China has announced an investigation into illegal dumping of American auto and chicken products, after Chinese industries announced that they are being hurt by unfair trade practices. The country's Ministry of Commerce announced that it is looking into subsidied for the products as well, though it didn't specify the value of the imports. Dumping refers to selling products for less than the cost of producing them.

Coincidentally, the investigation came two days after President Barack Obama imposed tariffs on imports of Chinese tires, according to Bloomberg reports. The tariffs started at 35 percent on $1.8 billion of tire imports after a United Steelworkers Union complaint. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce had opposed the decision and threatened to take their complaint to the World Trade Organization.

Should the Chinese government decide that chicken products had been “dumped” in the country, it could subject those prices to stiff tariffs as well, leaving the imports at a competitive disadvantage against those chicken products produced in China.

Referring to the duties on Chinese tire imports, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said, “For trade to work for everybody it has to be based on fairness and rules,” Gibbs said. “We’re simply enforcing those rules and would expect the Chinese to understand those rules.”

Source: Bloomberg

Beef & bean burritos recalled on Listeria fears

Windsor Foods, a Riverside, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 2,268 pounds of beef and bean burrito products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced.
The product subject to recall is 18-pound bulk cases containing individually wrapped "Butcher Boy Red Chile Beef & Bean Burritos."

Each case subject to recall, contains a total of 72 burritos and bears the establishment number "EST. 1905" within the USDA mark of inspection; the package code "1219215;" the case code "2080001;" and advises "Keep Frozen."

The products were produced on August 3, 2009 and distributed to a storage center in Minnesota for further retail sales. The products available for direct consumer purchase will not bear the establishment number and package code. Customers with concerns should contact their point of purchase.

The problem was discovered by the company. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses from consumption of these products.

Source: FSIS

Undeclared allergens lead to sausage recall

Cascioppo Brothers Meats, Inc., a Seattle, Wash., establishment, is recalling approximately 2,000 pounds of frozen sausage products because they may contain undeclared allergens, milk and soy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced. Milk and soy are known allergens, but are not declared on the labels.

The products subject to retail include 10-pound cases containing two 5-pound chubs of Cascioppo Sausage brand "Linguisa Sausage" and 10-pound cases of Cascioppo Sausage brand "Linguisa Sausage Links." The frozen sausage products were produced on various dates between March 10, 2009 and September 10, 2009, and were distributed to restaurants and FSIS-inspected establishments for further processing in Washington.

The problem was discovered by FSIS during a routine label review. FSIS has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products.

Source: FSIS

W&G Marketing celebrates 30th anniversary

W&G Marketing Co. Inc., headquartered in Ames, Iowa, will mark 30 years of serving the specialty meat industry in September 2009. W&G Marketing is a specialized meat processing and trading company that serves foodservice distributors, caterers, restaurant chains, and institutional accounts, as well as direct retail sales. In the past 30 years, W&G Marketing has grown to include a sales office, cold storage, and wholesale warehouse located in Ames, with processing plants in Jewell and Sidney, Iowa. W&G Marketing will celebrate the anniversary with a company-wide event September 19.

W&G Marketing was started in 1979 by Chairman of the Board Marvin J. Walter and Jerry Grauf, and throughout its 30-year history has focused on quality and attention to detail. Popular products include the Hickory Grove line of barbecue meats and dressed roasting pigs.

Hickory Grove products are made from pork, poultry, and Certified Angus Beef and include shredded/pulled meats, whole briskets, ribs, and portioned cook-in-bag products. The CAB BBQ Beef was chosen by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association as a finalist for Best New Beef Product for Food Service and Retail and was a featured menu item at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Whole roasting pigs are available fresh or frozen in sizes ranging from 10-150 pounds, as well as fresh and frozen dressed goat carcasses.

“Because we are relatively small and flexible, we have always been able to meet the individual needs of our customer base. We have appreciated the business of a sound and loyal group of customers, and we have endeavored to show them our appreciation by producing quality products at a reasonable cost,” says Walter.

“We strive every day to provide exceptional customer service by reacting quickly, ensuring consistency, and exceeding quality expectations,” adds W&G Marketing President Darren Dies. Dies has been with the company since 1996 and has worked to develop many of the current products. “This company was founded on quality and we continue to see opportunities for growth in the niche markets we serve.”

W&G Marketing starts with Iowa-grown meats and applies strict processing standards in plants that have the capability to process and package meat products to suit every need, including private label packaging.

The company's marketing creativity allows for unique product development and individualized packaging for any foreign or domestic market. In addition to its beef and pork products, W&G Marketing has access to Iowa grown chicken and turkey, and the capacity to expand procurement to other Midwest or national producers to find the right product for its customers. Likewise, it is able to utilize an array of spice and sauce sources to develop a customized flavor profile.

W&G Marketing also conducts biomedical animal tissue collection and has been a long-time active member of the North American Meat Processors Association.

“It has been a wonderful experience to be in the meat processing industry with W&G Marketing for the past 30 years,” says Walter. “Each day has presented new challenges and opportunities and we have been fortunate to surround ourselves with good people in getting the job done. The future is bright and only limited by our imagination. People will always want to eat high-quality meat and protein products and we have the wonderful opportunity to try to meet their needs.”

Source: W&G Marketing Co. Inc.

FSIS Issues Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Use of the Voluntary Claim "Natural" in the Labeling of Meat and Poultry Products

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that it will solicit further public comment as the Agency seeks to define the conditions under which it would permit the voluntary claim "natural" to be used in the labeling of meat and poultry products. The agency made the announcement through the publication of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR). The current FSIS policy states that the term "natural" may be used in the labeling of meat and poultry products provided that the product does not contain any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredients, chemical preservative, or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient and that the product is not more than minimally processed.

In October 2006, FSIS received a petition requesting that the Agency initiate rulemaking to establish a codified definition for the voluntary claim "natural" and to delineate the conditions under which the claim can be used on the labels of meat and poultry products. In December 2006, FSIS held a public meeting and requested comments on "natural" claims. FSIS received a high volume of comments that expressed divergent views on the use of the claim "natural" following the December 2006 public meeting.

Therefore, FSIS is publishing an ANPR to solicit more focused comments on the issue. The ANPR requests comments on a number of issues related to the use of "natural" claims in the labeling of meat and poultry products.

For detailed description of these issues, please refer to the ANPR, which is posted on FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/2009_Notices_Index/index.asp.
During the ANPR process, FSIS will continue to apply its current "natural" claims policy described in the FSIS Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book (PDF Only).

Comments on the ANPR must be received by November 13, 2009. Comments can be sent to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 5601 Sunnyside Ave, Room 2-2127, Beltsville, Md. 20705; or through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Go to www.regulations.gov and in the "Search for Open Regulations" box, select "Food Safety and Inspection Service" from the agency drop-down menu and then click on "Submit." In the Docket ID column, select FDMS Docket Number FSIS-2006-0040A to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.

For further information contact Rosalyn Murphy-Jenkins, Senior Technical Advisor, Labeling and Program Delivery Division, Office of Policy and Program Development, USDA, FSIS, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Block A, 2nd Wing, 2nd Floor Room 2-2124, Beltsville, MD 20705, or by phone at (301) 504-0868 or by e-mail at Rosalyn.Murphy-Jenkins@fsis.usda.gov.

Source: FSIS