted 2/11/05 by JBW
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Industry
Reacts To Johanns' Order To Delay Imports Of Meat From Older
Cattle
Industry
reaction to Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns' decision.
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Posted 2/10/05 by JBW
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| Johanns
To Delay Reopening Of Canadian Border To Beef From Older
Cattle
The
importation of products from cattle over 30 months of
age will be delayed pending a full review. -
Posted 2/9/05 by JBW
Statement
by Secretary Mike Johanns, USDA
Joint
Statement by Secretary Mike Johanns, USDA and Minister
Andrew Mitchell, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
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Budget
Proposed
The federal
budget asks USDA to do more. -
Posted 2/9/05 by JBW
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Meat
Marketing Workshop
Meat
Marketing Workshop held in Wisconsin perfect for producers
and meat processors (March 12, 2005).
-
Posted 2/8/05 by JBW
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Johanns'
Statement Regarding Japanese Expert Panel Meeting
Japanese
technical experts accepted the U.S. grading system as
an appropriate means to determine the age of cattle. -
Posted 2/8/05 by JBW
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| Survey
to Characterize FSIS Issued Non-Compliance Reports
The
intent of the survey is to better characterize how NRs
can be best utilized in quantifying risk in meat and poultry
establishments. -
Posted 2/8/05 by JBW
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Loss
of Small Slaughterhouses Hurts Farmers, Butchers & Consumers
Farming
Magazine article reviewing the decreasing numbers of small
slaughterhouses. -
Posted 2/8/05 by JBW
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| Canada
Considers Dye In Feed Containing Ruminant Products
The Canadian
Food Inspection Agency might require a marker dye to be
added to all animal feed containing cattle byproducts.
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Posted 2/8/05 by JBW
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Senators
Introduce Bill To Block Beef Imports From Canada
A
bill has been introduced in the Senate to set the age
of live cattle and beef products at 30 months. -
Posted 2/7/05 by JBW
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Older
Cattle Imports
USDA will
weigh the benefits of banning the importation of older
Canadian cattle. -
Posted 2/4/05 by JBW
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Senate
Committee Grills Johanns About BSE
Agriculture
Secretary Mike Johanns got an unofficial welcome to Washington
today when he testified at an at-times hostile Senate
Agricultural Committee hearing. -
Posted 2/3/05 by JBW
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| FSIS
Notice 8-05
Updating
Plant Specific Inspection System Procedures (ISP) For
Homeland Security Procedures. -
Posted 2/3/05 by JBW
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BSE
Confirmed
The European
Commission extends its testing program following the confirmation
of BSE in a goat. -
Posted 2/1/05 by JBW
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| FSIS
Notice 7-05: Industry
Self-Assessment Checklist For Food Security
The
Agency created this self-assessment instrument to provide
a tool for establishments to assess the extent to which
they have employed appropriate security measures in their
operations. -
Posted 2/1/05 by JBW
Industry
Self-Assessment Checklist for Food Security
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The
expiration date for the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopahty
(BSE) FSIS Notices are extended until February 1, 2006.
- Posted 2/1/05 by JBW
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February
8, 2005
10-11
pm EST |
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The
Butcher
In a carnivorous world, a butcher is a necessary link
in the food chain, carving a carcass of unsavory
flesh into mouthwatering cuts. We trace the grizzly
trade's evolution--from yesteryear's butcher-on-every-corner to
today's industrial butcher working on a
"disassembly" line. We tour the infamous remains
of the Chicago Stockyards, where Upton Sinclair, Clarence
Birdseye, and refrigeration changed butchering
forever; witness high-speed butchering;
and travel to a non-stop sausage factory. And if you're
still squeamish, a USDA inspector offers
the lowdown on HAACP--the country's new system of
checks and balances on everything from quality grading to
E. coli, Salmonella, and Mad Cow Disease. Finally,
we visit the last bastion of old-school butchering--the
rural custom butcher, who slaughters, eviscerates,
skins, and cuts to his customer's wishes. |
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| Food
Processors Association (FPA) Seminar
Improving
Food Safety through Enhanced Data Sharing Programs. -
Posted 2/1/05 by JBW
Survey
to Characterize FSIS Issued Non-Compliance Reports
The
intent of the survey is to better characterize how NRs
can be best utilized in quantifying risk in meat and
poultry establishments.
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| USDA
Updates Food Security Directives
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Directive
5420.1 |
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Homeland
Security Threat Condition Response Food Security
Verification Procedures |
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Directive
5420.2 |
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Homeland
Security Threat Condition Response Handling Of FSIS
Laboratory Samples Under Declared Heightened Threat
Conditions |
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Directive
5420.3 |
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Homeland
Security Threat Condition Response – Monitoring And
Surveillance Of Products In Commerce |
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Directive
5420.4 |
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Homeland
Security Threat Condition Response Emergency Procedures
For The Office Of International Affairs Import Inspection
Division |
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Directive
5420.5 |
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Homeland
Security Threat Condition Response Intelligence Reports
And Communications |
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Directive
5420.6 |
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Homeland
Security Threat Condition Response – Information Technology
Monitoring Procedures |
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Directive
5420.7 |
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Homeland
Security Threat Condition Response Human Health Monitoring
And Surveillance |
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Directive
5420.8 |
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Homeland
Security Threat Condition Response – Communication
And Public Affairs Procedures |
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| FSIS
Directive 6000.1 - Responsibilities Related to Foreign Animal
Diseases (FADs) and Reportable Conditions
Directive
provides Public Health Veterinarians (PHVs) instructions
to follow when they suspect that animals may have FADs,
or when PHVs observe symptoms of FADs or other reportable
conditions. -
Posted 2/1/05 by JBW
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FSIS
Announces Policy on Delinquent Payments for Voluntary Reimbursable
Inspection Services
The USDA's
FSIS issued a notice announcing that it will not provide
reimbursable services to establishments that have delinquent
accounts and will pursue the collection of debts owed
to it for such services. -
Posted 2/1/05 by JBW
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| Cattlemen's
Beef Board And National Cattlemen's Beef Association Release
New Beef Cut Poster
A
sneak peek at the new retail beef cut chart. -
Posted 2/1/05 by JBW
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Meat
Worker Safety Criticized
Human
rights group says employees face hazardous conditions,
harassment for reporting abuses. -
Posted 2/1/05 by JBW
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2005
Wisconsin Meat Processing School
Basic
training in sausage-making and meat curing principles
for the commercial meat processors. -
Posted 2/1/05 by JBW
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