Check out the January 2019 issue of The National Provisioner, featuring our cover story on Stampede Meat's new processing facility, the 2019 Poultry Report, and much more.
The programs are key components of the agency's verification activities to ensure inspections are effective at keeping microbiological contaminants and chemical residues out of commerce.
To the list of the top 10 nations in the world in meat production, the Latin American region contributes three countries: Brazil, second only behind the USA, is followed by Argentina in sixth place and Mexico in eighth.
American businesses are increasingly turning to exporting as a source of growth, and the processed food industry is no exception. This outward momentum is evident as U.S. food exports surpassed $139 billion in 2017.
Regional flavors, gut-healthy options, meats and more are on the menu for 2019, as Oklahoma State University's Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center (FAPC) selects the hottest food trends for the upcoming year.
As I've mentioned before, dry-aged beef offers a flavor that is more intense than traditionally aged beef. And this is where our friend, the humble sheep, may have an opportunity to ride the wave of flavorful red meat.
While positive effects of dry aging on meat quality attributes have been reported in several scientific studies, specific chemical compounds associated with this unique dry-aging flavor have not been fully established.
At presstime in mid-December 2018, there had been 120 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recalls in 2018, collectively totaling approximately 25.3 million pounds of product.
Farming has never been easy, but the hard work, perseverance and unwavering grit of farmers and ranchers is what sets agriculture apart from other industries. Our industry has no shortage of challenges, yet the rise of social media, public interest in food production and animal rights activism are bringing even more to the table. This year, make your New Year’s resolution count and help our industry succeed into the future.
Stampede Meat responded to its customers' requests by acquiring and renovating a processing plant in Sunland Park, N.M., well-suited to its future needs.
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.
After a decade or more of focusing largely on the needs, preferences, and behaviors of Millennials, the food industry is ready to focus its attention on Gen Z.
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.
Tray packaging has been used for meat, poultry and seafood products for decades. Yet, even though it is well-established, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the status quo for the packaging type or style. New designs and technology are improving performance and eliminating the need for components such as absorbent pads, thereby streamlining the packaging operation and eliminating the cost of the pad and the risk of the product picking up fibers from the pads.
I’m still new to the idea of hurricanes because I grew up in the Midwest. Yes, I’ve lived through countless blizzards, ice storms and the occasional tornado, but never hurricanes. Now, living in North Carolina, hurricane season has become a very real part of my life.
Scales are crucial to produce and livestock agricultural businesses. Invest in a scale that is accurate and repeatable, sensitive, reliable and easily serviced. Avoid needless costs from repair and downtime by selecting a scale that can stand up to the conditions it will face.
Shenandoah Valley Organic (SVO), founded in 2013, is a family-run, farmer-focused, organic chicken company located in Harrisonburg, Va., committed to environmental stewardship and providing a healthy source of nutrition through the most humane, clean and safe processes possible.
Energy efficiency is always on the agenda for ENERGY STAR, and with many companies approaching their 2020 energy and climate goal deadlines, the question now is, what’s next?
The growing issue of food safety, along with the increased scrutiny on manufacturers to manage associated risks continues to have a significant impact on the food and beverage industry. As the food supply chain becomes more global and complex, food safety issues tend to be more far-reaching than those experienced decades ago.
Clean labels are certainly here to stay, but what replaces the chemicals being erased from marinades? “Everyone is waiting for the miracle molecule that will replace phosphate,” says Terry Houser, Ph.D., associate professor at Kansas State University, in Manhattan, Kan. “But I’m not aware of one so far. Phosphate is a unique application and hard to replace.”
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?
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 IBM brand isn’t often associated with the cattle business. But that may change, thanks to the tech giant’s IBM Food Trust and its use of blockchain. That’s just what it sounds like: blocks of information that form a chain, linked via Internet to allow information sharing that is seamless, efficient and secure.
The greater use of meat and poultry as a snack, appetizer or side dish can bolster sector sales, but industry operators must surmount merchandising challenges.
Positioning meat and poultry as more than a center-of-the-plate item can potentially generate a bonanza of additional activity for retail and foodservice operators.
What happens when you put food-conscious consumers center stage before a group of food producers? Oklahoma pork producers had the opportunity to hear straight from the source in a recent consumer panel hosted by The Center for Food Integrity and quickly realized they don’t know as much as they thought about today’s consumer when it comes to thoughts on food and how it’s produced.
Welcome to 2019, a year filled with potential greatness, but also potential disappointment. Grab a chocolate from the symbolic business box, take a bite and hope for the best!
Despite facing some pricing pressures and other challenges, poultry continues to grow as a primary protein of choice for many consumers, whether they're eating out or at home.
The entire chicken category grew 2.5 percent in dollar sales to approximately $20.9 billion, Nielsen Perishables Group, in Chicago, reports for all U.S. outlets combined for the year ending Nov. 3, 2018.