FSIS Calls For HACCP Reassessment For Mechanically Tenderized Beef

Processors of mechanically tenderized beef that they must reassess their HACCP plans for E. coli O157:H7 and other biological hazards potentially associated with the product. - Posted 5/31/05 by JBW

Canada, Meatpackers Cheer New OIE Standards

Beef from cattle of all ages can now be traded among all nations, regardless of any one nation's history of BSE, provided certain procedures are followed. - Posted 5/31/05 by JBW

House Judiciary Committee Approves Obesity Lawsuit Legislation

Legislation designed to protect the food industry from liability claims that food products are responsible for weight gain or obesity. - Posted 5/31/05 by JBW

Fire in their Bellies

Sixty Percent of Americans Prefer Hot Dogs Grilled, New Hot Dog Council Poll Data Shows. - Posted 5/27/05 by JBW

9 CFR Part 417 [Docket No. 04–042N] - HACCP Plan Reassessment for Mechanically Tenderized Beef Products

FSIS published a notice in the Federal Register to inform establishments that produce mechanically tenderized beef products to reassess that HACCP plans. - Posted 5/27/05 by JBW

OIE Alters BSE Standards

The World Organization for Animal Health has made changes in its recommendations for trade status with countries of various risk categories concerning BSE. - Posted 5/27/05 by JBW

Johanns Names Members To National Advisory Committee On Meat And Poultry Inspection

- Posted 5/26/05 by JBW

Cruelty Claims

An animal rights group says Tyson workers mistreated chickens. - Posted 5/26/05 by JBW

Economic Impact Analysis:  BSE Rulemaking

USDA's estimated costs of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) rulemaking and operational model to estimate the economic effects of the rulemaking. - Posted 5/25/05 by JBW

Japan In Final Stages Of Reopening Market To U.S. Beef

Japan's independent Food Safety Commission to decide whether the market should remain closed to U.S. and Canadian beef products. - Posted 5/25/05 by JBW

Meat Safety Under the Microscope

The initial bull market for beef created huge trade for low-priced, good quality meat. But it also opened the door to food safety and health issues. - Posted 5/24/05 by JBW

Cattlemen's Beef Board Pledges To Improve Checkoff In Wake Of Supreme Court Win

Jay O'Brien, vice chairman of the Cattlemen's Beef Board says they will work with all affected organizations to improve the Checkoff. - Posted 5/24/05 by JBW

Supreme Court Upholds Beef Checkoff

The beef checkoff survives. - Posted 5/23/05 by JBW

  

Correction:  Supreme Court Checkoff Vote Was 6-3

 

USDA Press Release - Release No. 0179.05

Trade Urged

AMI creates a new website to encourage the resumption of the beef trade between the United States and Canada. - Posted 5/20/05 by JBW

COOL Delayed Even Longer

Proponents of country-of-origin labeling will have longer to wait. - Posted 5/19/05 by JBW

Name That Meat

USDA and FDA propose new rules for identifying food products. - Posted 5/19/05 by JBW

Hot Dog And Bun Manufacturers Sign "Piece" Treaty

Ever wonder why hot dogs and hot dog buns are sold in different quantities? - Posted 5/19/05 by JBW

FMD Hoax

A second letter to New Zealand newspaper says foot and mouth disease threat was a hoax. - Posted 5/19/05 by JBW

USDA Announces BSE Roundtable Discussion

Johanns Notes Enhanced Surveillance Program Successes. - Posted 5/18/05 by JBW

An audit conducted by Dennis R. Buege and Steven C. Ingham ( University of Wisconsin-Madison).  Thirty one State-Inspected and FSIS-Inspected Wisconsin smaller-scale plants were sampled for the presence of Listeria species in their post-lethality environments.  - Posted 5/16/05 by JBW

Gene Link?

South Korean researchers are looking to create BSE-resistant beef cattle. - Posted 5/16/05 by JBW

Wendy's Finger Traced To Diner's Associate

Partial finger traced to an associate of the female diner's husband. - Posted 5/16/05 by JBW

Japanese To End BSE Testing Of Some Imported Cattle

Japanese governmental authorities from the ministries of Health and Agriculture will allow the import of beef from cattle aged 20 months and younger provided specified risk materials (SRMs) have been removed at slaughter. - Posted 5/16/05 by JBW

Another Step Closer

Japan's ruling party recommends lifting the ban on U.S. beef, but asks for consumer input. - Posted 5/13/05 by JBW

Student Graduation Prank May Be Behind N.Z. FMD Threat

N.Z. police officials are eyeing students from Massey University as the source of a letter threatening to infect New Zealand cattle with foot-and-mouth disease. - Posted 5/12/05 by JBW

FMD Hoax

New Zealand's meat industry calls for calm after a suspected biosecurity threat is proved a hoax. - Posted 5/11/05 by JBW

"PETA Kills Animals," Times Square Billboard Avers

A massive billboard in Times Square claims that PETA euthanasized animals. - Posted 5/10/05 by JBW

State Bills Seek Harsher Penalties For Attacks On Food Processors, Farmers

Lawmakers in states including OH, NY, MO and PA are promoting bills that would make attacks by radical animal-rights activists and environmentalists subject to stiffer penalties. - Posted 5/10/05 by JBW

Japan Ready To Drop Universal Testing For BSE

The Japanese Food Safety Commission finally approved the end of universal testing of cattle for BSE. - Posted 5/9/05 by JBW

Experts Resign

Two animal handling experts step down from KFC's animal welfare advisory board over confidentiality agreement. - Posted 5/9/05 by JBW

Non-Ambulatory Inventory

USDA reports that the number of non-ambulatory cattle decreased slightly last year. - Posted 5/6/05 by JBW

USDA Unveils Draft National Animal ID System

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns released a draft National Animal Identification System (NAIS) that shifts from voluntary in its first year to mandatory by January 2008. - Posted 5/6/05 by JBW

Voluntary COOL Bill Introduced In House

The bill calls for a voluntary country-of-origin labeling program to supplant a mandatory program set to go into effect in September 2006. - Posted 5/5/05 by JBW

Ranchers Dumping Cattle Carcasses In New Mexico

Authorities in New Mexico say that they're seeing a sharp increase in such dumping. - Posted 5/4/05 by JBW

Irony: Now Canada Is Collecting Tariffs For U.S. Hogs

Canada, the EU and several other countries started collecting retaliatory tariffs on a wide selection of American exports. - Posted 5/2/05 by JBW

K-State: BSE Has Cost Industry Billions In Lost Exports

The single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy discovered in Washington state in late 2003 cost the beef industry $3.2 to $4.7 billion in 2004. - Posted 5/2/05 by JBW

Mandatory Identification

USDA Secretary Mike Johanns hints at the introduction of a mandatory animal identification system. - Posted 5/2/05 by JBW