Cleaning crews face threats ranging from handling toxic chemicals to potentially hazardous encounters with meat processing equipment.

This article will focus on the human element of food safety, which presents the most vulnerability to food safety. There are five steps that can be implemented to educate, train and reinforce food safety.

At the mixer or blender, chilling may appear under control, but minor variations can creep in that may go unnoticed or unaddressed, adding unnecessary costs to your bottom line.

When it comes time for a processor to renovate or build a new facility, there is excitement in the air. However, as much as one might be tempted to jump into pouring concrete and putting up walls, there are food safety and hygiene considerations that must be made in the design phase.

I like to say the food industry is a dynamic landscape of innovation. A case in point is how the basic business model is ever changing.

In this video interview, Victor Granados offers his insights into why the workforce in and around Stampede Meat's new Sunland Park, N.M., facility helped make the location a great fit for the company.

In this video interview, Jim Scott talks about the ways by which Sunland Park, N.M., ended up being the final site selected for Stampede Meat’s new processing facility.

In this video interview, Brock Furlong discusses how Stampede Meat plans to give back and promote the Sunland Park, N.M., and greater El Paso, Texas, region — home of its brand new processing plant.

Being the weakest link in any organization or supply chain is not an award one should strive for. But the axiom “a team, organization or process is only as good as its weakest link” is true, as is the processes of food safety and sanitation are only as good as the weakest links. These links can be categorized into objective (mechanical) and subjective (human) areas. So how can the weakest links in the sanitary food supply chain be identified and continually improved?

What follows is a portion of Andy Hanacek's one-on-one interview with president & CEO Brock Furlong, who walked Hanacek through the acquisition of the plant, how the renovation proceeded and what the new facility means for Stampede Meat's future.