During The National Provisioner’s visit to Butterball’s Garner, N.C., headquarters and Mount Olive, N.C., processing facility, Andy Hanacek, editor-in-chief of the magazine, discussed the transition and future of Butterball with CEO Rod Brenneman, who was named to the position in September 2011. What follows is their conversation:
The year 2011 has passed, and many processors are sad to see it go. Even with the economic uncertainty that has plagued the United States for several years, many companies in this industry reached record sales figures and operating income.
The beef industry has been focused on dealing with E. coli O157:H7 since the 1993 Jack in the Box outbreak. Researchers at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) have been conducting studies since then to help the industry reduce the risk of this pathogen ending up in beef products.
In September, the Food Safety and Inspection Service issued Directive 6900.2 Revision 2.
This 40-page document provided much-needed clarification on several potential animal welfare-related issues in livestock slaughter facilities.
The Harrison, Ohio-based processor plans to use its position as a recognized supplier of nutritional protein options as a launching pad into growth across foodservice, chain-restaurant and retail channels.
Tom Chestnut, vice president for Supply Chain Food Safety and Quality for NSF International, discusses the impact of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2011 Estimates of Foodborne Illness in the U.S., the top five pathogens that contribute to domestically acquired foodborne illness are Norovirus, Salmonella (nontyphoidal), Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter spp. and Staphylococcus aureus.