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News Articles
Jul 13, 2004AMI to Hill: U.S. Response to BSE Extraordinary, Reflects Decade Of Planning
The U.S. response to a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been extraordinary and reflects more than a decade of planning and foresight, according to AMI Foundation President James H. Hodges. Hodges submitted written testimony today in advance of a joint hearing of The...
Jul 1, 2004AMI Submits Comments on Food Labeling Regulations
AMI submitted comments today to USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regarding the proposed rule Uniform Compliance Date for Food Labeling Regulations, Docket No. 03-026P. The comments were submitted regarding the proposed rule originally published in the Federal Register, May 4....
Jun 23, 2004AMI Invites Nominations for the AMI Annual Awards
The American Meat Institute is seeking nominations of industry groups and companies for four awards that will be presented during the AMI Annual Convention, held this year from Sept. 30 – Oct.2 in Nashville, Tenn. There are four awards for which AMI is accepting nominations: The Edward C....
Jun 14, 2004AMI Guest Op - ed in Rocky Mountain News Calls for Opening of Market to Canadian Beef
"Sometimes groups become so emotionally invested in an issue that their rhetoric becomes overheated and outright inaccurate, and their quest for a narrow victory on one specific issue blinds them to the damage they're inflicting to the greater whole" says AMI President and CEO in a Sunday op-ed...
Jun 10, 2004AMI and R-CALF Go Head to Head over Canadian Beef
In an interview this week that aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's show "Countrywide", AMI President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle challenged accusations by R-CALF’s Chief Bill Bullard that Canadian beef is unsafe and should be banned from the U.S. until further study. Bullard argued...
May 26, 2004AMIF Research Funding Makes an Impact on Enhancing Meat Safety
The U.S. meat industry has taken aggressive steps to identify, validate and implement science-based solutions to food safety challenges. One important step has been the industry funding of the American Meat Institute Foundation's (AMIF) Food Safety Initiative, which over the last 5 years has...
May 20, 2004AMI Now Offers Employment Liability Coverage to its Membership
AMI and its partner, MRM, LLC, are now offering Employment Practice Liability Coverage to all members: large and small businesses, packers, processors and suppliers. This special program is exclusively priced for AMI members at a discounted rate. These insurance policies provide worldwide...
May 7, 2004AMI Enhances Risk Management Insurance Program for Members
In an effort to provide optimal benefits to our members, AMI has added several enhancements to the AMI Risk Management Program. If you are currently in the program or just thinking about recall insurance, here are the changes that we have made: · New policy limits: Limits are now available for...
Apr 28, 2004Ag Policy Expert Dennis Avery Featured at the AMI Convention and Innovation Showcase General Session
One of the nation’s leading experts on food and agriculture policy Dennis Avery will deliver a General Session address at the American Meat Institute Annual Convention, featuring the Innovation Showcase, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2004, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & convention Center in Nashville,...
Apr 8, 2004AMI, Other Groups Request Change to SRM Policy
AMI yesterday urged USDA and the Canadian Agriculture Ministry to consider a policy change that would permit removal of only a portion of the small intestine (distal ileum) from cattle, instead of requiring that the entire small intestine be removed. Joining AMI in a letter to Agriculture...
Apr 2, 2004AMS Issues BEV Program for U.S. Beef Exports to Canada
USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has released a Beef Export Verification (BEV) program document, ARC 1030C. The ARC provides specific product requirements for marketing U.S. beef to Canada, including dedicated tools for carcasses less than 30 months of age if the tool comes into...
Apr 1, 2004AMI Urges USDA to Eliminate Dedicated Equipment Requirement
In a letter dated March 30, AMI urged USDA to eliminate its requirement that beef imported from Canada must be processed using dedicated equipment when removing specified risk materials (SRMs) from cattle over 30 months of age versus those under 30 months of age. In the letter, sent by AMI...
Mar 31, 2004American Public Gives PETA Low Ranking for Trustworthiness
A survey of charities, conducted by Harris Interactive, Inc., found that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) ranks at the bottom of the trustworthiness scale, according to a report published in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, March 18. Harris compiled a list of nonprofit...
Mar 23, 2004AMI and North American Meat Industry Urge Expedited Trade Harmonization
AMI today joined five other North American meat industry organizations in urging U.S., Mexican and Canadian officials to expedite efforts to harmonize beef trading rules. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, Canadian Minister of...
Mar 10, 2004"Downer" Amendment Defeated Soundly by House of Representatives
An amendment offered by Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), to exclude food companies that use non-ambulatory livestock from the liability protection against obesity-related lawsuits, was defeated in the U.S. House of Representatives today by a 276 to 141 vote. The underlying bill (H.R. 339), the...
Mar 4, 2004APHIS Amends Regulations Governing Interstate Transportation of Animals
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today amended its regulations governing interstate transportation of animals to establish requirements for the collection of blood and tissue samples from livestock and poultry at slaughtering and rendering establishments when it is...
Feb 9, 2004Annual Meat Conference Features Product Tasting Reception and Technology Fair Luncheon
The 2004 Annual Meat Conference touts two of the most, innovative and enjoyable conference events: the Product Tasting Reception and Tech Fair Luncheon. These events both offer information and innovation in an interactive setting, while allowing participants the opportunity to network. The...
Feb 9, 2004AMI Submits Comments to Codex Committee
Today, AMI submitted comments to the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (CCFAC), for agenda items of its upcoming meeting March 22 to 26 in Rotterdam. The comments were submitted to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration. The comments were...
Feb 5, 2004AMI comments in support of national animal ID, trace back system
AMI is providing detailed, proactive comments on the "Draft United States Animal Identification Plan," which would allow producers, processors and regulators to trace food animals from meat production to an animal’s point of origin. "Any mandatory animal identification and trace back program...
Jan 26, 2004'Scaring up support' for COOL based on BSE 'uncool,' says policy analyst
A major policy paper by a top analyst at the Washington, D.C.-based Cato Institute calls the recently de-funded country-of-origin labeling (COL) mandate "a complicated, costly" measure that he said is ultimately all about "saddling others with what should be the marketing costs of domestic...
Jan 14, 2004Annual Meat Conference adds special 'BSE Update' session to program
The 2004 Annual Meat Conference offers meat processors and retailers tangible strategies to improve their bottom lines and turn products into profits. Now, the industry's premier meat merchandising and new product showcase has added a special session, BSE Update. This session is targeted at...
Jan 14, 2004AMI Submits Comments to APHIS Regarding Inconsistencies in Proposed Importation Rules
On January 5, AMI submitted comments to APHIS regarding the proposed rule, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy: Minimal Risk Regions and Importation of Commodities (Docket No. 03-080-1). AMI is concerned that the proposed rule creates substantial inconsistencies regarding the treatment of certain...
Jan 12, 2004AMI co-sponsoring ergonomics workshop with targeted instruction, software training
Few initiatives in the arena of workplace safety are as important as effective implementation of an in-plant ergonomics program. Now, there is a seminar specifically designed to deliver maximum training in ergonomics for meat industry participants. Titled "Ergonomics: Practical Solutions for...
Jan 7, 2004AMI Foundation reschedules national BSE briefing on Feb. 3
The AMI Foundation has rescheduled its national daylong BSE Briefing for Tuesday Feb. 3 at The Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C., to provide a forum for discussion and analysis of what is arguably the most challenging issue ever to confront the U.S. beef industry. The program will provide...
Jan 2, 2004APHIS closing comments Monday on rule to permit import of low-risk Canadian cattle
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said Friday that the comment period on a proposed rule that would potentially have allowed for imports of live cattle under the age of 30 months from Canada and other countries believed to be at minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform...
Dec 31, 2003AMI Expresses Support for USDA's Package of New BSE Regulations
Minutes after USDA Secretary Ann Veneman announced new measures in response to the nation's single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) yesterday, AMI's senior staff organized a national teleconference to commend USDA for its vigilance and express AMI's belief that these regulations...
Dec 30, 2003As BSE Investigation Targets Cow's Origin, USDA Asserts: 'System Works'
Even as preliminary information suggesting that the BSE positive cow discovered Dec. 23 in Washington state came from Alberta, Canada, USDA officials said Monday Canadian records indicate that the index cow may have been brought into the United States as part of a group of as many as 82 dairy...
Dec 27, 2003Bans on U.S. Beef Imports Unfortunate, Not Justified By Science, AMI Says
AMI yesterday called bans on U.S. beef unfortunate and scientifically unjustified in a statement released to the news media. The Institute made its statement following announcements by major trading partners, including Japan, South Korea and Mexico, that they will ban U.S. beef. Canada opted...
Dec 18, 2003AMIF seeking 'Best Practices' presentations for animal handling conference
The political dimensions of various activist campaigns surrounding animal handling issues are well documented, while unfortunately, scientific research pointing toward real-world improvements often receives scant attention. Now, however, the AMI Foundation is changing that, with a call for...
Dec 10, 2003AMIF Announces Availability of Worker Safety Award Materials
Washington, D.C. - The American Meat Institute Foundation now has available application packets for its 2004 worker safety program awards. The Safety Recognition Award Program, which is administered by the National Safety Council, attracted a record participation of 198 meat and poultry...
Dec 4, 2003Basic Pilot Extension, Expansion Signed Into Law
Yesterday, President George W. Bush signed into law a bill (S.1685) recently passed by Congress to extend and expand the Basic Pilot Employment Verification Program. The now-enacted law will extend the program through November 2008, as well as expand it to all employers in all 50 states by...
Nov 1, 2003AMI's New Chairman Pledges 'Pride, Progress' for Meat Industry in 2004
Chicago -- With a nod to the industry's "remarkable accomplishments" in the past several years, AMI newest chairman pledged tonight (Oct. 31) to lead an intensive effort to communicate to constituents, customers and consumers the success stories he said the industry has compiled in areas such as...
Nov 1, 2003AMI Recognizes Industry Stars at Annual Chairman's Gala in Chicago
AMI tonight bestowed its annual honors on outstanding industry performers at its annual Chairman's Gala, held at the world renowned Field Museum in Chicago. The Institute's highest honor was awarded to the Equipment Design Task Force, chaired by Kraft Foods North America, Inc. Director of...
Oct 31, 2003Author Jim Collins Spurs AMI Convention Goers to Greatness in Keynote Speech
Best-selling author Jim Collins challenged AMI convention attendees this morning not just to survive in their businesses but to build something great despite their circumstances. "Greatness is not a function of your circumstances, but a function of conscious choice and discipline," Collins said...
Oct 30, 2003AMI Directors Vote to Support Development of National Animal ID System
CHICAGO - In a timely reaffirmation of a longstanding policy, the American Meat Institute Board of Directors voted today to support development of a national food animal identification and trace back system that would allow producers, processors and federal regulators to track livestock back to...
Oct 30, 2003AMI Elects New Officers, Board and Executive Committee Members for 2004 at Annual Business Meeting
AMI today elected the six officers that will guide the organization through the next year and chose additional members to serve on its Board of Directors and Executive Committee during the Institute's Annual Business Meeting held today in Chicago. Elected to the chairmanship was Stewart K....
Oct 30, 2003AMI Announces Tiered Environmental Program for Meat and Poultry Industry
AMI's Board of Directors today approved the development of a voluntary four-tiered environmental program aimed at increasing and incentivizing companies to use environmental management systems in the meat and poultry industry. The vote came during AMI's Annual Business Meeting, held at McCormick...
Oct 29, 2003Baker Makes Case for Strong Ag Exports, 'Victory' in Iraq, At Worldwide Food Expo Opening Session
Chicago -- In a pointed and occasionally passionate speech keynoting today’s Worldwide Food Expo, former Secretary of State James Baker III told attendees that free trade is "essential to our economic growth," and urged Americans to remain steadfast in the Iraqi rebuilding process. But the...
Oct 24, 2003AMS Proposes to Include Boxed Lamb Cut sales in Mandatory Reporting Regulations
AMS is proposing to amend the Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) regulations to include submission of information on domestic and imported boxed lamb cut sales. The Agency asserts the proposed changes will improve the accuracy and reliability of data being reported by AMS on domestic boxed...
Oct 20, 2003"How to" Session on Opening Meat Packing Plants to Media, Lawmakers Set for AMI Convention
AMI members will learn the steps to opening their plants to the news media and lawmakers in an education session during the AMI International Meat, Poultry & Seafood Convention and Exposition in Chicago. Christopher P. Krese, senior vice president of Xenophon Strategies and David Fuscus,...
Oct 17, 2003AMI: EPA Data Fails to Justify Effluent Limitation Guidelines for Certain Meat and Poultry Facilities
New data collected and analyzed by the EPA's Office of Water fails to demonstrate that an additional layer of effluent limitation regulations is warranted, AMI said in comments filed this week to the EPA on Docket ID No. OW-2002-0014. The comments were submitted in response to the Meat and...
Oct 10, 2003Animal Welfare in a Changing Regulatory and Business Climate Explored in AMI Convention Session
Humane handling and care regulations, new customer requirements and consumer attitudes will be the focus of a special panel discussion at the AMI International Meat, Poultry and Seafood Convention and Exposition later this month at Chicago's McCormick Place. Humane animal handling regulations...
Oct 2, 2003AMI Foundation's Huffman Appointed to Center for Food Industry Excellence Advisory Panel
AMI Foundation Vice President of Scientific Affairs Randy Huffman, Ph.D., has been invited to serve as a member of the industry advisory board for the International Center for Food Industry Excellence at Texas Tech University. Ten American food industry members and one international member will...
Oct 2, 2003AMI Annual Business Meeting Slated for Oct. 30
AMI will hold its Annual Business Meeting Oct. 30, 2003, at McCormick Place in Chicago, immediately following the Board of Directors meeting. Attendance at the Annual Business Meeting is limited to AMI membership....
Sep 8, 2003AMI Foundation Debuts Newly Re-Designed, User-Friendly Web Site
The AMI Foundation today put a fresh new face on the wealth of scientific information and research data the Foundation offers with the launch of its newly re-formatted Web site. The new site (www.amif.org) has been re-designed with a bold color scheme and a distinctive new "look" that provides...
Sep 5, 2003AMI, Other Ag Groups File Comments to Codex Committee on Meat Hygiene
AMI and three other agriculture trade associations this week filed comments on the "Discussion Paper on Proposed Draft Hygienic Provisions for Processed Meat;” and the “Proposed Draft Annex on Microbiological Verification of Process Control of Meat Hygiene (03/16A Appendix V)”...
Aug 25, 2003AMI, D.C. Trade Groups Send Strong Obesity Message to the Media
Even as a recent Gallup Organization poll found 89 percent of U.S. consumers believe the food industry is not primarily responsible for the health problems faced by obese people, the controversies -- and the anticipation of future lawsuits -- surrounding the latest medical buzzword continue...
Aug 13, 2003AMS Session Outlines Beef Verification Program Expectations
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in a public meeting this week detailed its plans to implement the recently announced Beef Export Verification (BEV) program. Companies now must qualify for the program in order to export products to Japan and possibly certain other countries as of...
Aug 12, 2003AMI Foundation to Sponsor Ergonomics Seminar in October; Worker Safety Conference in April 2004
The 2004 Conference on Worker Safety, Health and Human Resources is set for April 18 to 22, 2004, in Phoenix at the Hilton Regency. The AMI Foundation sponsors this annual conference, the centerpiece of which is an awards program honoring worker safety achievement in the meat and poultry...
Aug 1, 2003Annual MIRC Features Food Safety, New R & D and Government Policy Updates
Leading meat and poultry industry scientists will gather in Chicago at the annual Meat Industry Research Conference (MIRC) for updates on critical pre- and post-harvest food-safety research, cutting edge new product developments and updates on key federal policy initiatives affecting meat and...
Jul 24, 2003AMI Submits Testimony Opposing Antitrust Legislation
Any legislation to create new and different premerger review processes and antitrust enforcement procedures would unfairly single out the agribusiness sector from the rest of the business community, AMI President J. Patrick Boyle said in testimony submitted yesterday to the Senate Judiciary...
Jul 11, 2003Baseline Studies, Quick Approval Process for Food Safety Technology Highlight USDA Food Safety Vision
USDA's most recent food safety vision, released in a report today, focuses on lessening time between development and implementation of new food safety technology and conducting baseline studies on a continual basis to determine nationwide levels of pathogens. The new USDA food safety document...
Jul 3, 2003AMI Urges Broader Scope for USDA/GIPSA Packer Ownership Study
USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA) should examine the entire farm-to-table marketing chain in evaluating the implications of a potential ban on packer ownership of livestock, AMI said this week in comments to the Agency. AMI responded to the Agency’s request...
Jul 3, 2003AMI, Other Ag Groups Urge Decisions Toward Reopening of Canadian/U.S. Border by End of July
A science-based approach based on the Harvard Risk Assessment on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) that gains global acceptance will be needed to reopen the border between Canada and the United States, AMI and other agriculture groups said in a letter this week to Canadian and U.S....
Jun 24, 2003AMI Submits Testimony at Nebraska Congressional Hearings on Packer Livestock Ownership Ban
AMI submitted comments stating opposition to a ban on packer ownership of livestock at a hearing over the weekend in Grand Island, Neb., to discuss a potential ban on packer ownership and control of livestock. "Coordination and even vertical integration between manufacturers and their...
Jun 20, 2003AMI Accepting Nominations for Industry Awards To Be Presented at Annual Convention
The nominations have officially opened for AMI’s most prestigious industry awards, which will be announced during the International Meat, Poultry and Seafood Convention and Exposition, as part of the Worldwide Food Expo ’03 in Chicago, IL, Oct. 29 – Nov. 1, 2003. Each year, AMI awards the...
Jun 19, 2003AMI Information Sessions Scheduled for Next Week in Pa., Minn., Before COOL Listening Sessions
AMI will hold two information sessions next week to educate industry and news media to explain the controversial country-of-origin labeling law prior to USDA’s Listening Sessions on the law in St. Paul, Minn., and Lancaster, Pa. AMI’s information session in Minnesota is scheduled for June 24,...
Jun 12, 2003AMI, Ag Coalition Urge Congress to Oppose Expanded USDA Enforcement Authority
The American Meat Institute was among a coalition of food and livestock organizations that signed a letter urging Congress to oppose the "Meat and Poultry Pathogen Reduction and Enforcement Act" (S. 1103/H.R. 2203) introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.). The...
Jun 6, 2003Listeria Interim Final Rule Now Available Online
FSIS today published its interim final rule on Listeria monocytogenes control in the Federal Register . The interim final rule, titled "Meat and Poultry Inspection: Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products; Listeria monocytogenes Control, 34207-34254 [03-14173]," is available at...
Jun 3, 2003AMI, Other Groups Comment on Codex Committee Additions to Meat and Poultry Hygiene Paper
AMI joined three other trade groups this week in commenting on the first draft of the Appendices of the Codex Committee for Meat and Poultry Hygiene's "Proposed Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat." The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), National Food Processors Association...
May 29, 2003Analysts Say Consumers Still Confident in U.S. Beef Safety
Consumer confidence in U.S. beef appears to have remained high over the Memorial Day weekend, despite reports of a Canadian cow testing positive for BSE and record high wholesale prices for beef, leading industry analysts said this week. Cattle-Fax, a leading economic and market analysis firm...
May 22, 2003Atkins Dieters Lost More Weight, Improved Heart Disease Risk Indicators, Studies Show
The high-protein, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet produced significantly greater weight loss and improvements in risk indicators for heart disease, such as "good cholesterol" and triglycerides, than conventional low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets, according to a pair of recent studies published in...
May 15, 2003AMI Foundation, Beef Checkoff Jointly Fund E. coli O157:H7 Research
The AMI Foundation and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) on behalf of America’s beef producers are collaborating on a follow-up study to an AMIF/Texas Tech University research project that found two strains of lactobacilli, bacteria commonly used to make yogurt, fed to cattle can...
May 6, 2003AMI Foundation Sponsoring Listeria Workshop in June
The AMI Foundation (AMIF) is sponsoring its popular "Implementing Listeria Intervention and Control" workshop in June. The Listeria workshop is scheduled for June 4 – 5, 2003, at the Hyatt Harborside in Boston. The two-day course is designed to help participants examine the issues...
May 6, 2003AMI President, VP of International Trade Appointed to Trade Policy Committees
AMI President J. Patrick Boyle has been reappointed to a key international trade committee charged with advising the Administration on trade matters. AMI Vice President of International Trade John Reddington has been appointed for the first time to a commodity-specific international trade...
May 1, 2003AMI Hosts Country-of-Origin Information Sessions in Austin, Other Cities
Nearly 30 members of the meat and livestock industries attended an AMI-sponsored country-of-origin labeling information session today in Austin, TX, just prior to a USDA-sponsored country-of-origin labeling "listening session." AMI Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel...
Apr 30, 2003AMI Urges Members to Write Lawmakers in Support of CARE Act
AMI members are urged to write their United States Representative to seek support of the House version of the "Charity, Aid, Recovery and Empowerment Act of 2003" (CARE Act - S. 476). The law is backed strongly by America's Second Harvest, with whom AMI has the partnership "Meating the Need."...
Apr 22, 2003AMI Submits Testimony on Country-of-Origin Labeling Before Senate Subcommittee in Missouri
A voluntary, U.S. meat certification program is a far better alternative to a costly, burdensome, mandatory country-of-origin labeling program, according to AMI President J. Patrick Boyle. Boyle's comments are part of testimony submitted to a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Marketing,...
Apr 17, 2003Agreement Assigns More Public Health Service Officials to FSIS
An agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps will greatly expand the number of PHS Commissioned Corps Officers assigned to FSIS, USDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced today. PHS Officers are highly trained health experts...
Apr 10, 2003APHIS Publishes Annual Veterinary Services’ Report
APHIS has published its Veterinary Services’ 2002 Highlights Report, titled "Safeguarding Animal Health in 2002." This comprehensive report is designed to provide stakeholders and the general public with an overview of the Agency’s activities in the past fiscal year. Some Agency activities...
Apr 9, 2003Approval of Technologies Can Boost Safety of Meat and Poultry Products, AMI Says in Letter to USDA
USDA can assist in enhancing the microbiological safety of meat and poultry by expediting the evaluation and approval process for the most promising food safety technologies, AMI President J. Patrick Boyle said in a letter to USDA officials. The letter details several food safety technologies...
Apr 7, 2003AMI President Elected to Partnership for Food Safety Education Board of Directors
AMI President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle is among the first board members elected to the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) Board of Directors. Tim Hammonds, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) will serve as chairman and John Farquharson, FMP, president of the...
Apr 1, 2003AMI Officials Say Industry Collaboration Producing Significant Food Safety Improvements
Unprecedented industry cooperation is creating a positive environment in which substantial food safety improvements and technological innovations are being made, AMI officials said last week during a briefing for the Beef Promotion Operating Committee on the AMI Foundation’s Food Safety...
Mar 31, 2003American Expected To Enjoy 25.9 Million Hot Dogs During 2003 Baseball Season
Spring has sprung and with opening day of the 2003 Major League Baseball season, Americans' return to their love affair with baseball and hot dogs. This season, the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council estimates that 25.9 million hot dogs will be enjoyed in major league stadiums-the number one...
Mar 18, 2003AMI Official Named to National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods
AMI’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Skip Seward, Ph.D., was appointed to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods, along with 29 other scientific experts, USDA announced today. Seward and the other 29 scientific experts represent disciplines related to...
Mar 17, 2003AMI Expresses Opposition to Packer Ownership Provision in Draft Legislation
AMI last week reaffirmed, in a letter to Rep. Tom Latham, R-IA, its opposition to any legislation banning packer ownership of livestock. Latham is seeking input from interested parties on draft legislation he may introduce in the 108th Congress, titled "Livestock Packer and Producer Fairness...
Mar 14, 2003AMI Comments on Draft Listeria Risk Assessment Available Online
AMI last week filed comments on FSIS’ Draft Listeria Risk Assessment, stressing that several existing data gaps must be filled before it can be used to make meaningful policy decisions. The comments are now available online at...
Mar 4, 2003AMIF, NTF Sponsoring Listeria Workshop for April
The AMI Foundation is partnering with the National Turkey Federation (NTF) to hold the AMIF’s popular "Implementing Listeria Intervention and Control" workshop April 2 - 3, 2003, at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center in Milwaukee. The course is designed to help participants examine the issues...
Feb 24, 2003AMIF, Practical Ergonomics Co-Sponsor Post-Worker Safety Conference Workshop
The AMI Foundation will co-sponsor a special ergonomics workshop, conducted by Practical Ergonomics’ Executive Director Regina Barker, CPE, immediately following the 2003 Conference on Worker Safety, Health and Human Resources in Denver, CO, March 23 - 25. The "Ergonomics: Setting the Gold...
Feb 19, 2003AMI, Other Ag Products Groups Urge Consideration of Trade Action Against Russia
AMI and 23 other agri-business groups urged the Bush Administration to investigate whether restrictions on U.S. meat and poultry imposed by Russia warrant trade action under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The coalition made their case in a letter last week asking that the office of the...
Feb 14, 2003AMI Foundation Unveils Findings on Reducing Listeria Monocytogenes on Meat, in Plants
The AMI Foundation today unveiled three new research studies with significant findings on reducing Listeria monocytogenes on ready to eat meat and poultry products as well as in the processing plant environment. The Foundation funded all three studies. The research unveiled today included:...
Feb 13, 2003AMI, Other Food and Agricultural Groups Send Letter to Congress Opposing "User Fees"
AMI and 21 food and agricultural groups co-signed a letter to all members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate Wednesday in opposition to "user fees" proposed by USDA to pay for meat, poultry and egg products inspection. The groups wrote, “In reality, these so-called “user fees”...
Feb 5, 2003Animal Care and Handling Conference Room Reservation Deadline Approaches
Room reservations for the 2003 Animal Care and Handling Conference for the Food Industry, Feb. 27-28, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center, must be made by Feb. 6. After that time, rooms will be available on a space and rate available basis only. Room rates for the conference are $125 for single,...
Feb 3, 20032003 Annual Meat Conference Product Tasting Reception To Be Largest Ever
The 2003 Annual Meat Conference Product Tasting Reception is expected to be the largest ever held in conference’s recent history. With the theme "Hotlanta-A Taste of Tomorrow" the reception will feature more than 100 innovative meat and poultry products from an estimated 60 companies. The...
Feb 3, 2003AMI Official Tells NCBA Members: Prepare Now for Country-of-Origin Labeling
Cattle and hog producers who supply livestock to beef and pork packing plants should start preparing now for the new country-of-origin labeling law, according to AMI’s Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel Mark Dopp. In an address yesterday at the National Cattlemen’s...
Jan 22, 2003American Farm Bureau Federation Ends Support for Ban on Packer Ownership of Livestock
Delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s convention in Florida this week voted to cease support of a ban on meat packers’ ability to own livestock, but reaffirmed support for country-of-origin labeling by an extremely close margin. AFBF historically has supported both mandatory...
Jan 21, 2003APHIS Issues Notice of Rulemaking on BSE Risk Reduction Strategies for Dead Stock, Nonambulatory Animals
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to help develop approaches to control the risk that dead stock and nonambulatory animals could pose to the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) should it occur in the...
Jan 14, 2003Annual Meat Conference Information Now Available Online
The Annual Meat Conference web site www.meatconference.com is now live and packed with information about this year's conference dedicated to helping retailers, wholesalers, packers and processors "Meat the Future." Material now available online includes: Downloadable registration form...
Dec 27, 2002AMIF, NTF Sponsoring Listeria Workshops in 2003
The AMI Foundation is partnering with the National Turkey Federation (NTF) to sponsor two sessions of the AMIF’s popular "Implementing Listeria Intervention and Control" workshop next year. The Listeria workshops are scheduled for Feb. 5 – 6, 2003, at the Hilton Palacio del Rio in San...
Dec 20, 2002APHIS Declares Great Britain Free of FMD, Rinderpest
Great Britain is free of foot and mouth disease (FMD) and rinderpest, two diseases that have plagued the country’s livestock population over the past two years, and is relieved of certain FMD-related trade restrictions, APHIS announced this week in a final rule published in the Federal...
Dec 17, 2002AMI Foundation Hosts One-Day Seminar to Highlight Sanitary Design Principles
The AMI Foundation, together with the Food Processing Machinery Association and the International Association of Food Industry Suppliers, will hold the Sanitary Design Principles Seminar on Jan. 21, 2003, at the Hilton Atlanta in Atlanta, GA. The course is designed to present in detail the 10...
Dec 16, 2002Additional Materials Available From the NACMPI November Public Meeting
Additional materials presented during the Nov. 6-7, 2002, meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) are now available on the FSIS web site. Material topics include education and training of the FSIS field workforce, E. coli O157:H7 developments and the...
Dec 13, 2002Animal Care and Handling Conference Slated for February 27-28 in Kansas City
AMIF's Fifth Annual Animal Care and Handling Conference will be held February 27-28, 2003, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, MO. The conference is the largest of its kind in the industry and last year attracted nearly 300 people. Conference cosponsors include the Animal...
Dec 10, 2002AMIF Releases Animal Handling Training Videos in Spanish
The AMI Foundation has released Spanish versions of the popular "Good Animal Handling Practices for Beef Processors" and “Good Animal Handling Practices for Pork Processors.” The English version of the training videos were released in 1999 as part of a joint effort between AMIF, Grandin...
Dec 9, 2002Agenda for Dec. 12 Public Meeting on Improving the Recall Process Posted
FSIS today posted the agenda for a public meeting scheduled for Dec. 12, 2002, to discuss improving the process for meat, poultry and egg recalls. The meeting will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12, at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle NW, Washington, D.C. Attendees...
Dec 6, 2002AMI Official Chosen for OSHA Advisory Committee
AMI Director of Worker Safety and Human Resources J. Dan McCausland has been selected to serve on OSHA’s National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics (NACE). McCausland is among 15 individuals selected from industry, academia, labor, legal and the medical professions. Secretary of Labor Elaine...
Dec 3, 2002AMI Comments on FSIS’ E. coli Contamination of Beef Products Notice
AMI filed comments last week regarding a draft notice, "E. coli O157:H7 Contamination of Beef Products," which provides guidance documents for industry on strengthening food safety programs. The notice was filed in the Federal Register on Oct. 7, 2002. To access the comments, visit:...
Dec 2, 2002APHIS Proposes Rule to Grant Agency Authority to Collect Blood and Tissue Samples in Slaughter Plants
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) last week published a proposed rule that would enhance the agency’s authorities to collect blood and tissue samples in slaughter plants as part of its animal health surveillance and monitoring system. Specifically, the rule would grant...
Nov 15, 2002Agenda for FSIS Listeria Summit Available
An agenda for the FSIS Listeria Summit scheduled for Nov. 18, 2002, at the Holiday Inn Capitol in Washington, DC, is now available on the FSIS web site. Access the agenda at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/news/2002/agenda_lm.htm . Comments on the directive will be due on Dec. 2, 2002. The...
Nov 7, 2002Annual Convention Materials Available on MeatAMI.com
Presentations from the AMI Annual Convention and Innovation Showcase are now available online. Materials posted online include presentations from the environment and operations, government and public policy, management and finance and marketing conferences. Also available are presentations...
Nov 1, 2002AMI Objects to Mississippi Country-of-Origin Labeling Proposal
A Mississippi state senate bill develops a country-of-origin labeling law that would conflict with a federal law, AMI said in comments to Mississippi officials. AMI notified the state attorney general Mike Moore and the sponsor of the state senate bill, Sen. Joe Stogner, in a letter earlier...
Oct 24, 2002AMI Elects New Officers and Other Officials at Annual Business Meeting
AMI elected the officers who will lead the organization through the next year during AMI’s Annual Business Meeting at the Annual Convention and Innovation Showcase today in New Orleans, LA. New members of the board of directors and executive committee also were elected to three-year and...
Oct 24, 2002AMI Board of Directors Votes on Animal Welfare, Irradiation Policies at Annual Business Meeting
AMI’S Board of Directors today voted to make animal welfare a non-competitive issue, offering mentoring programs to help solve handling issues, and to urge USDA to establish a pilot program for purchasing irradiated ground beef for the School Lunch Program. The Board made its decisions during...
Oct 24, 2002AMI, OSHA Forge Cooperative Alliance on Worker Safety Issues in Meat Industry
AMI and OSHA today established a cooperative alliance dedicated to worker safety enhancements throughout the meat industry that was signed during a ceremony in New Orleans at the Annual Convention and Innovation Showcase. AMI President J. Patrick Boyle and Assistant Secretary of Labor John L....
Oct 24, 2002AMI Honored as Association of the Year by Hunger Relief Group
AMI was named Association of the Year today by America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. AMI received the honor for its longstanding support of America’s Second Harvest through "Meating the Need" program. The award was presented during the AMI’s Annual...
Oct 24, 2002AMI Honors Industry Leaders With Annual Awards During Convention
AMI honored four industry leaders today during the opening general session of the Annual Convention and Innovation Showcase in New Orleans, LA. This year, a new award—the Scientific Achievement Award—was added to the cadre of honors bestowed annually on industry achievers. William Sperber,...
Oct 22, 2002AMI Files Comments on Retained Water Directive
AMI filed comments today with FSIS regarding a directive titled "Retained Water in Meat and Poultry Products." The directive was released last week for comment. In the comments, AMI asks for clarifications on the type and frequency of FSIS monitoring, labeling requirements and enforcement...
Oct 18, 2002AMI Files Comments on FSIS Foreign Materials Directive
AMI filed comments yesterday with FSIS asking for clarification of several points included in their directive on the presence of foreign material in meat and poultry products, including when a foreign object is considered a food safety hazard and when an establishment needs to conduct a review...
Oct 7, 2002Agriculture Secretary Announces Thirteen Appointments to Lamb Promotion Board
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced 13 appointments to the Lamb Promotion, Research and Information Board. The 13-member board is comprised of six producers and three feeders representing regions East and West of the Mississippi River, one seedstock producer and three...
Oct 2, 2002AMI, Other Industry Trade Groups Urge President to Help Reopen West Coast Ports
AMI and five other meat, poultry and hide trade associations called upon President Bush to use his authority to reopen 29 West Coast ports closed by a labor-management dispute. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Chicken Council, National Pork Producers Council, National Turkey...
Sep 25, 2002AMI Holds Annual Business Meeting in New Orleans
The American Meat Institute will hold its annual business meeting Thursday, October 24, from 11:00 - 11:30 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom-A of the Hilton New Orleans Riverside immediately following the AMI Board of Directors meeting. During the meeting, a new slate of AMI officers will be...
Sep 23, 2002AMI Reiterates Views to House Ag Committee on Packer Ownership Ban
AMI responded last week to a questionnaire from the House Agriculture Committee regarding the effect of a ban on packer ownership, which was proposed and rejected as an amendment to the 2002 Farm Bill. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest enlisted agriculture and agribusiness...
Sep 23, 2002AMI, Other Industry Groups Oppose Port User Fee in Security Bill
AMI joined with a cross section of industries involved in international trade in opposing a new $4 billion tax on imports and exports aimed at improving security at ports in the U.S. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle, the groups said the tax, or port user fee, would impede...
Sep 19, 2002Annual Listeria Workshop Set for December 4 – 5 in Cincinnati
The AMI Foundation, along with the National Meat Association (NMA), will hold the popular annual workshop titled "Implementing Listeria Intervention and Control" December 4 – 5, 2002, at the Hilton Cincinnati at Netherland Plaza in Cincinnati, OH. The course is designed to help participants...
Sep 16, 2002AMI, Food Industry Coalition Say Chemical Security Bill Could Compromise Sensitive Information
AMI and the Food Industry Environmental Council are opposing a bill aimed at shoring up security at the nation's chemical plants, but which may have serious unintended consequences. "The Chemical Security Act" (S. 1602), sponsored by Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ), would require chemical plants to...
Sep 6, 2002AMI Kicks-Off Grassroots Letter Campaign on Captive Supply
AMI urges its meat packers, processors and supplier members to tell their U.S. Senators and Representatives to oppose legislation that would limit or ban the use of captive supply of livestock by beef, pork and lamb packers and processors. Legislative action could occur as early as September...
Aug 30, 2002AMI Members Urged to Contact Senators In Support of CARE Act
AMI members are urged to send letters to their Senators in support of the CARE Act (S. 1924), which would provide enhanced and simplified tax incentives to food companies, farmers and ranchers who donate products to charities. A model letter can be accessed and sent automatically by clicking on...
Aug 15, 2002ARS Nutrient Database With Updated Meat and Poultry Data Now Available Online
ARS today launched an updated version of the "Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 15" that reports nutrients in 6,220 food items. The database, SR15 for short, is the major authoritative source of food composition in the United States. The meat products category in particular...
Aug 12, 2002AMI Files Comments on Country of Origin Labeling Guidelines
AMI submitted comments August 9 detailing its input on how best to structure the voluntary country of origin labeling guidelines that USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) must issue by September 30, 2002. AMI reiterated its earlier suggestion that products bearing an ingredient statement...
Jul 29, 2002AMI Files Comments on Use of Microbial Pathogen Computer Modeling Plans
AMI today filed comments on a draft FSIS notice that provides guidance to inspectors on appropriate verification activities when an establishment uses Microbial Pathogen Computer Modeling (MPCM) programs in validating and maintaining its HACCP plans. The notice states that an establishment...
Jul 25, 2002Administration Unveils U.S Agricultural Trade Proposal for Ongoing WTO Talks
The Bush Administration today announced an aggressive proposal for reforming global agricultural trade rules. If accepted by U.S. trading partners in the ongoing global negotiations, the plan would phase out all export subsidies, tighten constraints on the ability of countries to provide...
Jul 12, 2002Ag Administrators, Meat Industry Reps to Mingle at Special Convention Session
New Bush administrators will dialogue with industry representatives at a special session during the American Meat Institute’s 2002 Annual Convention and Innovation Showcase in New Orleans. As part of the Environment/Operations and Government & Public Policy conferences, meat industry...
Jul 12, 2002Ag Administrators, Meat Industry Reps to Mingle at Special Convention Session
New Bush administrators will dialogue with industry representatives at a special session during the American Meat Institute’s 2002 Annual Convention and Innovation Showcase in New Orleans. As part of the Environment/Operations and Government & Public Policy conferences, meat industry...
Jul 11, 2002Agriculture Committee Recommends APHIS Functions Split Between USDA, Homeland Security
Agriculture Department inspectors at U.S. ports of entry and the USDA research facilities at Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York state should be transferred to the proposed Homeland Security Department, the House Agriculture Committee decided today in voting on recommendations. The...
Jul 11, 2002Appeals Court Allows Assessments to Continue in Beef CheckOff Case
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit yesterday granted a request for a stay allowing the beef promotion program to continue uninterrupted pending the outcome of an appeal of a lower court ruling. On June 21, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota ruled that the Beef...
Jul 11, 2002Agriculture Groups Request Congressional Help in Resolving Australian Trade Issues
AMI joined with 18 other agriculture/agribusiness groups in requesting the assistance of the U.S. Congress in resolving outstanding agricultural trade issues with Australia. The written request was sent to all members of the U.S. Congress yesterday. The groups are concerned that the...
Jul 10, 2002AMIF Requests Research Preproposals on Controlling Pathogens in Meat and Poultry Products
The AMI Foundation is inviting interested researchers to send in preproposals on applied and fundamental research to improve the control of microbial pathogens in meat and poultry products, specifically Listeria monocytogenese ( L.m. ) on ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products and E....
Jul 9, 2002Americans Increasingly Aware of Foodborne Illness, USDA Surveys Say
More Americans are now changing their cooking habits in response to warnings about pathogens in undercooked meats , the Agriculture Department said Monday. After analyzing 10 years of annual food survey results, USDA said that 80 percent of American households now report cooking their homemade...
Jun 27, 2002AMI Animal Handling Guidelines, Training Materials Endorsed by Retail and Restaurant Groups
AMI’s animal handling guidelines and training materials were endorsed today by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR) following a review of animal welfare guidelines in use throughout animal agriculture. FMI and NCCR established an Animal Welfare...
Jun 20, 2002AMI, Other U.S. Livestock and Poultry Groups Cite New China Trade Barriers
Meat, poultry and egg groups today sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick detailing the industry's continuing concerns about new Chinese policies that impede imports of U.S. meat and poultry products. In the letter, AMI, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National...
Jun 12, 2002AMI Asks FSIS for Clarification on Retained Water Regulation
In a letter to FSIS this week, AMI asked for further clarification regarding a rule regulating retained water in raw meat and poultry products. Specifically, the letter asked Deputy Administrator Phil Derfler to clarify for the red meat industry what practices and products are exempt from the...
Jun 11, 2002Americans Now Showing More Interest in Nutrition, Diet Information
A growing number of Americans are adopting a healthful diet and seeking nutrition information, according to results from the American Dietetic Association’s nationwide survey Nutrition and You: Trends 2002 . This conclusion may influence the debate among meat packers and processors regarding...
May 31, 2002AMI Equipment Design Task Force Sets Sanitary Design Principles
The AMI Equipment Design Task Force (EDTF) has established a list of sanitary design principles and recommended a certification process to ensure the equipment meets these criteria. The EDTF, chartered by the Listeria Task Force, is comprised of representatives from eight meat and poultry...
May 17, 2002Acting FSIS Administrator Announces Personnel Changes
Current Assistant Administrator for Staff Services Linda Swacina will become Associate Administrator, according to an announcement this week by Acting FSIS Administrator William Hudnall. She will be acting in that role until her paperwork is final. Also, William Smith has been appointed as...
Apr 29, 2002Australia Says Farm Bill Results Question U.S. Commitment to Agricultural Trade Reform
The Australian government is "very disappointment with the trade-distorting measures allowed for in the new U.S. Farm Bill," according to a press release today from the office of Australia’s Trade Minister Mark Vaile. He said “the Farm Bill shields American farmers from market signals and will...
Apr 24, 2002AMI, Others Co-Sponsor Animal Agriculture Summit in Arlington, VA
AMI and 13 other agriculture groups are joining the Animal Agriculture Alliance in hosting the "Taking Care" summit May 9 to examine how the animal agriculture community can advance animal care programs. The summit will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the...
Apr 19, 2002AMI, Other Agriculture Groups Protest Denial of Visas to Cuban Trade Officials
AMI joined with 26 other agriculture and agribusiness entities yesterday in sending letters to U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell; Secretary of Commerce, Donald L. Evans; Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman; U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick; and White House officials Charles...
Apr 16, 2002Animal Proteins Linked to Higher Bone Mass Density in Elderly Men and Women
Animal protein plays a significant role in strengthening the bone density of elderly women, according to a study published in the latest edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology . The team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego, investigated the link between bone...
Apr 5, 2002AMI, 27 Other U.S. Agriculture Groups Urge Administration to Reconsider Terms for Food Sales to Cuba
In an April 4 letter to USDA Secretary Ann Veneman, AMI and 27 other U.S. agricultural/agribusiness entities urged the Bush administration to reconsider its opposition to repealing a provision of current U.S. law prohibiting agricultural exporters wishing to sell products to Cuba from using U.S....
Mar 25, 2002AMI Launches Grass Roots Campaign to Strip Labeling, Packer Ownership Provisions From Final Farm Bill
House and Senate Farm Bill conferees intend to complete work on the Farm Bill upon returning to Washington, DC, after the Easter recess. AMI today launched a grass roots campaign to tell members of Congress, who will be in their home districts from March 25 to April 5, 2002, how the packer...
Mar 14, 2002Agency Affirms Direct Final Rule on Use of Transglutaminase Enzyme and Pork Collagen
FSIS today affirmed the December 31, 2001, effective date for the direct final rule titled "Use of Tranglutaminase Enzyme and Pork Collagen as Binders in Certain Meat and Poultry Products." On October 31, 2001, FSIS published in the Federal Register a direct final rule, in which the Agency...
Mar 12, 2002Annual Meat Conference Sells Out Product Tasting Reception
Booths for AMI’s Annual Meat Conference’s Product Tasting Reception have sold out with a 20 percent increase in spaces sold over last year. This year’s Meat Conference, to be held April 21-23 at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas, TX, will address the latest issues affecting the meat industry...
Mar 12, 2002APHIS Announces Plans to Change Slaughter Plant Disease Surveillance Program
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service today announced it would seek mandatory authority to collect blood and tissue samples in slaughter plants that receive livestock moved in interstate commerce. APHIS intends to published a proposed rule that would require plants to enter into an...
Feb 19, 2002Acting FSIS Administrator Names Additional Acting Deputy Administrators
Acting FSIS Administrator Margaret Glavin appointed several additional deputies this month. On February 8, Glavin named William "Bill" Smith as the Acting Deputy Administrator for the Office of Field Operations and Elijah Walker as the Acting Deputy Administrator for the Office of Public Health...
Feb 19, 2002Attachment to FSIS Directive on Salmonella Testing Available on the FSIS Web Site
An attachment to an FSIS Directive 10,011.1 regarding Salmonella performance standards is posted on the FSIS web site. The attachment, titled Enforcement Instructions for the Salmonella Performance Standards , provides background information and questions and answers on Salmonella testing....
Feb 14, 2002AMIF's Listeria Workshop Will Be Held in Denver in March
The AMI Foundation is hosting the sixth Implementing Listeria Intervention and Control Workshop March 20-21 in Denver, CO. The workshop will provide attendees with the current industry best practices regarding the control and monitoring of Listeria in the ready-to-eat meat processing...
Feb 7, 2002Australia, Canada Eating Away at U.S. Share in Smaller Japanese Beef Market
With the discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in three Japanese cattle last fall, beef consumption in Japan dropped sharply and the U.S. is losing out to competitors Australia and Canada as it fights to maintain market share in a shrinking market, according to a special report...
Feb 4, 20022001 FDA Food Code Available Online
The 2001 FDA Food Code is now available free online. The 450-page document can be downloaded or printed at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fc01-toc.html . The Code is a reference document for regulatory agencies that oversee food safety in food service establishments, retail food stores, other...
Jan 29, 2002AMI, Industry Launch Grassroots Campaign to Reverse Packer Ownership Ban
The Senate anticipates reviving its Farm Bill debate the week of February 11th. AMI today launched a grassroots campaign to strip the Johnson Amendment banning packer ownership from the Farm Bill, instead replacing it with an economic impact study. "We are convinced that once the sweeping and...
Jan 24, 2002Applications for AMI/National Safety Council Awards Due Tomorrow
Applications for the 2001 AMI/National Safety Council Worker Safety Awards are due January 25, 2002. AMI annually solicits participation in this industry-wide safety excellence recognition program. The awards are given out at the annual Worker Safety Conference, which will be held from March...
Jan 14, 2002APHIS Sets Public Forum on Cattle Importation
The process and science regarding compliance with protocols for importing cattle into the U.S. is on the agenda of an APHIS public meeting scheduled for February 6, 2002. The meeting is open to the public and will cover the disease status of exporting regions or countries, transportation issues,...
Jan 11, 2002Anthrax Kills 10 Australian Cattle
Australian health officials said yesterday tests have confirmed that anthrax killed 10 cattle in Australia's northeastern state, according to Australian media reports. Two properties have been quarantined as a Queensland Department of Primary Industries team works to dispose of the dead animals...
Jan 10, 2002Annual Convention Committee Co-Chairs Named
David Miniat, president of Ed Miniat, Inc., and Norm Winkel, general manager of food services for Multivac, Inc., will co-chair AMI’s Annual Convention committee. Miniat and Winkel will help in directing programming and exhibits for the convention. The 2002 AMI Annual Convention featuring the...
Jan 9, 2002AMI Food Security Guidelines Available at MeatAMI.com
AMI has developed extensive guidelines for food security in meat and poultry plants in consultation with its members. AMI members can access the "Food Security Guidelines for the Meat and Poultry Industry" at...
Jan 2, 2002AMS Announces Daily Lamb Market News Reports
AMS announced last week that two revised daily lamb market reports and one new daily report will be published beginning January 7, 2002. These publications will complement existing reports issued as part of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Program. The revised reports are the U.S. Daily Lamb...
Dec 20, 2001AMI Files Extension Request for Pizza Standards of Identity Comments
AMI today requested a 60-day extension for comments on the standards of identity for pizza. The comment period began and is scheduled to close during the holiday season making it difficult to get input from all interested parties, AMI stated its request to FSIS....
Dec 17, 2001Austria Confirms First BSE Case
According to Reuters, Austria on Friday confirmed its first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). This leaves Sweden as the only country in the European Union (EU) without a reported case of the brain-wasting disease. Mandatory testing for BSE, carried out after the suspect animal was...
Dec 11, 2001Appeals Court Upholds Lower Court Ruling that USDA Salmonella Performance Standard Is Invalid
A three-judge federal appeals panel has ruled unanimously that USDA's Salmonella performance standard conflicts with the statutory language in the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and therefore is invalid. The Salmonella performance standard is part of the 1996 HACCP/Pathogen Reduction...
Nov 27, 2001AMI Portal MeatAMI.com Announces Advertising Opportunities
MeatAMI.com, AMI's award-winning portal, will now accept paid advertising, the Institute announced today. MeatAMI.com was launched in November 2000 and has become a vital site for members of the meat and poultry industry, the news media and policymakers. Nearly 5,500 people today subscribe to...
Nov 21, 2001AMI Urges USDA to Wait for Legal Rulings Before Creating Lamb Check-off Program
In comments submitted yesterday, AMI urged USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to wait for legal rulings before establishing a new check-off program for lamb. Because the Supreme Court earlier this year found an AMS-administered mushroom check-off program unconstitutional and that...
Nov 19, 2001AMI Will Hold Epidemiology Meeting to Help Companies Prepare for Investigations
AMI will hold a one-day workshop about epidemiological investigations January 15, 2002, at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, GA. The course, titled "Preparing Your Company for an Investigation: What the Industry Needs to Know About Epidemiology," will be taught by epidemiologists, scientists and...
Nov 13, 2001AMI Member News
AMI welcomes new members: Associate Members: Management Wise, Inc. - Kingston Springs, TN, is a process management consulting company, headed by President Robert Thrash. For additional information please call 615-952-9651. Praise: Emmpak Foods, Milwaukee, WI, received the In Good...
Nov 7, 2001AMI, Other Groups Offer Food Security Input to New Office of Homeland Security
AMI joined more than 50 food and related industry organizations in offering input on domestic food security to Tom Ridge, director of the new Office of Homeland Security. The groups contacted Ridge under the auspices of the Alliance for Food Security, a group of industry and government...
Nov 6, 2001AMI, Agribusinesses, Producer Groups Oppose Competition Title in Farm Bill
Nearly 50 agribusinesses, producer and processor groups sent letters to the Senate Agriculture Committee today urging senators to oppose a competition title in the farm bill. The committee is expected to mark up a proposed competition title early next week. In an unprecedented, unified...
Oct 19, 2001AMI Board Elects New Directors and Officers at Annual Business Meeting
The AMI Board of Directors elected six officers, seven executive committee members and six new directors yesterday during the Institute’s Annual Business Meeting held during Worldwide Food Expo ’01, at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. The following officers were elected to serve one-year terms:...
Oct 19, 2001AMI Board Agrees to Make Food Safety a Non-Competitive Issue
AMI’s Board of Directors yesterday agreed to make food safety a non-competitive issue by sharing food safety information freely amongst all AMI member companies. The Board made its decision during a meeting held at AMI’s International Meat, Poultry and Seafood Convention and Exposition in...
Oct 10, 2001AMI Files Comments on FSIS Initiative to Identify "U.S. Beef"
AMI filed comments yesterday in response to an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) published August 7. In the ANPR, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) invited comment on the need for regulations to clarify the definition of "United States cattle" and "United States fresh...
Oct 5, 2001AMI Helps Avert Country-of-Origin Labeling Effort for Meat
Despite passage yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives of an amendment mandating country-of-origin labeling for produce, AMI and other groups successfully persuaded House members not to offer a similar amendment for meat. Earlier this year, AMI helped ensure a stunning defeat of...
Oct 3, 2001AMI to Host Annual Business Meeting in Chicago During Worldwide Food Expo
The American Meat Institute will hold its annual business meeting Thursday, October 18, 2001, at 4 p.m. in Chicago's McCormick Place, Room S204. During the meeting, a new slate of AMI officers will be elected, as well as members of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors Class of 2004....
Oct 1, 2001Appeals Panel Grills Lawyers in USDA Appeal of Supreme Beef Decision
AMI officials today attended oral arguments heard by a three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit regarding the USDA appeal in the Supreme Beef litigation. The panel repeatedly interrupted the prepared presentations of attorneys for both sides, asking numerous pointed...
Sep 26, 2001AMI Members Can Search On-Line for Second Harvest Food Banks
AMI Members Can Search On-Line for Second Harvest Food Banks AMI members seeking to contribute surplus meat and poultry products through AMI's "Meating the Need" program may now search America's Second Harvest website to locate local food banks. America's Second Harvest is the nation's largest...
Sep 20, 2001Administration States New Food and Agriculture Principles to Guide Farm Policy
In a landmark report released by Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman yesterday, the Bush Administration gave its strongest signal to date that U.S. agriculture is not an isolated segment of the economy, but rather is driven by the same forces shaping the U.S. economy -- globalization;...
Sep 19, 2001AMI Officials Named to USDA/USTR Trade Advisory Committees
American Meat Institute (AMI) President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle and Vice President for International Trade Leonard Condon have been appointed to key committees charged with advising the Administration on trade matters. On September 17, Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman and U.S. Trade...
Sep 12, 2001AMI Offices Open in Wake of Terrorist Attack on Pentagon
AMI offices are open today after yesterday’s terrorist attack on the Pentagon, which occurred in full view of the Institute's offices in downtown Arlington, VA. However, members attempting to reach AMI staff may continue to have difficulty due to busy phone lines. AMI office hours are 8:00 a.m....
Aug 30, 2001APHIS Extends Comment Period for Scrapie Eradication Document
APHIS today reopened and extended the period for which comments will be accepted on the Scrapie Eradication Uniform Methods and Rules (UMR). The comment period, which ended June 19, 2001, was reopened and will now close on September 20, 2001, according to a notice in the August 30, 2001,...
Aug 29, 2001Alfalfa, Clover Sprouts Implicated in E. Coli, Salmonella Outbreaks, Study Says
Alfalfa and clover sprouts were to blame for more than half of confirmed foodborne illnesses reported in California between 1996 and 1998, according to a study published last week in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study investigated six multi-county outbreaks of bacterial infections and...
Aug 17, 2001AMI, Others File for Extension of Poultry Chilling Requirements Compliance Date
An FSIS deadline for compliance with poultry chilling requirements does not allow companies enough time to comply with final rule set to go into effect on January 9, 2002, according to a petition filed with the agency by AMI, the National Chicken Council and the National Turkey Federation. The...
Aug 13, 2001Activities of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods
The Microbiological Performance Standards for Meat and Poultry subcommittee of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold its second meeting in Washington, DC, August 14-17. The subcommittee has been charged with evaluating performance standards and...
Aug 10, 2001AMI Meets With Mexican Government Officials on Immigration Reform
AMI discussed immigration reform legislation pending before the U.S. Congress in a meeting yesterday with senior officials from the Mexican government. Mexican Foreign Secretary Jorge Castaneda was in Washington, DC, to meet with his counterpart, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Attorney...
Aug 6, 2001Washington Post Accuses EU of Pandering to Voters on Biotech Labeling Rules
A Washington Post editorial appearing Sunday criticized the European Union's recently proposed labeling rules for products of biotechnology as "the most burdensome in the world." "If the technology posed unmanageable risks, this might be exusable. But Europe's policymakers are responding to...
Aug 3, 2001AMS Publishes ‘3/70/20’ Modification to Mandatory Price Reporting Rules
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today published a notice announcing a change to the confidentiality guidelines it follows regarding mandatory price reporting. AMS expects that using the new guidelines will increase the numbers of published reports. Under the new "3/70/20"...
Aug 3, 2001AMI Urges Voluntary Ergonomics Guidelines for All Industries in Comments to OSHA
AMI recommended in comments submitted to OSHA today that the agency work with industry groups to develop voluntary ergonomic guidelines similar the "Ergonomics Program Management Guidelines for Meatpacking Plants." This voluntary cooperation between the meatpacking industry and OSHA has resulted...
Jul 20, 2001AMI Says Listeria Risk Assessment Is Dynamic Document, Not Finished Product
The FDA/FSIS Listeria risk assessment is a dynamic risk assessment that should be continually updated so that it can yield helpful information in the effort to prevent foodborne illness, according to the AMI. In comments submitted this week to the agencies, the Institute also commended their...
Jul 20, 2001Background Video for Media on Hot Dog Manufacturing Now Available From AMI
A new background video or "b-roll" for media about the hot dog manufacturing process is now available from AMI. The video depicts the entire manufacturing process, including food safety strategies, and depicts hot dog lovers enjoying one of America's favorite foods in ball parks and...
Jun 27, 2001AMI Now Offering Membership Column on Inside AMI
AMI will relaunch its popular membership column, "Members on the Move," with the first edition debuting on July 9. The membership column previously was available in the print edition of the AMI Newsletter. A membership column will appear in Inside AMI at www.MeatAMI.com on Mondays. The column...
Jun 26, 2001Agriculture/Agribusiness Groups' Letter Urging TPA Action Presented to Senate at Rally
A letter signed by a broad coaltion of agricultural/agribusiness groups and individual companies urging Congress to act quickly on trade promotion authority was formally presented to senators today at a rally outside the U.S. Capitol. AMI and other trade associations are part of the coalition...
Jun 21, 2001AMI, Other Groups Support AgTrade Coalition Efforts
Trade Promotion Authority is essential to the success of a new round of WTO global trade negotiations, AMI President J. Patrick Boyle said at a press conference today at USDA. Boyle joined Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and leaders of five other agriculture/agribusiness groups today in...
Jun 11, 2001ARS, Maryland Research Firm Sequences Genome of Listeria
USDA last week announced that researchers have examined the genetic makeup of Listeria, a bacterium known to cause food-borne illness. USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) in Rockville, Md., collaborated in an effort to understand the genetic makeup...
Jun 7, 2001AMI Backs "Normal Trade Relations" for China
In a June 5 letter sent to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), AMI joined with 69 other business and agriculture organizations in urging the Speaker to continue to exercise strong leadership in extending normal trade relations with China. As reported by...
Jun 7, 2001AMI Opposes Tariff Hike on Casein and Milk Proteins
AMI has joined eight other national associations in opposing legislation recently introduced in the House and Senate that would increase the cost of imported casein and milk protein concentrate by mandating new import restrictions on these products. In a June 5 letter to all members of...
May 24, 2001AMS Posts Corrected Calculations of Mandatory Price Reports
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service released corrected Choice and Select boxed beef cutout and primal cut values for April 3 through May 11 in the National Daily Boxed Beef Cutout and Boxed Beef Cuts report this week. On May 14, AMS discovered a technical error in the computer program for the...
May 24, 2001AMI Voices Opposition to Illinois Legislature’s Bill Regulating Contracts
AMI President J. Patrick Boyle wrote key Illinois state legislators to voice AMI’s opposition to a bill (HB 0524) which would further regulate agribusiness contracts and "have significant, negative legal and business implications." A growing number of transactions between agribusinesses and...
May 18, 2001AMI Will Work With AMS on Price Reporting Inaccuracies
AMI will meet next week with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service to determine the scope of the meat and livestock reporting inaccuracies, AMI said in a statement today. The scope of the problem and its financial impact is not yet known, the statement said. But AMI is eager to work with the...
May 16, 2001AMI Makes New BSE Prevention Graphic Available
A new graphic depicting the many firewalls in place in the U.S. to prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is now available on meatami.com at http://www.meatami.com/Template.cfm?Section=BSE&NavMenuID=188&template=TaggedContentFile.cfm&NewsID=389 . The chart is designed to help...
May 11, 2001AMI Foundation Holding Foot-and-Mouth Disease Briefing June 14
The AMI Foundation will host a one-day briefing to provide up-to-date information about foot and mouth on June 14, 2001, at the Washington Hilton & Towers in Washington, DC. The Foundation is holding the briefing in response to questions about government and industry efforts to keep FMD from...
Apr 24, 2001AMIF President Will Answer Foot and Mouth Disease Questions in Web Chat
AMI Foundation President James H. Hodges will answer questions about foot and mouth disease (FMD) and how government agencies and other groups are helping prevent the disease in the United States during a MeatAMI.com chat Wednesday, April 25, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. Hodges follows animal health...
Apr 24, 2001AMI and Others Urge President to Lobby Leaders on Biotech Food Labeling
AMI and eight other U.S. farm and food groups urged the President to lobby Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretian and other heads of government to reject proposed labeling guidelines for foods produced by biotechnology. The heads of state are now gathered at the Third Summit of the Americas in...
Apr 23, 2001AMIF President Briefs Group of Agricultural Journalists on BSE
AMI Foundation President James H. Hodges said today prevention measures put in place in U.S. have significantly lowered the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) showing up in U.S. livestock. "Our risks today of BSE are lower than they’ve ever been since we understood the threat the...
Apr 17, 2001AMS Offers New IMPS Photo Series With Help of AMI, Other Industry Groups
With the help of AMI and other industry members and associations, AMS recently added color photos to its Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS) for Fresh Beef Products Series 100. The new IMPS Series 100 with photos is available on the AMS web site at:...
Apr 9, 2001AMI’s Sara Lilygren to Appear on C-SPAN Washington Journal Tuesday, April 10
AMI’s Senior Vice President of Legislative and Public Affairs Sara Lilygren will appear on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal Tuesday, April 10 at 9 a.m. Eastern to react to a story about meat safety and inspection by investigative reporter Joby Warrick that appeared in today’s Washington Post . A...
Apr 9, 2001Animal Handling Expert Temple Grandin to Be Featured Expert on Washingtonpost.com
Animal Handling expert Temple Grandin, assistant professor of animal science at Colorado State University, will be the featured expert in a chat on Washingtonpost.com Tuesday, April 10, 2001, at 1 p.m. EST. Her chat will focus on a story expected to run in tomorrow’s Washington Post about...
Apr 2, 2001AMS Issues Draft Revised Specifications for Commodity Ground Beef and Ground Pork
Last week, AMS issued revised draft specifications for commodity ground beef (Technical Data Supplement or TDS 136) and ground pork (TDS 496) that would remove the zero tolerance for Salmonella in commodity ground beef and allow the use of irradiation for fine ground beef, fine ground pork and...
Apr 2, 2001AMS Issues Draft Specifications for Ground Turkey, Turkey Burgers and Turkey Sausage
AMS issued draft specifications for ground turkey, turkey burgers and turkey sausage last week that includes everything from how to become an eligible contractor to the reprocessing of turkey burgers. The specifications do not cover microbiological requirements. To address the microbiological...
Mar 13, 2001Argentina Stops Meat Exports Over Foot and Mouth Disease Worries
Argentina has notified international animal health authorities of its concerns about a possible outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Until these concerns are resolve, the country's Farming and Food Health Agency said it will not certify exports to key markets, including the U.S., Canada...
Mar 13, 2001AMS Testing Computer System for Mandatory Price Reporting Launch
AMS is currently testing the computer system to be used when the new mandatory price reporting for livestock and meat products goes into effect April 2. All firms identified by the agency as subject to reporting have been invited to participate in the testing program. AMS will contact all firms...
Feb 28, 2001Agencies to Hold Public Meeting on Listeria Risk Assessment and Action Plan
FDA and FSIS (the agencies) will hold a public meeting March 19 to gather public comment on the draft Listeria monocytogenes risk assessment and action plan, which was published in the January 19, 2001, Federal Register . Comments on the draft risk assessment are solicited in the following...
Feb 8, 2001AMI, Others Urge Action Against Pending Mexican Biotech Labeling Law
AMI has urged the Bush Administration to intervene in biotech labeling legislation pending in Mexico. President Bush will visit Mexican President Vicente Fox next month. A letter cosigned by 21 organizations was sent to Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and...
Feb 5, 2001AMS Releases Agricultural Contract Guide for Farmers
AMS recently released a publication titled "Agricultural Contracting: A Resource for Farmers" to help navigate farmers through the often complex issues involved with contracts. Available on the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/contracting/contracting.htm , the guide explains critical issues...
Feb 5, 2001AMIF President Will Discuss BSE Measures in U.S. During On-Line MeatAMI.com Chat Feb. 6
AMIF President Jim Hodges will answer questions and discuss the effectiveness of U.S. measures to prevent the introduction of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) into the country's cattle supply. The chat, titled "A Review of BSE Control Measures in the United States," will take place on...
Feb 1, 2001AMS Equipment Approval Program Up and Running
AMS's new meat and poultry equipment certification program, launched January 8th is off to a flying start, according to an AMS official. "We are extremely pleased with the volume of certification service applications we have received so far. We already have our reviewers in the field with...
Jan 26, 2001AMS Announces New Launch Date for Mandatory Price Reporting
The effective date for mandatory price reporting has been changed from January 30 to April 2, 2001, according to an AMS press release issued today. AMS said in the release that the change was made to allow for more testing of the electronic information collection system the agency intends to...
Jan 19, 2001AMI Commends Government for Looking at Total Foodborne Listeria Risk
AMI commended FDA and FSIS for coordinating efforts to assess the risk of contracting listeriosis from the total ready-to-eat U.S. food supply. The agencies yesterday released a draft risk assessment http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/lmrisk.html for public comment and today released their...
Jan 18, 2001Listeria Monocytogenes Draft Risk Assessment and Risk Management Action Plan Availability
The FDA and FSIS made a pre-publication announcement today of their joint Listeria risk assessment and risk management action plan. The draft risk assessment addresses the relationship between foodborne Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and human health in 20 ready-to-eat food categories. The...
Jan 18, 2001AMI Requests Continuation of Current Report by AMS
AMI submitted a letter to the Agricultural Marketing Service requesting that AMS continue publishing the National Base Lean Hog Carcass Slaughter Cost Report to prevent serious disruption in contracting for hogs and for pork products. AMI's letter expressed concerned that ceasing publication of...
Jan 5, 2001AMI Releases New Consumer Brochure on Animal Welfare in the Meat Industry
AMI today released a new consumer brochure about animal welfare in the meat industry. The brochure is designed to inform consumers about voluntary welfare efforts and federal welfare requirements. The brochure will be made available electronically to retailers and restaurant chains that wish...
Jan 5, 2001Australia Broadens BSE Ban on European Beef
Citing concerns about Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease, Australian officials announced today the country will expand its ban on imported beef to include 30 European countries. The nation has banned certain products containing British beef since 1996 following concerns...
Jan 4, 2001AMS Publishes Final Rule Establishing New Meat and Poultry Equipment Approval Program
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has initiated a voluntary, fee-for-service program to inspect and certify equipment and utensils used in meat and poultry product processing for sanitary design and cleanability. The final rule will be published in the Federal Register on January 5. AMS...
Jan 4, 2001AMI Process Lethality Determination Spreadsheet Now Available on MeatAMI.com
AMI's Process Lethality Determination Spreadsheet is now available on MeatAMI.com and may be accessed at http://www.meatami.com/Template.cfm?Section=HACCPImplementation&NavMenuID=122 . The spreadsheet has been available for more than a year on AMI's previous web site, www.meatami.org, and...
Dec 26, 2000Argentina Agrees To Permit Imports Of U.S. Bone-in Pork
Argentina announced December 22 that it will permit imports of bone-in U.S. pork. The Argentine market just recently opened to boneless pork exports from the U.S. Now, bone-in products from the U.S. will also be accepted. The Argentine market for imported pork is estimated at 30,000 metric...
Dec 20, 2000APHIS Ban on MBMs Just a Precautionary Measure, Agency Head Said
While no cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or "mad cow disease" have been found in the U.S., Dr. Craig Reed, of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said the agency’s decision to ban the import of meat and bone meal products from Europe is based on “sound science...
Dec 20, 2000AMS Hosts Mandatory Price Reporting Meeting
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) held a meeting December 19 for packers that the agency believes will be subject to mandatory price reporting when the rule becomes effective January 30, 2001. AMS officials explained the rule's provisions, as well as the information technology system...
Dec 18, 2000AMI Asks Department of Transportation to Re-think Proposed Hours Of Service Regulations
Claiming new Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations could cause needless economic losses for companies, AMI has asked the agency to reconsider proposed measures aimed at reducing the number of fatigued truck drivers on the road. The regulations now being discussed by DOT include: 1)...
Dec 15, 2000AMI Petitions FSIS to Amend Rules of Practice
AMI and two other trade associations today filed a petition to amend FSIS' Uniform Rules of Practice. The Rules of Practice specify how HACCP and other Federal Meat Inspection Act and Poultry Products Inspection Act regulations should be enforced. AMI’s petition asserts that the procedural...
Dec 13, 2000AMS Sets Mandatory Price Reporting Education Sessions
To assist producers and others in understanding the new mandatory price reporting program, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing education and outreach sessions across the country, starting next week. The new program, announced Nov. 28, will require large packers and...
Dec 11, 2000AMIF to Host Third Annual Animal Handling and Stunning Workshop
AMIF will host its third Annual Animal Handling and Stunning Workshop, February 1-2, 2001, at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, MO. The conference is designed to educate attendees about optimum animal handling and stunning practices, new research and technology, the use of self-audits to...
Dec 11, 2000Advertising Deadline Extended for 2001-2002 Membership Directory
Advertising space is still available in the 2001-2002 AMI Membership and Product Export Directory , a publication that offers members a unique opportunity to increase their visibility within the industry. The ad closing date has been extended two weeks to January 26, 2001. These two additional...
Dec 7, 2000APHIS Places "Port Hold" on European MBMs
In the wake of EU’s recent ban on meat and bone meal, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) yesterday placed a "port hold" on all imports of meat and bone meal (MBM) from all European countries. Three years ago, APHIS restricted the importation of all live ruminants and most...
Dec 4, 2000AMI, Other Ag Groups Urge USTR to Guard Against China Backsliding
AMI and more than 100 other agricultural/agribusiness entities have urged United States Trade Representative Charelene Barshefsky to ensure agricultural provisions included in the U.S.-China bilateral agreement are not weakened in the ongoing negotiation of China’s protocol of accession to the...
Nov 30, 2000AMIF to Host 2001 Conference on Worker Safety, Health and Human Resources March 11-14 in Denver, CO
AMIF will host the 2001 Conference on Worker Safety, Health and Human Resources March 11-14, 2001, at the Denver Marriot City Center in Denver, CO. In addition to the annual safety awards program and topical worker safety, human resources and ergonomics issues, this year’s conference will help...
Nov 16, 2000Australia to Call for End to U.S. Lamb Import Restrictions
Australia will push for an end to tariff-rate quotas in a hearing today in Washington before the U.S. International Trade Commission, according to a November 14 press release issued by Australia’s trade minister. The USITC currently is conducting its "mid-term" review of restrictions placed on...
Nov 13, 2000AMI Objects To Alabama Code Dating Provision
An Alabama law governing the sale of code dated product is preempted by federal law, according to AMI. The Institute, along with the National Turkey Federation, sent a letter November 9 to the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries protesting the implementation of the new code dating...
Nov 13, 2000AMI Opposes Residue Policy Under Consideration By FSIS
Muscle tissue from cattle carcasses is wholesome and not adulterated when testing of carcass muscle tissue does not yield results above certain tolerances, according to a letter sent to FSIS today by AMI and several other trade associations. AMI expressed concern that FSIS is considering...
Nov 8, 2000AMIF L.m. Control Workshop Sells Out With 60 Attendees
The AMI Foundation’s "Implementing Listeria Intervention and Control Workshop," held last week in Cincinnati, OH, drew 60 members of the industry, bringing the total of industry members trained through this program to 120 . Both workshops have been sold out and were highly rated by attendees....
Nov 6, 2000AMI’s International Trade Committee Meets
AMI’s International Trade Committee met jointly with the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s Packer/Processor & Purveyor/Trader Committee last week to review a wide range of trade issues. Topping the agenda was a debate about the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing compensation negotiations with...
Oct 16, 2000E. coli O157:H7 In Raw Ground Beef
FSIS data for E. coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef covering years 1995 through 1999 are available through the FSIS web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov , under "What's New." The contact persons for the data are Gerri Ransom and Priscilla Levine of the Microbiology Branch, telephone (202)...
Oct 16, 2000Agr. Groups Urge Caution On Whaling-Related Trade Sanctions
AMI joined 18 other agricultural organizations and companies in signing an October 11 letter to the President, which cautions against imposing trade restrictions on Japanese goods that would violate U.S. obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Administration has threatened to...
Oct 2, 2000AMI Testifies Against Agribusiness Antitrust Legislation
In testimony before the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee September 28, AMI President J. Patrick Boyle said proposed agribusiness antitrust bills would dilute current federal antitrust enforcement, unfairly target the agribusiness community and politicize antitrust enforcement. Boyle’s testimony...
Mar 24, 309Bipartisan Measure to Reduce Tariffs on Imported Ethanol Introduced
U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Susan Collins (R-ME), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Mel Martinez (R-FL) re-introduced S.622, the Imported Ethanol Parity Act ...
