Jones-Hamilton breaks ground on sodium bisulfate plant

The Jones-Hamilton Company, an Ohio-based specialty chemical manufacturer, broke ground for a sodium bisulfate production facility in Richburg, South Carolina. This will be Jones-Hamilton’s second production facility in the United States and its first South Carolina location. Jones-Hamilton is the world’s leading producer of sodium bisulfate, a dry acid used in poultry production, water treatment, cleaning products, and food for pets and people.
The new facility is expected to create 20 full-time jobs in Richburg.
The $40 million facility will include a reactor, 115-foot spray/congealing tower and 139-foot bucket elevator. The planned building is a 43,000 square foot Varco-Pruden pre-engineered metal warehouse with a 4,000 square foot office. The project will include a rail connection. Rudolph/Libbe Companies, based in Walbridge, Ohio, is the design/build contractor for the project, which is scheduled for completion in April 2015.
“We visited communities throughout the Southeast, and our top choice was Richburg and Chester County,” said Jones-Hamilton President Bernie Murphy. “We look forward to hiring 20 new Jones-Hamilton employees from the Chester County community to help us run our new facility.”
The location will strengthen Jones-Hamilton’s ability to serve customers. “This community is an ideal location for this new phase of our growth, convenient for many of our customers and suppliers with its proximity to Interstate 77, the railroad and the port of Charleston,” said Murphy. 
Founded in 1951, Jones-Hamilton has been employee-owned since 1985. The company currently employs 80 workers at its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Walbridge,Ohio, and additional locations in 13 states.

Poultry 201 will educate on marination, batter/breading systems

Texas A&M University is hosting Poultry 201, a two-and-a-half day educational and hands-on course that focuses on marination and batter/breading systems for poultry products. The Course will be held October 22-24, in College Station, Texas, at Texas A&M University. More detailed information and registration can be found at www.poultry201.com
This course is designed for professionals in research and development, plant supervisors and anyone interested in decreasing costs and improving yield in further processed poultry products.
Poultry Science experts from Texas A&M, Auburn University and the University of Arkansas, as well as industry professionals, will discuss topics such as meat chemistry, quality parameters for marinated and batter/breaded items, marination and batter/breading systems including ingredient functionality and sensory perception, troubleshooting of equipment for common marination and batter/breading problems, yield improvement techniques, emerging trends, cost savings, and food safety and labeling requirements.
Hands-on laboratories include formulating marinades for both tumble and inject systems, sensory/flavor demonstrations, approach to batter and breading systems and product evaluation techniques. 

Chicken product sales help Maple Leaf Foods increase earnings

Sales of chicken products helped Maple Leaf Foods experience increased adjusted operating earnings for fiscal year 2012, as well as the fourth quarter, according to the company's latest report. During a quarterly conference call with investors on February 26, Maple Leaf Foods President and CEO Michael H. McCain reported a 58.9 percent increase in adjusted operating earnings to $91.3 million for the quarter, and an 8.1 percent increase to $280 million for the year.
The company’s meat products group saw a 5.3 percent decline for the final quarter of 2012 from the fourth quarter of 2011. However, the adjusted operating earnings increased 75.2 percent to 48.1 million, compared to $27.5 million a year ago. This was driven by stronger earnings growth in the prepared meats and fresh poultry businesses, which was partly offset by lower earnings in the primary pork processing operations. Sales of higher value products, such as the Maple Leaf Prime chicken brand, combined with an improved sales mix in higher value channels contributed to higher earnings in the fresh poultry operations.
“We are continuing to enhance our product mix,” said McCain. “Our chicken business has gone extremely well. In fact, the underlying improvements are even better because we had some head winds from our weaker industry margins in pork processing.”
Maple Leaf is continuing efforts to improve profits from its poultry products. The company is in the midst of a plan for simplification of prepared meats, which focuses on higher volume and more profitable products. The next phase of simplification includes value-added chicken, boxed meats and lunch kits categories, which McCain said will drive further benefits in 2013. Revamped Prime Chicken frozen entrees have so far done well. “Our early results in that initiative indicate a very positive response from our consumers,” said McCain. "They like the packaging. They like the flavor offerings.”
While the company is moving forward with plans to further improve profitability, they are still cautious of some of the costs involved. “The effects of food inflation driven by the North American drought of 2012 will be felt mostly in the first half of 2013," said McCain. "As a result, we expect some short-term volatility in our earnings as we pass those cost increases on in the marketplace. Beyond this, our strategic initiatives will accelerate in 2013 and contribute to continued margin growth."

Sanderson Farms reports $6.9 million loss for quarter

Sanderson Farms, Inc. on February 21 reported to shareholders a net loss of $6.9 million for the first fiscal quarter ended January 31.
That loss equates to a decline of 31 cents per share over the past quarter, compared with a net loss of $8 million, or 36 cents per share for the first quarter of 2012.
Net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 were $595.8 million compared with $517.8 million for the same period a year ago.
"Our results for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 reflect improving, but still challenging, conditions for our industry," said Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Sanderson Farms, Inc. "While we experienced higher poultry market prices than the same period a year ago, our grain costs were also higher. Retail demand for chicken has remained steady, but we continue to see weak food service demand. We believe food service demand will remain under pressure until the national employment environment improves. While grain prices have retreated from the highs they set last August, we experienced higher feed costs during the first quarter, and these higher costs continue to affect our profitability."
According to Sanderson, market prices for poultry products were higher during the first quarter of fiscal 2013 compared with the same period of fiscal 2012. A simple average of the Georgia dock price for whole chickens was approximately 9.1 percent higher in the Company's first fiscal quarter compared with the same period in 2012, and currently stands at a record $1.0050 per pound.
Boneless breast meat prices during the quarter were approximately 5.1 percent higher than the prior-year period. The average market price for bulk leg quarters decreased approximately 2.0 percent for the quarter compared with the same period last year. Jumbo wing prices were higher by 24.6 percent compared with last year's first fiscal quarter, and hit a record high of $1.92 per pound the week before the Super Bowl. The Company's average feed cost per pound of poultry products processed increased 12.1 percent compared with the first quarter of fiscal 2012, and prices paid for corn and soybean meal, the Company's primary feed ingredients, increased 16.2 percent and 46.1 percent, respectively, compared with the first quarter of fiscal 2012.
"Market conditions steadily improved during our first fiscal quarter as our grain costs peaked in November," Sanderson added. "Market prices and sales strengthened in January and, as a result, the Company was profitable for the last month of the quarter." However, we continue to experience high grain prices, and expect a challenging cost environment throughout the fiscal year. Corn supplies are at their tightest level in 15 years, which will likely keep upward pressure on grain costs at least until the market gets some visibility into the quantity and quality of the 2013 crops.
"Throughout most all of calendar 2012, egg sets and pullet placements remained below previous year levels, but have trended higher over the past few weeks. Despite slightly higher chicken production, market prices have remained the same or moved higher, indicating at least some improvement in demand. We are cautiously optimistic regarding macroeconomic conditions, and believe any further strengthening of the United States economy, coupled with normal seasonal demand improvement this spring and summer, could support higher market prices for our poultry products.
"We have been running our plants at approximately 94 percent capacity since October, which has adversely affected our costs. In order to meet our customers' demands and improve our cost structure, we will move our plants to full production in June. While grain costs remain relatively high, this move is supported by demand from our customers and our desire to keep our costs competitive," concluded Sanderson.

United Arab Emirates imposes ban on Bulgarian poultry

Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahd, minister of environment and water for the United Arab Emirates, has issued a temporary ban on the import of live birds and poultry products from Bulgaria.
Bin Fahd also issued temporary bans on the import of small animals and their products from Algeria, and cattle and related products from Lebanon.
The decisions were based on reports issued by the World Organization for Animal Health, which indicated the existence of some disease in those countries.

Indiana State Poultry Association donates 200,000 pounds poultry

The Indiana State Poultry Association donated more than 200,000 pounds of poultry products to the state, which will then be donated to Indiana food pantries.
Donations were made by Berne Hi-Way Hatchery, Creighton Brothers, Culver Duck, Farbest Foods, Maple Leaf Farms, Midwest Poultry Services, Perdue Foods, Miller Poultry, Rose Acre Farms, Tyson Foods and Wabash Valley Produce. “Our Indiana poultry producers have proven time and again their commitment to feeding families not just here in the Hoosier state, but across our nation and globe,” said Lt. Governor Becky Skillman. “This kind of generosity is especially appreciated during the Holidays, a time for coming together and working to provide nourishment for those who might need a little extra help.”
In addition to the donation, members of the Indiana State Poultry Association presented Skillman the state turkey and a specially decorated egg representing Indiana to show their appreciation of the administration’s continued support of Indiana agriculture.

Tajikistan to export 2 million eggs to Iran

Tajikistan will export 1 to 2 million eggs to Iran to help the country deal with a poultry crisis, according to Sijouddin Isroilov, Tajikistan’s deputy minister of agriculture.
Iran’s poultry population has been decimated by disease and is in need of poultry products, said Isroilov, and the large egg export will not hurt Tajikistan’s domestic market. “Poultry farms in [Tajikistan's] Sughd province have coped with providing the population of the region with the eggs and now intend to sell their product in other regions, including Dushanbe,” he said. Prices for eggs in Iran are also more than double the price in Dushanbe, said the minister.

Pakistan poultry prices expected to begin declining trend

Market analysts for Pakistan are predicting a declining trend in the prices of poultry and poultry products in the markets of various districts of Punjab, due largely to the end of wedding season and a rising mercury trend which have caused demand to weaken.
During the last two weeks of March, prices of live broilers averaged Rs 117.50 (US$2.63) per kilogram in the Faisalabad district and Rs 131 (US$2.93) per kilogram in the Multan district. Prices also increased slightly in Lahore and Rawalpindi, but the expectation of reduced production has led analysts to predict an upcoming price drop. Market sources said a major indication of the coming trend is a steep decline in the price of day-old broiler chicks in various Punjab districts. As of April 4, the price of day-old broiler chicks dropped by Rs 10–12 (US$0.22–$0.27) and is hovering around Rs 23–30 (US$0.51–$0.67) per chick.
The average price of eggs also reduced by almost Rs 5 (US$0.11) per dozen in the Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Multan districts, in keeping with the expected trend.

American Meat Institute releases economic impact study on potential GIPSA regulations

John Dunham and Associates, commissioned by the American Meat Institute (AMI), has released an economic impact study related to a U.S. Department of Agriculture regulatory proposal.
If put into play, the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule would, among other things, affect the way livestock is purchased. Implementation, says the report, could result in up to 21,274 jobs lost in the livestock industry out of a total 104,000 potential jobs lost. Inefficiencies created by the proposal would also raise meat prices nationally by 3.33%, causing a 1.68% decrease in consumer demand for meat and poultry products. More information on the report can be found here.

Making chicken sausage at Poultry 101

In a video from Poultry 101, Auburn University’s Dr. Shelly McKee guides workshop participants through the sausage-making process.
The next Poultry 101 is scheduled for September 21-23, 2010, at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Earthquake strikes Bachoco’s Mexicali table egg operation

Industrias Bachoco, Mexico's largest producer and processor of poultry products, announced its Mexicali table eggs operation was affected by the earthquake that hit Mexico's northwest April 4. The Mexicali operation represents about 9% of the company's production capacity for table eggs.
Cristobal Mondragon, Bachoco's chief executive officer, said that no employees were injured during the earthquake and its feed mill and distribution channels were “practically undamaged,” but the quake affected most of the farms in the region.
"The company is taking all necessary steps to reduce the negative effects and supply our customers from other production complexes,” said Mondragon. “In addition, the company is evaluating the damages to its facilities and its production process to take the fastest alternatives and quickly recover the pace of our normal operations."

NAMP launches new meat buyer's guide

More than 100 meat industry professionals gathered on Saturday afternoon at The Drake Hotel in Chicago at the conclusion of the NAMP 2010 Meat Industry Management Conference to celebrate the launch of a new and completely revised edition of the Meat Buyer’s Guide.
The new edition was broadened beyond the U.S. to include all of North America, including Canadian grading standards, terminology and cut descriptions, and Spanish translations of all meat cut names. Poultry sections include: chicken, turkey, duck/goose and game birds.
New features in the book include:
*54 new items: 15 beef, 7 lamb, 6 veal, 6 pork, 7 poultry, 13 variety meats and edible by-products
*Additional updated and clarified item descriptions in all sections
*78 new photographs
*New beef value cuts such as Denver steak, Chuck Delmonico, Chuck Eye Country Style Ribs and Western Griller
*New lamb value cuts including Flank Steak, Boneless pectoral meat, a notches and split short loin and a semi-boneless lamb leg steamship cut
*New information on Australian and Canadian beef and U.S. beef, veal and lamb
*Updated weight ranges, new graphics and an expanded glossary.
Since 1961, NAMP has published the Meat Buyer’s Guide, which has been used as the premier resource publication for the meat and poultry industry, foodservice purchasers, educators and students. This new, sixth edition has been endorsed by 20 industry and foodservice associations.
Orders may be placed at the NAMP Web site.

Erie Meat receives $3M in government funds to set up Ontario poultry plant

Erie Meat Products of Canada plans to revamp an old Campbell’s Soup facility in Listowel, Ontario, as a poultry processing plant, according to the Manitoba Cooperator. Erie Meat bought the plant from Campbell late last year for CAN$4.8M and will receive CAN$3M in provincial funds to use toward refrigeration equipment and production lines.
The plant is expected to hire 500 workers within three years, according to an Ontario government press release. That’s the same number of workers that the factory employed under Campbell, the Manitoba Cooperator reported.

New York firm recalls various chicken products produced without inspection

N.Y. Gourmet Salads Inc., based in Brooklyn, N.Y., is recalling an undetermined amount of various chicken products because the products were produced without federal inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced. The projects subject to recall are:
*5-pound tubs of "Chicken Salad, Made with All White Meat"
*5-pound tubs of "Grilled Chicken Pasta & Broccoli"
*3-pound trays with six wraps of "Chicken W/Roasted Pepper & Mozzarella Wrap"
*5-pound trays of "Grilled Boneless Chicken Breast Cutlet"
*5-pound trays of "Teriyaki Chicken Breast"
The chicken products were produced intermittently between November 5, 2009, and March 10, 2010, and were distributed to retail establishments in the New York City metropolitan area. Each chicken product bears the establishment number "P-34440" inside the USDA mark of inspection. Consumers may have purchased these chicken products at supermarkets deli counters. The problem was discovered by FSIS and is part of an ongoing investigation. FSIS has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products.

Perdue products receive USDA Process Verified seal

Perdue Farms Inc. announced that it has received the U.S. Department of Agriculture Process Verified seal for its Perdue fresh, all natural whole chickens and bone-in parts, as well as Perdue Fit & Easy boneless, skinless chicken products. It is launching the product lines in North Carolina with a video contest, in which North Carolina consumers are invited to demonstrate their best recipe or techniques for preparing or serving chicken.
"The seal verifies our chickens are fed an all vegetarian diet, with no animal by-products. It also verifies they are raised cage free and humanely raised," said Jim Perdue, the company’s chairman. Perdue is the first chicken company to be allowed to make these claims on its product packaging using the USDA Process Verified seal. Jim Perdue added that the seal will help differentiate his company’s products in the minds of consumers.
The USDA Process Verified seal indicates that USDA has audited the company's processes behind the claims made on the product's packaging. "We are pleased to allow Perdue to use the USDA Process Verified Program seal in recognition of their adherence to their vegetarian diet and humanely raised process points," said Charles Johnson, poultry programs grading branch chief of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service.
Products carrying the “humanely raised” claim are verified to come from birds raised in accordance with the Perdue Farms poultry welfare program, which is based in part on the poultry welfare guidelines of the National Chicken Council.

Ivorian poultry producers credit industry revival to import duties

The return of duties on poultry products from Europe and Latin America has revived Cote d’Ivoire’s domestic poultry industry, according to Inter Press Service. From 2005, to 2009, poultry production expanded from 9,000 tonnes to 20,000 tonnes and egg production grew from 435 million to 800 million, according to Philippe Ackah, president of the poultry industry association IPRAVI (Interprofession Avicole de Côte d’Ivoire).
Cote d’Ivoire reinstated poultry duties in 2005, after three years of free import licenses, and the current duty raises the price of imported poultry by about 100%, the Inter Press Service reported.
"This regulation saved the Ivorian poultry industry from ruin," Alain Bouabré, an Ivorian economist, told the news agency.

China may impose anti-dumping duties on US poultry

China may assess preliminary anti-dumping duties on poultry from the United States in an effort to check what it says are below-market prices on chicken feet and wings, RTTNews.com reported.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce posted a notice on its Web site of the change, but indicated no date when enforcement would begin. The Chinese Poultry Association has accused American poultry producers of dumping feet and wings on the Chinese market.
The National Chicken Council said it “is very disappointed” with the decision. “We disagree that any chicken products have been sold below the cost of production or comparable price in the United States,” said a press release from the council.
According to the council, U.S. companies sold mainland China 693,830 metric tons of poultry products worth $620M from January through November of 2009. The USA Poultry & Egg Export Council reports that U.S. chicken accounted for 72.7%of China’s total broiler meat imports in 2008.
According to Jim Sumner, USAPEEC president, the Ministry of Commerce disregarded information from 36 U.S. companies that showed U.S. chicken is not being dumped on the Chinese market. “We’re hopeful that if Chinese officials study our submissions in greater detail, they will conclude that U.S. chicken products were, in fact, not dumped,” he said.
USAPEEC said that more than half of all U.S. poultry exports to China during the period under investigation were chicken feet, since Chinese farmers do not produce enough to meet demand. U.S. producers get a better price for feet on the Chinese market—$0.60 to $0.80 per pound—than the pennies per pound they can charge at home. “When a product is sold at export for prices that are many times higher than the price for the like good in the home market, that is not dumping. In fact, it is the very opposite of dumping,” the statement said.
Sumner added that he believes the anti-dumping move is a reaction to unrelated U.S.-China trade disputes, including those arising from U.S. safeguard duties on Chinese tires.

Bachoco announces effects of Mexican tax reforms

Industrias Bachoco S.A.B. de C.V., based in Celaya, Mexico, announced that its income tax rate will increase two percentage points for the year 2010 as a result of Mexican tax law reforms.
As a consequence of the increase, the producer and processor of poultry products recorded a one-time charge of about Ps.200M for deferred taxes in its fourth quarter of 2009. It reported that the charge would not affect the company’s cash flow.
Bachoco does not expect any other material effects on its financial condition as a result of the tax reforms.

Philippines halts German poultry imports

The Philippines agriculture department has put a temporary stop to poultry imports from Germany and the French village of Saint-Aubin-du-Plain, citing the discovery of “[l]ow pathogenic avian influenza” on a duck farm in Saint-Aubin-du-Plain and a bird farm in Thuringen, Germany, in November.
The poultry product ban applies to live birds, meat, chicks, eggs and semen, according to BusinessWorld, based in Manila. The Philippines is one of only three countries in Southeast Asia where avian flu has not taken hold, the publication reports.
In 2008, the Philippines imported nearly 1 million kilograms of poultry and poultry products from France and 112,264 kilograms from Germany, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.

Tyson found in violation of labor laws

Tyson Foods Inc. has been found in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act at its Blountsville, Ala., facility. The jury's verdict in federal court in Birmingham resulted from a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor against the company.
The court ordered Tyson to pay $250,000 for the violations.
"This is a victory for workers, and the result of years of dedicated efforts to protecting the rights of working Americans," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.
The Department of Labor's lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The federal department alleged Tyson Foods did not keep accurate records and failed to pay production line employees for the time they spend donning and doffing safety and sanitary gear, and performing other related work activities. The violations span nine years, beginning in 2000 and extending to present day and affect approximately 3,000 current and former plant workers.
The initial investigation began in April 2000 as part of the department's wage and hour division's poultry enforcement initiative. The Labor Department filed the district court complaint in May 2002 following the company's failure to comply with the law and to pay back wages. The first jury trial, which began in February 2009, ended in a mistrial. The Labor Department chose to pursue a second trial in August 2009 to secure a ruling that Tyson was failing to compensate its employees lawfully.
Read the complete release.