Bringing transparency to meat and poultry processing through the ability to track and trace products from the farm through the supply chain to the table is a complex challenge. It is, however, one worth addressing as consumers and retailers start to expect and demand it.
A few years ago, Jessica Roosa, owner of This Old Farm, based in Colfax, Ind., was trying to solve employee turnover issues on the slaughter floor and began investigating solutions for her small, aged facility that is a custom service processor of beef, pork, lamb and poultry. What she discovered was changes that helped staff also helped her animals.
The end of the year is the time many companies think about employee recognition. In reality employee recognition is something you should do throughout the year.
Inventory management is one of the most important management disciplines in every company that holds inventory. Inventory can provide the capability to meet a customer need, repair a broken machine, assemble products for sale or just keep production going.
I've written recently about the need to travel outside of your normal area. Recently, thanks to this trip and some other life developments, I'm seeing that you have to be willing to do more things outside your comfort zone as well.
In this highly competitive environment, traditional strategies such as raising wages have been minimally effective, forcing meat and poultry processing companies to look for creative approaches to recruit and retain workers.
As consumers and participants in the supply chain demand greater transparency, blockchain has the potential to transform how information about a food product flows from farm to fork to ensure quality and safety by adding greater visibility and efficiency to the process.
Significant changes continue to address and improve the workplace environment. Organizations continue to address labor opportunities to not only match tasks with individuals but to educate all stakeholders to the value of ergonomics in the workplace.
Today's unemployment numbers are historically low, and companies across the country in every sector of the meat industry are facing employee shortages.
Andy Hanacek's October "From the Editor's Desk" video is the first in a special two-part series focusing on employers and employees in the meat and poultry industry.