|
April 2011
|
|
|
Click this seal to go to the top of the newsletter
|
|
NTF Staff
| |
President
Joel Brandenberger; Ext. 7226
Legislative
Damon Wells; Ext. 7232
Leslee Oden; Ext. 7228
Scientific & Regulatory
Hilary Thesmar; Ext. 7233
Andrew Bailey; Ext. 7224
Communications
Sherrie Rosenblatt; Ext. 7227
Adrienne Richards; Ext. 7223
Kelley Hower; Ext. 7234
Membership
Jen Zukowski; Ext. 7229
Clara Sackey; Ext. 7221
|
|
|
|
President's Message
| |
Greetings!
In a busy world where we are constantly bombarded with information, how best can a trade association communicate its activities and accomplishments to its members? Something that was a challenge in a pre-Internet, pre-fax and pre-email world has become an even more daunting task today.
There is no foolproof answer, but the best hope is in communicating through methods that are easy to access from anywhere, and NTF takes another step in that direction with this issue of Turkey - Today and Tomorrow. Starting today, the NTF newsletter has become fully mobile, as in viewable on virtually any mobile phone that has email and web-browsing capabilities.
If you open the email that contains this newsletter on your mobile phone, you'll see a prompt that says, "Having trouble viewing this email? Click here." Press that and your phone will jump to the web browser with an easily readable version of the newsletter.
This isn't to discourage anyone from reading it at their desk or printing it out and reading it the old-fashioned way. But, we know how busy you are, and we want to respond to the challenges you face every day by getting this important information to you in a convenient, interactive format.
Obviously, any new ventures will need "tweaking" along the way, so please let us know what you like about this new format and what you feel could be improved. We hope you enjoy this new newsletter format, and we look forward to your feedback.
Sincerely,
|
We want to remind you that you must log on to the "Members' Only" website in order to go to some of the links contained in the body of this newsletter. Your username and password are below:
Username:
Password:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Legislative
| |
Multiple Anti-VEETC Bills Introduced in Senate and House: Ethanol continues to be a hot topic on Capitol Hill with multiple anti-ethanol tax credit bills introduced in the Senate and House. NTF worked with a coalition of 90 business associations, taxpayer advocates, hunger and development organizations, agricultural groups, free-market groups, religious organizations, environmental groups, budget watchdogs, and public interest organizations to send a letter to congressional leadership urging Congress to let the VEETC (Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, or blender's credit) expire. Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Ben Cardin, D-Md., have introduced the bipartisan VEETC Repeal Act (S.520); if enacted the bill will eliminate the ethanol tax credit immediately on the enactment date.
NTF sent a press release applauding Coburn and Cardin for introducing the legislation. The release was picked up by 13 media outlets, reaching a circulation of nearly 180,000.
Two pieces of legislation identical to the Coburn-Cardin Bill were introduced in the House. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., introduced H.R. 1075, the VEETC Repeal Act, and Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J., introduced H.R. 1188, the Repeal Ethanol Subsidies Today Act of 2011. A second Senate bill (S. 530), which targets specifically corn-based ethanol subsidies, was introduced by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Jim Webb, D-Va. The bill would repeal the 45-cent-per-gallon ethanol tax credit for corn-based ethanol and lower the 54-cent-per-gallon ethanol import tariff to match the tax credit.
As Congress moves forward on these pieces of legislation, NTF will work to encourage Congress to pass legislation that will end to ethanol subsidies.
House Agriculture Committee Holds Hearings to Emphasize EPA's Over-Reaching Regulations: The House Agriculture Committee conducted a hearing to review the impact of EPA's regulations on agriculture. Members of the committee heard testimony from EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and rigorously questioned her on the aggressive regulatory agenda the agency is pursuing at the expense of the animal agriculture industry. As a follow up to the full committee hearing, the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Forestry conducted a hearing to address the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load, agricultural conservation practices and their implications on national watersheds. Hobey Bauhan, president of the Virginia Poultry Federation, testified on behalf of the poultry industry and highlighted the tools and programs the poultry industry are utilizing to improve water quality in the bay watershed and across the nation.
President of Virginia Poultry Federation Hobey Bauhan
testifies before a House Agriculture Subcommittee.
NTF sent a press release, which was picked up by six publications, including Feedstuffs, Southern Maryland Online, Foodmarket.com, MeatPoultry.com, Congressional Quarterly and Agri Marketing.
Agreement Reached on Mexican Trucking: President Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced that Mexico and the United States found a clear path to resolving the cross-border long-haul trucking dispute. Though not a signed agreement, this announcement sets in motion the ultimate resolution to a growing trade dispute between the two countries that has worried member companies. The proposed agreement is expected to be available for congressional briefings, notice and comment by early April. After the comment period concludes, the Department of Transportation will work with Mexico to finalize an agreement by summer 2011.
|
|
Scientific and Regulatory
|
Technical and Regulatory FSIS Finalizes New Performance Standards for the Poultry Industry: FSIS published new Salmonella and Campylobacter performance standards for turkey and broiler carcasses that will go into effect July 2011. At that time, all processing plants will be scheduled for two new sample sets according to the new standards. There was no change to the actual standard from the original notice issued last May. However, FSIS did make some changes on how the standards will be implemented and how results will be handled.
- Turkey Standards -- For Salmonella, the new standard is 1.7 percent, which translates to no more than four positives out of a 56-sample set and has a 99-percent confidence interval. For Campylobacter, the new standard is 0.79 percent, which translates to no more than three positives out of a 56-sample set, using the 1 milliliter (mL) direct-plating method only, which NTF requested in its comment letter on the proposed standards. Turkey plants will not be categorized but will be graded on a pass or fail basis. Plants failing the Salmonella standard will be posted.
- Broiler Standards -- For Salmonella, the new standard is 7.5 percent, which translates to no more than five positives out of a 51-sample set. For Campylobacter, the new standard is 10.4 percent, which translates to no more than eight positives out of a 51-sample set and has an 80-percent confidence interval, using the 1 mL direct-plating method only. FSIS stated that they will not post Category 2 for Salmonella for the next two years but will track internally. Broiler plants failing the standard (Category 3) will continue to be posted on a monthly basis.
NTF is confident that the turkey industry will continue to meet FSIS' new performance standards. NTF updated its Salmonella Pathogen Testing Talking Points to reflect the changes.
FSIS Shares More Details About Public Health Information System: FSIS met with industry representatives on March 9 and March 30 to discuss the agency's progress on the Public Health Information System (PHIS). Training of inspectors begins this spring on the domestic component. As a result of the meetings, FSIS revealed that there would not be a "corporate" function to access PHIS data in the system so that one person could access information from multiple plants. NTF will address this with the agency since many NTF member companies have more than one plant and will need a "corporate" function. Implementation for the industry will be delayed due to uncertainty with the FSIS budget.
GAO Issues Report on Food Safety: On March 18, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued "Federal Food Safety Oversight," which focused on the lack of a government-wide plan to address food safety issues. The report recommends that the director of the Office of Management and Budget consult with the agencies responsible for food safety to develop a food safety performance plan that will be results-oriented, include strategies and necessary resources, and be updated annually.
Live Production and Environment
EPA Delays GHG Reporting: EPA delayed the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reporting deadline to Sept. 30, 2011. Food manufacturers and agriculture producers emitting less than 25,000 tons per day had been exempt in previous announcements, but overall this is a good sign that EPA is willing to delay reporting to allow manufacturers in the United States time to comply.
NRCS Releases Conservation Assessment for Chesapeake Bay: The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released the final version of the Conservation Effects Assessment Project Report for the Chesapeake Bay. The report, analyzed by both the industry and environmental groups, estimates that nearly 90 percent of the cropland in the watershed is under some type of conservation tillage and nearly 50 percent has structural best management practices in place to minimize nutrient runoff. This report has some clear differences from EPA's modeling on the Chesapeake Bay, and agriculture groups are requesting that the differences be reconciled before EPA proceeds with their implementation of Total Maximum Daily Loads (see Legislative article).
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Rules in Favor of the Industry on CAFOs: The Fifth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans on March 15 issued a ruling that vacated the provisions in the 2008 rule that required CAFOs to apply for a permit unless there is an actual discharge. The court deleted the rule that created a liability for failing to apply for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. The court upheld the provisions requiring a permit for land application. Overall, this is a huge win for animal agriculture and will ultimately change how EPA regulates CAFOs with respect to NPDES permits in the future.
Worker Safety and Health/Human Resources
Human Resources Council Meeting: The Joint Poultry Industry Human Resources Council will meet during the 2011 Human Resources Seminar on Monday, April 18, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Sawgrass Marriott in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. More information is available here.
Employee Benefits Survey: The Joint Poultry Industry Human Resources Council is exploring the possibility of developing a general employee benefits survey. A draft survey has been developed and the committee will review the next steps at the upcoming April meeting (see above).
Poultry Industry Safety Awards: Sixty-two applications were received for the Joint Poultry Industry Safety Awards, compared to 48 entries in 2010. The awards will be presented on June 3 during the 2011 National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry.
|
|
Marketing Communications
|
Marketing Spring has Sprung on EatTurkey.com: NTF's website, EatTurkey.com, has been updated with fresh content to include ideas for spring. The homepage features NTF's how-to turkey cooking video of Gena Knox, co-founder of Fire & Flavor, making Grilled Turkey Bratwurst. The foodservice and consumer sections of the website were updated with seasonal recipes and featured turkey products. During the first two months of 2011, EatTurkey.com received more than 45,700 visits. |
Mark Your Calendars!
"Upgrade It" with Turkey Research Announcement
April 28, 2011
Mobilizing Moms to Fight Childhood Obesity
New survey results and mom-friendly online tools will be unveiled at MealUpgrade.com.
|
Issues NTF Instrumental in Encouraging Response to HSUS Article: At NTF's request, the Animal Agriculture Alliance sent a letter to American Way Executive Editor Adam Pitluk in response to the February 2011 article, "Fierce Creature," which conveys a very inaccurate portrayal of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) CEO Wayne Pacelle. After receiving the letter, the Animal Agriculture Alliance was contacted by Pitluk who apologized for his lack of judgement. He admitted to the Alliance that he was "duped" and should have included both sides of the story. He affirmed that American Way would never feature HSUS or other animal rights groups again. NTF Joins New Alliance to Tell Real Story of Modern Food Production: NTF is one of 43 groups that formed the Alliance to Feed the Future to better articulate how food is produced given the increasing misperceptions on modern food production and technology. Members span all sectors of the food chain and include professional societies, commodity groups, industry and academia. The Alliance to Feed the Future website is home to an assortment of resources and information ranging from farm to fork. Farm to Fridge Video Release: The animal activist group Mercy for Animals (MFA) kicked off a nearly three month 40-city tour to showcase its new video, Farm to Fridge. Narrated by James Cromwell, who is known for his role in the movie Babe, the film takes viewers inside nearly all types of animal production and processing operations across the United States and features graphic footage that was compiled from various undercover videos the group has developed in the past. NTF is working with the Center for Food Integrity, Animal Agriculture Alliance, American Meat Institute and National Chicken Council on a coordinated industry response. So far the movie has not received much traction, and NTF has received no media inquiries. As a resource, the turkey industry's talking points on Farm to Fridge are available here. |
|
Member Services | |
Preferred Supplier Membership: According to NTF's Strategic Plan, the federation's goal is to have 300 preferred supplier members by 2012. You can help us reach that goal by retaining your membership or helping us recruit new ones.
Thank you to those preferred supplier members who have renewed their membership. If you have not renewed your membership, payments can be made over the phone, by check or online through the "Members' Only" website.
NTF members are the lifeblood of the federation, and we are seeking new members to join. If you have any prospective new member leads, please fill out the referral form.
Did You Know? NTF's "Members' Only" website provides talking points on important industry issues.
- Log into the "Members' Only" website using your username and password (see President's Message).
- Click "In the Media" on the left side of the screen.
- Click "Issues" located in the drop down menu. There you will find a list of turkey industry talking points on various issues.
|
|
Giblets
|
Butterball, LLC's, facility in Carthage, Mo., received OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) highest safety rating, VPP Star Certification, for its implementation of a world-class worker safety program.
Dr. Gregory Parham is the new USDA APHIS administrator. Health magazine featured Dunkin' Donuts' Egg White Turkey Sausage Wake-up Wrap as one of the Top 10 healthy breakfast meals from fast food restaurants. CKE Restaurants unveiled five Charbroiled Turkey Burgers under 500 calories, becoming the first national fast-food chain to add turkey burgers to its permanent menu.
Red's All Natural, LLC, added a Turkey Molé Burrito to its frozen food line.
Turkey To Go, known for its concession at the Minnesota State Fair, mobile food truck and full-service catering, is opening a new concession at Target Field on April 8 at the Minnesota Twins home opener.
The Minnesota Turkey Growers Association (MTGA) recognized the following individuals during its annual meeting in Saint Paul, Minn.:
- Steve Olson for his 10 years of service as MTGA executive director.
- John Burkel with MTGA's President's Award for showing true dedication and commitment to the goals of the association.
- Russ Christenson, general manager, Northern Pride Coop., with the Ranelius Award for his significant contributions to the industry.
- Marilyn McAlpine, retired MTGA home economist, with the "Turkey Promoter of the Year" award.
WATT will host five complimentary educational webinar sessions on Feeding the Globe on April 6.
The 2011 Poultry Processor Workshop, sponsored by U.S. Poultry and Egg Association's Poultry and Egg Institute, will focus on the impact of grain markets and new processing technology, May 11-12, in Atlanta.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
