Expert Commentary Topic | The National Provisioner

Independent Processor's Prime Cuts

Beetnik Foods serves today's shoppers while maintaining its core identity

Listening to (and staying ahead of) consumer trends

June 19, 2019

Brands like Beetnik, that have experienced exceptional growth within their respective categories, have realized that by being true to their own values, they have been able to build a loyal customer base that not only buys their products but is also a champion of those products.

US Pork Production Index Rates-of-Change

Market Snapshot | U.S. Pork Production

China market offers potential relief to U.S. pork industry

Eric Post

June 7, 2019

No Comments

Average U.S. pork production during the 12 months through February was 3 percent higher than one year ago. U.S. personal consumption expenditures for pork moved generally lower in recent months as deflation in U.S. consumer pork prices hindered dollar-denominated expenditures.

Poultry Perspectives

Poultry industry approaches milestone on ergonomics

Matt Spencer

June 6, 2019

No Comments

For almost 35 years, the poultry industry has been at the forefront of efforts to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace.

Meat Science Review

How consumers handle fresh beef products

Once it leaves the store… Consumer's mishandling of fresh beef products creates potential food-safety risk, despite education attempts.

Derek Griffing Christy Bratcher Jacqueline Kochak

June 5, 2019

No Comments

To provide educators, the industry and ultimately consumers with more knowledge about proper handling behaviors (and accountability for food-safety problems), the team sought to learn more about how consumers handle fresh beef they buy in the store.

Cordray's Corner

Achieving Personal Work-Life Balance

Dr. Joe Cordray

June 5, 2019

No Comments

Owners and managers of small meat plants need to be concerned with two types of work-life balance; personal work-life balance and organizational work-life balance. This article addresses personal work-life balance as it relates to the small meat plant owner or manager.

Regulations & Legislation

Government issuances on foodborne pathogens

John Dillard

June 4, 2019

No Comments

Although the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has been fairly quiet lately with regard to new regulatory initiatives, two recent issuances involving foodborne pathogens should be noteworthy to the meat and poultry industry.

Fight for Food Safety

Going on the offensive: Subtyping environmental and finished product positives

Shawn K. Stevens

June 3, 2019

No Comments

Over the last 25 years, modernization has overrun the food safety landscape in previously unimaginable ways. Environmental and finished-product sampling programs are undoubtedly among the most important aspects of the industry's success.

Spare Parts Know-How

To improve spare parts management, the walls between departments must be demolished

Get above the silos

Phillip Slater

May 9, 2019

No Comments

Your maintenance and reliability team will know better than anyone the impact a spare-parts shortage has on the business. No spare often equals no production, so there is sometimes an attitude of "the more the merrier."

Guest Column | Ag Advocacy

Don't take a vacation from plant security this summer

Casey Kinler

May 8, 2019

No Comments

Summer vacations are on everyone's minds, but one vacation you don't want to take is a vacation from plant security. Animal rights activists don’t take a break from activism, so plants shouldn't take a break from security.

Consultants Corner

How much product insurance does a processor need?

Andrew Lorenz

May 7, 2019

No Comments

My wife just got back from a trip with the kids, and somewhere along the way the windshield caught a rock. No big deal; that’s why we have insurance. But that event got me thinking about what types of insurance a food production facility should carry.