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August 2011
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Click this seal to go to the top of the newsletter
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NTF Staff
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President
Joel Brandenberger; Ext. 7226
Legislative
Damon Wells; Ext. 7232
Leslee Oden; Ext. 7228
Scientific & Regulatory
Beth Johnson; 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
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President's Message
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Greetings!
Events unfolding in our nation's capital tend to give each NTF Leadership Conference its own unique character. For example, USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed its controversial livestock and poultry marketing rule just three weeks before last year's Leadership Conference, and Congress had its first hearing on the proposed rule during the middle of the conference. Not surprisingly, the GIPSA rule became the defining issue of the 2010 event.
This year's highly successful conference was shaped by a diverse set of forces - Congress' increasing skepticism of federal ethanol policy, the GIPSA rule again and several pending free trade agreements. And, hovering over everything was the showdown on the federal debt ceiling. The debate intensified the week of the Leadership Conference, and as of late afternoon on July 29, the outcome remained very uncertain.
For NTF members, the convergence of events allowed them to deliver messages on key policies that affect the turkey industry and to help legislators understand how the biggest issue of the day could impact operations in their district. As of last week, there remained a real chance that a failure to raise the debt ceiling could impact the ability of the government to pay meat and poultry inspectors.
From a visit by USDA's chief of staff with the Executive Committee and state association executives to another successful Leadership Dinner with key regulators, as well as an informative keynote address by Sen. Amy Klobuchar and the multiple committee meetings to the traditional Capitol Hill reception, there was something in the conference for all participants. We thank all the members and sponsors for their support in 2011, and we look forward to building on that success next year.
Sincerely,
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Legislative
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NTF's Leadership Conference a Success: More than 150 turkey industry executives participated in this year's NTF's Leadership Conference, visiting more than 100 congressional offices to talk about the government's misguided renewable fuels policy, the Grain Inspection, Packer and Stockyards Administration's flawed livestock and poultry marketing rule and the passage of the three pending Free Trade Agreements. The senior Senator from Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar, provided the keynote address, where she discussed the importance of growing U.S. agriculture exports and her compromise plan to end ethanol subsidies. The conference culminated with a high-energy congressional reception where Members of Congress and their staff enjoyed turkey appetizers and refreshments with turkey industry representatives.
GIPSA Proposed Rule Continues To Be Hot Topic: NTF President Joel Brandenberger on July 7 told a House Small Business Subcommittee that the Grain Inspection, Packer and Stockyards Administration's (GIPSA) proposed marketing rule would have devastating impacts on the poultry and livestock industries should the regulations be implemented as currently written by USDA.
In his testimony, he outlined three aspects of GIPSA's proposed marketing rule that would create enormous problems for all segments of the turkey industry: 1) the competitive injury provision that would make it easier to sue or bring regulatory action against processors, 2) the provision that requires processors to virtually guarantee growers can recoup 80 percent of their capital investments, and 3) the series of provisions that would discourage competitive contracts.
This hearing was the latest in a series of actions taken by Congress to continue to highlight the impact of the proposed rule on the ability of poultry and meat companies to manage economic and regulatory risk of raising livestock and poultry under production contracts. While the ultimate outcome of this regulation is still uncertain, the amount of pressure being placed on USDA is forcing the department to re-analyze the proposed rule. NTF sent a press release on Brandenberger's testimony to trade and DC media.
Ethanol Subsidies and Debt Ceiling Debate: Key senators on both sides of the debate about the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and the ethanol import tariff negotiated a proposed settlement that would terminate the credit and tariff immediately in return for an investment in ethanol infrastructure and other domestic energy technologies. While this proposed agreement does not signal the end of the debate, it is another sign that the $6-billion-a-year ethanol subsidy and the tariff on foreign ethanol are increasingly likely to be terminated by the end of the year. NTF does not support the negotiated settlement in its current form but remains optimistic about the long-term reform of the federal government's support for corn-based ethanol.
Key terms of the agreement include:
- The 45-cent-per-gallon VEETC will be repealed, saving nearly $2 billion through the remainder of 2011.
- The 54-cent-per-gallon tariff on ethanol imports will be allowed to expire.
- The tax credit for cellulosic biofuel production, currently set to expire at the end of 2012, will be extended for three years, with annual caps on the number of gallons, and will be expanded to include fuels from algae.
However, the real concern in the agreement, should it become law, is the ability of the ethanol industry to get tax credits for alternative fueling infrastructure, which will allow the industry to transfer one form of federal support for corn-based ethanol to another. This credit, if passed, will be extended through 2014 and is similar to how the Renewable Fuel Standard was implemented and expanded into the 15 billion gallon a year mandate.
NTF lead the coalition of livestock and poultry groups to release a statement on July 29 commending Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., along with 10 of their colleagues, for asking Senate leadership to terminate the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and tariff on imported ethanol as soon as possible. NTF was also instrumental in garnering Senate support of the letter.
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Scientific and Regulatory
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Technical and Regulatory
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert on Salmonella in Ground Turkey: FSIS on July 29 issued a public health alert on ground turkey. It is important to note this is not a recall because illnesses have not been linked to a specific product and/or company. The public health alert stated that during the last few months, an ongoing investigation has identified an increase of illnesses reported from Salmonella Heidelberg that has been linked to ground turkey.
According to FSIS, there have been approximately 70 illnesses reported from Salmonella Heidelberg. Though a specific brand or source hasn't been identified, the agency's investigation has led to a determination that there is a strong link with ground turkey.
NTF's statement on Salmonella in ground turkey is available here. NTF strongly encourages you to direct media and technical calls to the federation.
FSIS Schedule of Operations/Donning and Doffing: FSIS issued a final rule on donning and doffing time for inspection personnel. With implementation of the final rule, time spent in donning/doffing/walking is no longer distinguishable from inspection, and therefore time spent in these activities outside the basic tour of duty is treated exactly like production overtime. The rule became effective July 17 with the exception of the lunch period. Effective Aug. 14, the lunch period is an authorized duty free period; consequently, doffing (with any walking time) needs to occur before the lunch period begins and donning (with any walking time) needs to occur once the lunch period is over. Many questions remain about lunch hour implementation that FSIS continues to work to address. NTF will keep members informed as the situation evolves.
SIP Notice Published in Federal Register: In response to the FSIS notice published on July 13 about the Salmonella Verification Sampling Program, NTF staff will work with the Technical and Regulatory Committee to prepare comments. The notice is in response to comments on new agency policies and clarification of the timeline for the Salmonella Initiative Program (SIP). NTF appreciates that the program remains voluntary and that the SIP notice does not limit participation to those establishments meeting the current Salmonella standards for turkeys as measured by FSIS and does not suspend the waiver solely for not meeting the standards. Comments are due by Sept. 12.
FSIS Proposed Labeling Rule on Enhanced Meat and Poultry Products: FSIS released a proposed rule, "Common or Usual Name for Raw Meat and Poultry Products Containing Added Solutions (Enhanced Meat and Poultry Products)", to establish appropriate names for products that have solutions added (i.e. "enhanced products"). The proposed rule has a 60-day comment period. NTF is working with the Technical and Regulatory Committee to develop comments. One key component of the new rule is that it will require details about the enhanced solutions to be printed in the same font and type size as the product name.
NTF Instrumental in FSIS' PHIS Meeting: At NTF's request, the federation and other industry representatives met with FSIS officials on July 14 to walk through the training provided to agency personnel regarding the Public Health Information System (PHIS). FSIS anticipates full implementation of PHIS by the end of 2011.
NTF Submits Comments on Test and Hold Notice: NTF submitted comments supporting FSIS' proposed notice, "Not Applying the Mark of Inspection Pending Certain Test Results," which would require all establishments to maintain control of product until the agency reports test results are negative. In addition, NTF also supports the agency's position to allow establishments to move product to locations other than the processing facility as long as the company remains in control of the product. NTF will continue to monitor this issue as the notice is finalized.
NTF Submits Comments on Listeria Monocytogenes Risk Assessment: NTF submitted comments in response to a request for new data to update the "2003 Interagency Risk Assessment for Listeria Monocytogenes (L.m.) in Certain RTE Foods." The comments focused on the progress that has been made in reducing L.m. since the previous baselines, both with respect to declining human illnesses (38 percent decline, according to CDC) and USDA sampling data (96 percent decline in positive L.m. in processed meat and poultry products). The comments also noted how the increase in the usage of growth inhibitors and other technologies may have played a significant role in the reduction of L.m., and that the government should consider these technologies in their analysis.
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Technical and Regulatory Committee Presentations from NTF's 2011 Leadership Conference are available here.
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Live Production and Environment
Turkey Health and Welfare Committee Meeting: The Turkey Health and Welfare Committee met July 15 during the joint summer meeting of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Poultry Science Association and American Association of Avian Pathologists in St. Louis, Mo. Dr. Shauna Voss from the University of Minnesota and Dr. Darrel Trampel from Iowa State University discussed their work on the Federal and State Transport (FAST) Turkeys Plan. Since many NTF members are developing the FAST Turkeys Plan, NTF will continue to participate in the development of the program and provide input to ensure that the plan is feasible and efficacious.
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Live Production Committee Presentations from NTF's 2011 Leadership Conference are available here.
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Marketing Communications
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Marketing NTF's Blogger Contest Success: The Twitter community created tremendous buzz about NTF's blogger contest. Six followers of @turkeygal tweeted information on the contest, reaching more than 1,600 people on Twitter. Meanwhile, the deadline for entering NTF's Blogger Contest ended on July 31. One contestant provided some positive feedback when she wrote, "We are a family who is constantly trying to make better food choices and live a healthier, fuller life." In addition, About.com, a website that provides content to help people solve the large and small needs of everyday life, listed NTF's Blogger Contest as a top creative contest. Three finalists will now be chosen by a panel of culinary experts and chefs, and their blogs and recipes will be featured on the Meal Upgrade website. Visitors to the Meal Upgrade Calculator will vote for the Grand Prize winner who will receive an all-expense paid weekend for two people to meet, cook and dine with Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar in Portland, Ore. Upgrade It! Update: To extend the Upgrade It! message, NTF distributed a newspaper column, along with a radio and television spot. Beginning in July, a 30-second television spot was sent to more than 1,000 television stations throughout the United States. In addition, the camera-ready newspaper article, which was sent in June, so far has received placements in 200 newspapers, including the San Francisco Examiner, reaching more than 13 million readers. Finally, a 30-second radio spot has been broadcast 570 times in 27 different states to an audience of more than 22 million. As part of its partnership with ZisBoomBah, grand prize winner of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Apps for Healthy Kids" competition, ground turkey was the secret ingredient during a cook-off at the Taste of Chicago, June 24-July 3. Chef Ryan Hutmacher and Chef Patsy Bentivegna competed in the cook-off and then presented their turkey dishes before three kid judges. The judges crowned Hutmacher the winner with his ground turkey quesadillas, and Bentivegna was a close runner up with her grilled turkey burgers. 
Issues
New Consumer Website Explains Corn-Based Ethanol's Connection to Rising Meat and Poultry Prices: In mid-July,NTF, along with the American Meat Institute, National Chicken Council and National Meat Association, launched a new consumer website that explains the connection between rising food prices and federal support for corn-based ethanol. As the website's name indicates, CornforFoodnotFuel outlines how rising corn prices have contributed to increased meat and poultry costs at the grocery store. There is also a petition on the website consumers can sign that states: "Federal energy policies need to move beyond corn-based ethanol and look for the next generation of alternative fuels that don't pit food, feed and fuel needs against each other." To date, more than 600 people have signed the petition.
A news release announcing the launch has generated over 200 clips, reaching a circulation of more than 74 million.
Ethanol Opinion Editorials: NTF worked closely with the California Poultry Federation's Bill Mattos as he wrote an opinion editorial on eliminating ethanol subsidies that was placed in two California newspapers: The Modesto Bee and Sacramento Bee. In the opinion editorial Mattos highlighted how the U.S. Senate voted in favor of an amendment by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to eliminate the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit and repeal the import tariff on foreign ethanol. Mattos then encouraged readers to contact their representatives to end ethanol subsidies. NTF National Strategy Partner with USDA MyPlate Program: USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) on July 11 announced that more than 2,000 organizations, including NTF, joined its Nutrition Communications Network as a National Strategic Partner. As a partner, NTF is committed to promoting and extending the nutrition messages and "how-tos" that support the MyPlate icon, based on the recommendations found in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). On July 19 NTF attended a kick-off partnership meeting to brainstorm tactics and help build out the 2010 DGA communications calendar. During the meeting, NTF shared the findings from its latest survey, "How American Moms Perceive Childhood Obesity." |
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Member Services
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NTF Welcomes New Preferred Supplier Members!
If you work with a company that would benefit
from membership in NTF, please contact
Jennifer Zukowski Dansereau at 202/730-9642.
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Did You Know? You can view 2011 Leadership Conference photos on the "Members' Only" website? 1. Log into the "Members' Only" website using your username and password (see President's Message). 2. Click "In the Media" on the left side of the homepage. 3. Click the "Multimedia" link on the top of the page and you will find NTF's multimedia library. 4. Scroll down the page to find "Photos" where you will find the entire collection of 2011 Leadership Conference photos. |
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Giblets
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NTF was listed in the Alliance for a Healthier Generation brochure for its help with including school foodservice recipes. 
The Ruby's Diner chain added a Premium Baja Turkey Burger to its menu, continuing its "Endless Summer" promotion this month.
According to Mintel, the number of turkey burgers offered on menus has risen 53 percent in the last three years. Additionally, the number of menus for which customers have the option of switching to turkey burgers has jumped 84 percent since 2009's first quarter.
Instead of searching for foods without undesirable characteristics such as fat or sugar, American shoppers are now looking for the inclusion of components such as protein, according to survey data released by the Food Marketing Institute and Prevention magazine.
U.S. Poultry and Egg Association is accepting applications for the 2012 Clean Water Awards, which recognize outstanding water treatment plant performance in the poultry industry. Applications are due Nov. 15.
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