Foster Farms reaffirms commitment to Salmonella control

In conjunction with the January 21 announcement by the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service ( FSIS) regarding a proposed 15.4 percent standard for Salmonella prevalence in raw poultry parts, poultry producer Foster Farms has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining Salmonella prevalence levels below 5 percent.
Foster Farms has maintained an average Salmonella prevalence level of two percent for the last nine consecutive months, the company stated. This performance record is the result of a $75 million food safety program launched in 2013 after a Salmonella outbreak was traced to Foster Farms products and caused more than 600 people in the United States and Puerto Rico to become sick.
"We support the USDA in taking this critical step to advance food safety across the poultry industry," said Foster Farms President and CEO Ron Foster. "Foster Farms has made a tremendous investment to ensure that our practices represent the very best in the industry. We stand by our commitment to lead the industry with Salmonella prevalence levels of less than 5 percent. We remain dedicated to continuous food safety advances."
Prior to the FSIS announcement, there was no established regulatory standard for raw poultry parts, though the most recent 2011-2012 reported industry average was 25 percent. Foster Farms has worked closely with the USDA, CDC, poultry industry and retailers to share its learnings in controlling Salmonella in the interest of creating a safer food supply system nationwide. The company continues to draw on the best food safety advice in and outside of the poultry industry through its Food Safety Advisory Board.
In 2013, Foster Farms implemented a $75 million food safety program that effectively reduced Salmonella system-wide from the breeder level, to the farms where the birds are raised and to the plants where the chicken is processed and packaged. This included improvements to equipment and processes, the implementation of a continuous testing program and food safety education.
Foster Farms' multi-hurdle program has been credited by the CDC and the USDA for its consistent control of Salmonella in raw chicken. The company has also been recognized for its leadership in controlling Salmonella by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a champion of improved food safety. Based on the program's success, Foster Farms is actively sharing data and insights with other poultry and meat producers. As part of this collaboration, Dr. Robert O'Connor, Foster Farms senior vice president for technical services, leads a National Chicken Council committee on Salmonella reduction at the parts level and has informed retailers in their development of vendor protocols.

Perdue launches antibiotic-free chicken products for schools

Perdue Foodservice has launched seven no-antibiotics-ever chicken products for school lunch programs, including favorites such as a nugget, sandwich patty, chicken rings and chicken popcorn. Perdue Foodservice has also committed to converting additional school lunch products, sold under the Kings Delight, Clux Delux and Perdue labels, to no-antibiotics-ever meat over the remainder of the 2014-2015 school year.
The products meet the School Food FOCUS – The Pew Charitable Trust Standard to Minimize the Use of Antibiotics in Poultry, as well as the standards of the Urban School Food Alliance. Together, these purchasing initiatives include many of the largest school districts in the U.S., serving more than 4 million students.
“We’ve been providing consumers with the option for no-antibiotics-ever products since Perdue launched the Harvestland brand in 2007,” said Jennifer Armstrong, Director of Sales, K-12 for Perdue Foodservice. “As a leader in no-antibiotics-ever production, it made sense for us to bring the same choice to school lunch programs. These include the kinds of chicken products most popular with students, and we’re now making them from chicken raised with absolutely no antibiotics ever.”
“We were the first chicken company to give consumers the added assurance of USDA Process Verified Programs,” said Armstrong. “Now, school lunch programs carrying our no-antibiotics-ever USDA Process Verified products can offer these important attributes to their students, while at the same time reassuring parents that their kids are eating responsibly-raised chicken.”
The Urban School Food Alliance requirements also include USDA Process Verified Programs to verify the no-antibiotics-ever claim, along with raised on an all-vegetarian-diet with no animal by-products. “We were the first chicken company to give consumers the added assurance of USDA Process Verified Programs,” said Armstrong. “Now, school lunch programs carrying our no-antibiotics-ever, USDA Process Verified products can offer important attributes to their students, and reassurance to their parents.”
For those school districts that are not using no-antibiotics-ever chicken, Perdue follows a minimal use policy for its other products that excludes the use of antibiotics for growth promotion or the continuous of antibiotics used in human medicine.
Perdue Foods, the parent of Perdue Foodservice, received widespread praise from groups concerned about the overuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture for its September 2014 announcement that is has reduced overall use of human antibiotics by 95 percent over a 12-year-period and does not use antibiotics for growth promotion or in its hatcheries. “We recognized that the public was concerned about the potential impact of the use of these drugs on their ability to effectively treat humans,” said Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown, Senior Vice president of Food Safety, Quality and Live Operations for Perdue Foods.
As part of Perdue’s animal welfare commitment, should animals become ill – including those raised as no-antibiotics-ever or organic – they will be treated as medically appropriate. However, if antibiotics are used, those animals are not marketed as no-antibiotics-ever or organic.

European Parliament committee: Origin labeling needed on meat

Meat used in processed food should be labeled by country of origin, an Environment, Public Health and Food Safety European Parliament Committee has said, calling on the European Commission to come up with legislative proposals.
The committee has urged the commission to follow up its 2013 report with legislative proposals making it mandatory to state the country of origin of meat used in processed foods, in order to ensure more transparency throughout the food chain and better inform consumers.
Members of European Parliament (MEPs) also reiterated their concern over the potential impact of food fraud on food safety, consumer confidence and health, the function of the food chain and farm produce prices.
MEPs point out that the European Commission’s own report acknowledges that more than 90 percent of consumer respondents consider it important that meat origin should be labeled on processed food products. This is one of the several factors that may influence consumer behavior and help to restore confidence following the horsemeat scandal, the MEPs say.
In December 2013, the European Commission submitted a report to the European Parliament and the council on the likely consequences of making it mandatory to state the country of origin or place of provenance of meat used as an ingredient. It is thought that, depending on the EU Member State concerned, 30-50 percent of slaughtered meat is processed into meat ingredients for foodstuffs, mostly minced meat, meat preparations, and meat products.
The resolution will be discussed and put to a plenary session vote in February.

IPC Rome meeting to focus on avian influenza’s impact

With increased avian influenza detections around the world wreaking havoc on global poultry trade, the virus will be among the chief topics of discussion when members of the International Poultry Council (IPC) convene in April in Rome for the organization’s first semester conference.


A top veterinary official with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) will give an in-depth update to IPC members on the most active season in several years for occurrences of highly pathogenic avian influenza.


Much of the discussion at the conference will be on influenza-related import restrictions on poultry trade. Particularly alarming is the impact of these restrictions on the international shipment of breeding stock, which is causing supply shortages in some countries and preventing producers from replenishing their poultry flocks.


Members will also discuss the progress of the concept of compartmentalization, developed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to limit the impact on trade of influenza restrictions.


From the economics side of the issue, Dr. Nan-Dirk Mulder, associate director for commodities at Rabobank, will give a presentation on the impact of influenza-related trade bans on global poultry meat trade.


Other speakers include Bart Blomme, director of global meat management at the Metro AG, the world’s fifth largest international supermarket chain, whose presentation will cover global poultry retail, with an emphasis on sustainability; and Carlo Prevedini, CEO of the Amadori Group, a leading Italian poultry producer and processor, who will give a report on the Italian industry.


Also, Mark Smith of Leadership Resource Institute, will lead a discussion of the IPC’s strategic plan and the organization’s “road map” for the future.


Hosted by Unaitalia, the Italian meat, poultry and egg association, the meeting will be April 15-17 at the Ambasciatori Palace hotel in Rome, with rooms available at a special IPC rate of EUR199 (US$231) per night. Registration fee is US$600. Participants can register via the IPC website and also can download the room reservation form.

Americans to eat 1.25 billion chicken wings for Super Bowl

With the second biggest eating day of the year after Thanksgiving upon us – Super Bowl Sunday – there's no hotter time of year for chicken wings, which have become a staple food on Super Bowl menus.
According to the National Chicken Council's 2015 Wing Report released on January 22, 1.25 billion wings will be eaten during Super Bowl XLIX, as fans watch the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots battle for the Lombardi Trophy, matching the record tied last year when the Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos.
To put that into perspective, if 1.25 billion wing segments were laid end to end, they would stretch back and forth from CenturyLink Field in Seattle to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts… almost 28 times.  With the Super Bowl being played in Arizona, 1.25 billion wings would circle the Grand Canyon 120 times. That is enough wings to put 572 wings on every seat in all 32 NFL stadiums, according to the council.
In terms of weight, 1.25 billion wings would weigh 5,955 times more than the weights of the Seahawks and Patriots entire 52-man rosters combined.
"Although the total amount of pounds of chicken produced last year rose by about 1.8 percent, the total number of chickens processed was virtually the same in 2014 as is was in 2013," noted National Chicken Council Vice President of Communications Tom Super.  "A chicken only has two wings; therefore, the supply of wings is limited by the total number of chickens produced."
The average price (wholesale, not retail) of whole wings is currently $1.71/lb, up from $1.35/lb at the same time last year, according to the Daily Northeast Broiler/Fryer Report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Marketing Service.  This is down significantly from when wing prices hit a record high of $2.11/lb in January, 2013.
Wing prices traditionally go up in the fourth quarter of the year as restaurants and supermarkets stock up for the Super Bowl, and prices usually peak in January during the run-up to the big game.
Wing eating among NFC-AFC championship cities
While Seattle is known for many things, including its coffee, fish tossing and Fortune 500 companies, chicken wings aren't one of them.
Residents of Seattle tend to punt on chicken wings, as they are 17 percent less likely to eat chicken wings in general than the average resident of the top 42 U.S. markets, according to The NPD Group's Local Market CREST Restaurant database;two years ending September 2014.  While faring a bit better, but still below average, Patriots fans in Boston are 8 percent less likely to consume wings from a restaurant than the average resident.
But the Seahawks-Patriots matchup was the best possible scenario out of the four remaining NFL playoff teams/cities for wing eating.  Here' a look at how the four stack up:


• Boston: 8 percent less likely to eat chicken wings in general than the average resident
• Seattle: 17 percent less likely to eat wings
• Indianapolis: 32 percent less likely to eat wings
• Green Bay: 39 percent less likely to eat wings
"The good news is, fans will try more wings if their team gets in the Super Bowl," noted Harry Balzer, The NPD Group's chief industry analyst and vice president. "We know wing consumption increases more than other foods during the Super Bowl.  It did in Seattle last year after they won.  While the citizens of Seattle still eat wings less often than the average eater, our research indicates that order incidence for wings rose considerably last year in that market."
Added the Chicken Council's Super, "With the Patriots in the game, we're hopeful this trend will continue and we'll see 'inflated' wing consumption this year in New England."
Super Bowl fans choose sides
The data shows that more than four in five U.S. adults (81 percent) eat chicken wings, holding steady from last year.
More than half (56 percent) of U.S. adults who eat chicken wings say they typically like to eat their wings with ranch dressing, according to a new National Chicken Council poll conducted online in January 2015 by Harris Poll*.  Ranch is once again the #1 side or sauce typically eaten with wings, up from 51 percent last year but shy of the record of 57 percent two years ago.  Only about one-third (36 percent) like to eat their wings with blue cheese dressing.  This is up from 32 percent last year.  Barbecue sauce even topped blue cheese, coming in at 42 percent.
The survey asked which dipping sauces or snacks chicken wing eaters typically like to eat with their wings. They could choose more than one option.
Northeastern wing eaters are significantly more likely to prefer blue cheese dressing (49 percent) than those in the Midwest (36 percent), South (30 percent) and West (30 percent), while those regions are more likely to prefer ranch dressing.
"I was shocked to see Blue Cheese go down by this margin, again," noted Super.  "Although, I'm from the Northeast – for me, putting Ranch on wings is like putting ketchup on a hot dog."
After ranch dressing at the top:  42 percent of wing lovers choose barbecue sauce as a typical snack or dipping sauce; 36 percent said blue cheese; 36 percent hot sauce; 35 percent celery; and 20 percent choose carrots. Ten percent of wing lovers describe themselves as purists who eat nothing with their wings.
Bone-in or boneless? 
With the growing popularity of "boneless wings," NCC asked wing eaters if they prefer to eat traditional, bone-in wings or boneless wings.  According to the survey, 54 percent of wing eaters prefer traditional, bone-in wings while 46 percent chose their boneless cousin.  Boneless wings are typically white, boneless chicken breasts cut into strips, breaded or floured and tossed with Buffalo sauce.
The drumette, flat or whole wing?
The vast majority of wings, especially those destined for restaurants, are disjointed, with the third joint (the thin part known as the wing tip or flapper) being exported to Asian countries and the meatier first and second joints being sold domestically.  The wing is usually split into two parts – or segments – known as the "drumette" and the "flat" and sold to restaurants or retail grocery outlets.
According the survey, of those who eat chicken wings, 46 percent prefer the drumette, 25 percent the flat and 10 percent prefer their wings whole.  Nineteen percent say they don't have a preference, they like them all. 

USDA proposes new measures to reduce Salmonella, Campylobacter

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on January 21 proposed new federal standards to reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter in ground chicken and turkey products as well as raw chicken breasts, legs and wings. Development of these new standards is a major step in the FSIS Salmonella Action Plan, launched in December 2013 to reduce Salmonella illnesses from meat and poultry products.
"Today, we are taking specific aim at making the poultry items that Americans most often purchase safer to eat," said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack. "This is a meaningful, targeted step that could prevent tens of thousands of illnesses each year."
"These new standards, as well as improved testing patterns, will have a major impact on public health," said USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Al Almanza. "The proposed changes are another way we're working to meet the ever-changing food safety landscape and better protect Americans from foodborne illness."
"Getting more germs out of the chicken and turkey we eat is an important step in protecting people from foodborne illness," said Robert V. Tauxe, MD, deputy director of the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "I look forward to seeing fewer Americans get sick as a result of these proposed changes."
A pathogen reduction performance standard is the measure that FSIS uses to assess the food safety performance of facilities that prepare meat and poultry products. By making the standards for ground poultry tougher to meet, ground poultry products nationwide will have less contamination and therefore result in fewer foodborne illnesses. FSIS implemented performance standards for whole chickens in 1996 but has since learned that Salmonella levels increase as chicken is further processed into parts. Poultry parts like breasts, wings and others represent 80 percent of the chicken available for Americans to purchase. By creating a standard for chicken parts, and by performing regulatory testing at a point closer to the final product, FSIS can greatly reduce consumer exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter.
FSIS' science-based risk assessment estimates that implementation of these standards would lead to an average of 50,000 prevented illnesses annually. FSIS intends to evaluate comments for 60 days and announce final standards and an implementation date this spring. The federal register notice is available on the FSIS website.
For chicken parts, ground chicken, and ground turkey, FSIS is proposing a pathogen reduction performance standard designed to achieve at least a 30 percent reduction in illnesses from Salmonella. For chicken parts, ground chicken, and ground turkey, FSIS is proposing a pathogen reduction performance standard designed to reduce illness from Campylobacter by at least 19 and as much as 37 percent.
FSIS plans to use routine sampling throughout the year rather than infrequently sampling on consecutive days to assess whether establishments' processes are effectively addressing Salmonella and, where applicable, Campylobacter on poultry carcasses and other products derived from these carcasses.

Young professionals needed in the poultry industry

Randall Ennis told students at IPPE that careers in the poultry industry can provide nearly guaranteed job placement upon graduation. 
Randall Ennis, consultant and former Aviagen CEO, told Future Farmers of America (FFA) students why they should consider a career in the poultry industry at a seminar at the 2015 International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE). 
“Chicken is one of most successful industries in agriculture,” Ennis told the students. Since 1900, the poultry industry has come a long way – increasing bird size, focusing more on genetics and nutrition, and diversifying product offerings. 
Largely due to fast-food chicken chains like Chick-fil-A, KFC and Popeye’s, chicken consumption surpassed that of pork on a per-capita basis in 1985 and, in 1992, surpassed beef consumption, making chicken now the most consumed meat.
Through technology that enables healthier, more productive birds and the ability to bring products to market quicker than ever before, “[the industry has] revolutionized the way we eat chicken,” said Ennis.
Ennis emphasized that technology is key to feeding the world’s growing population. “Young people know more about technology than anyone,” he said. So, their knowledge and skills are critical to continued innovation in the poultry industry.
Over the next 10 years, 10,000 qualified poultry people will be needed in the industry. Yet, according to Ennis, the U.S. has just six poultry schools that graduate an average of 30 people per class per year. Therefore, the demand for young professionals in the industry is great; in fact, he believes that there is a 100 percent job placement rate for graduates with a poultry science degree – an unattainable statistic in many other industries. Ennis feels the three largest areas of demand for workers in the industry are currently poultry nutritionists, where young professionals are needed to fulfill jobs vacated by an older generation of people who are now retiring, as well as in feed mills and hatcheries. However, he noted that there are jobs in the poultry industry to fit nearly any interest: accountants, software developers to develop new equipment, poultry product development chefs and pest control, just to name a few.
“Opportunities are endless when it comes to this industry,” Ennis concluded.

Foster Farms VP: It's about the process used to reduce Salmonella

Dr. Robert O’Connor, senior vice president, technical services, Foster Farms, said that Foster Farms’ broiler processing plants in California now have Salmonella  incidence rates on its chicken parts that are consistently below 5 percent. 
Dr. Robert O’Connor, senior vice president, technical services, Foster Farms, said, “I am not going to give you a recipe for reducing Salmonella prevalence on chicken parts. I am not going to advocate any products. I am going to give you the process we went thorough to lower the incidence of Salmonella on poultry parts. It isn’t about what product you use, but the process you use to evaluate the products.”
He told the audience at USPOULTRY’s seminar, “Microbial Control in Second Processing,” that while Foster Farms has succeeded in meeting the goal set for it by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of reducing Salmonella incidence on its broiler parts from its pre-outbreak level of 25 percent to 5 percent of less, its journey continues.
“We reached our goal, but now we have to maintain it,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor said that when his company was first contacted by USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the outbreak and the suspected link to Foster Farms’ broiler products, Foster Farms’ personnel spent both time and energy pushing back against the agencies. He said, “That didn’t work; I wouldn’t recommend that approach.” He suggested that any processor in that situation should engage the people from those agencies. He said that, eventually, Foster Farms met with CDC personnel at the agency headquarters in Atlanta, not just on teleconferences. He said that forming these relationships helped him and the rest of Foster Farms’ team to understand all of the data the agencies had and let them see that everyone was trying to solve a public health problem.
O’Connor shared data on Salmonella results for carcasses and parts for the firm’s three California broiler processing plants. The company was notified of the outbreak in October of 2013. He said that within six months, in April of 2014, all three plants had Salmonella incidence rates on parts below the goal given to them by USDA of less than 5 percent. The company has managed to keep its Salmonella incidence on parts down around 2 percent through the remainder of 2014, according to data O’Connor reported.

Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta manager takes home IPPE chili award

From left: Andrew Denaro, kitchen manager for Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta, was named Best Overall Chili Winner at the 2015 IPPE Meat Me in @LANTA competition. Miss Georgia, Maggie Bridges, presented the award. 
Andrew Denaro, kitchen manager for Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta, was named Best Overall Chili winner at the 2015 Meat Me in @LANTA competition, held at the International Production &Processing Expo (IPPE) on Tuesday, January 27.
The event was sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, North American Meat Institute, American Feed Industry Association, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau and Georgia World Congress Center. Second place went to Hilton Worldwide, and third place went to The Oceanaire Seafood Room. The awards were presented by Miss Georgia, Maggie Bridges.
Eight of Atlanta’s top professional chefs competed for the honor of being named Best Overall Chili winner at the 2015 IPPE. Each chef submitted their best chili using beef, bison, boar, turkey, pork or chicken. IPPE attendees voted for their favorite chili.

Antibiotic-free chicken now in consumer mainstream

Antibiotic-free broiler products are no longer a niche market. The event that brought the issue into the mainstream was actually several years ago when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association turned antibiotic use in animals into a human health issue. That was the opinion expressed by Richard Kottmeyer, a consumer industry analyst with Strategic, at the beginning of the discussion. 
“We now have a lot of people who know someone who has problems with antibiotic resistance,” said Kottmeyer. “It is a mainstream health issue. I think in a few years, one-third of chicken and turkey will be antibiotic free. The problem then is the other 66 percent of consumers will be resenting the fact their chicken isn’t antibiotic free.”
Perdue has been one of the leading mainstream poultry producers embracing antibiotic-free production. Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown talked about Perdue’s 12-year journey to antibiotic-free production and some of the lessons learned. He stressed it is a process. 
“We’ve learned a lot of things,” said Stewart-Brown. “For example, you must have clean eggs in hatchery. We had to clean hatcheries better, had to step up sanitation and use a stricter approach as it related to personnel and procedures. [I] think the hatchery piece was the most significant to work through, but in the end all that cleaning and sanitation had positive side benefits in regards to chick quality.
Watch clips from the roundtable discussion. More clips and reporting from the event will be available next week. 

Feeding poultry diet high in DHA can help improve human health

Nikki Putnam, Alltech’s registered dietitian nutritionist, speaks about using DHA in animal feed at the Alltech Breakfast at IPPE 2015. 
Chicken and egg producers have the capability to produce products that will help improve human health and doing so will give them a competitive advantage. The key is feeding the animals a diet high in DHA and then marketing the DHA-enriched eggs and poultry to consumers. That was the message delivered by Nikki Putnam, Alltech’s registered dietitian nutritionist, at the annual Alltech breakfast at the 2015 International Production &Processing Expo (IPPE).
“I joined Alltech 18 months ago and everyone asked me why a human nutritionist would join an animal nutrition company,” she said. “I think it’s a perfect fit because animal nutrition has a direct impact on human nutrition.”
Her talk focused on the positive benefits of Omega 5 fatty acids, and specifically Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), to the health of humans.  It’s been proven that a diet high in DHA can help prevent or reduce the impact of some of the leading health problems in today’s world – coronary heart disease and reduced brain function with aging.
“We can enrich layer diets with microalgae that helps them create DHA-enriched eggs,” said Putnam. She said that makes eggs a functional food -- a food that provides added benefit or reduces disease risk.
Putnam said the health-conscious consumers are looking for these functional foods. “They know how to read labels and they know when a claim might be a stretch.  People want to know where their food came from and how it was produced. They want to know what animal ate, how it was produced.”

Photo courtesy of Alltech
“We can enrich layer diets with microalgae that helps them create DHA-enriched eggs,” said Putnam. 
DHA-enriched eggs and other specialty eggs are commanding higher prices at the retail level. She showed multiple examples of companies marketing DHA-enriched eggs and getting a premium price.
Feeding a DHA-enriched animal diet also works in broiler meat production. Putnam cited studies that showed that broilers fed Alltech’s All-G-Rich supplement have increased DHA levels in thigh and breast meat.
“In addition to improving the nutrient quality of the meat, studies have shown a high DHA diet improves immunity in the birds,” said Putnam. “So there are production benefits as well.”
She explained that Alltech’s supplement is produced at its commercial algae production facility in Kentucky. She said this gives a more uniform level of DHA than fishmeal and other animal-based supplements. It is also an all-vegetarian and sustainable supplement, which is important to many consumers.
“Food is the new medicine, and DHA is part of that,” said Putnam. “Health is the biggest concern for baby boomers. They are looking for nutrients, price, and sustainability.” She said high-DHA feed can help poultry producers meet all of those goals.

Worker safety at processing discussed at IPPE 2015

Worker safety is a continuing challenge for the poultry processing industry, delegates at a presentation on worker safety considerations in equipment design, installation and operation, held at this year’s IPPE, held in Atlanta, Georgia. Attendees were reminded that it is hard to get employees trained, in part due to high staff turnover, and that most injuries occur during the first 90 days of employment. A contributing factor to this is that employees do not fully understand risk.
Worker safety needs to be considered from the earliest planning stages when designing a new chicken processing operation. Although health and safety professionals are not as involved as they should be during the early stage planning, they should be included even at the concept stage, said Tim Ward of Keystone Foods.
In addition to adhering to legal requirements and standards, a number of approaches can be considered when trying to reduce risk and improve worker safety. Where risk is concerned, for example, it could be eliminated, i.e. the hazard is physically removed, it could be substituted or replaced, engineering controls could be put in place to isolate the worker from the hazard, or the ways in which employees work could be changed. Additionally, workers can be provided with personnel protection equipment. 
An example of elimination, could be switching from manual to automated deboning. Manual deboning can be associated with elevated levels of carpal tunnel syndrome among operators. Switching to automated deboning, however, would eliminate the operation that leads to problem, and increase worker morale.

Who won the 2015 Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award?

U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) recognized five poultry farm winners and four finalists who received the annual Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award at the 2015 International Production & Processing Expo in Atlanta. The award is given in acknowledgment of exemplary environmental stewardship by family farmers engaged in poultry and egg production.


The five Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award winners:


1. North Central Region winner – Endless View Farm, Broadway, Virginia
   • Stephen and Jackie Lohr, nominated by Pilgrim’s
2. Northeast Region winner – Wen-Crest Farms LLC, Lebanon, Pennsylvania
   • Steve and Bonnie Wenger, nominated by Tyson Foods
3. Mid Central Region winner – G& J Anderson Ranch, Seligman, Missouri
   • Lindell and Shelly Mitchell, nominated by Cargill Turkey Production, LLC
4. Southeast Region winner – Still Water Farm, Danielsville, Georgia
   • Terry and Deborah Chandler, nominated by Pilgrim’s
5. Southwest Region winner – Schoeneman Broiler Farm, Franklin, Texas
   • Chris and Abby Schoeneman, nominated by Texas Poultry Federation


The four Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award finalists:


1. North Central Region finalist – Round Hill Poultry, Broadway, Virginia
   • Mike and Paula Thompson, nominated by Cargill Turkey Production, LLC
2. Mid Central Region finalist – Bronzwood Farm, Stover, Missouri
   • Kent and Gina Engelbrecht, nominated by Cargill Turkey and Cooked Meats
3. Southeast Region finalist – Upland Farm, Ellaville, Georgia
   • Randy and Deborah Yelverton, nominated by Tyson Foods
4. Southwest Region finalist – Three A’s Farm, Jay, Oklahoma
   • Aaron and Tammie Holcombe, nominated by Simmons Foods
Applicants were rated in several categories, including dry litter or liquid manure management, nutrient management planning, community involvement, wildlife enhancement techniques, innovative nutrient management techniques and participation in education or outreach programs. In selecting the national winners and finalists, applications were reviewed and farm visits conducted by a team of environmental professionals from universities, regulatory agencies and state trade associations.
“The U.S. poultry industry has been recognized as a leader in environmental management for many years, and we depend on the efforts of family farmers to sustainably produce poultry and egg products. These five winners and four finalists exemplify the finest of these producers,” said newly elected USPOULTRY chairman Sherman Miller, Cal-Maine Foods, Jackson, Mississippi. 

What are poultry, meat consumers looking for in the future?

Lynn Dornblaser, director, innovation and insight, Mintel, speaking on new products and consumer trends at IPPE 2015. 
As consumers become increasingly knowledgeable about the foods they eat, meat and poultry companies are presented with opportunities to introduce new products to the market that highlight the health benefits of consuming animal proteins. This was the message from speakers Lynn Dornblaser, director, innovation and insight, Mintel, and Jerry Kelly, national retail account manager, Sealed Air’s Food Care division, at the “Best New Products & Consumer Trends” session on Tuesday, January 27 at the 2015 International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE). 
According to Dornblaser, new product introductions in the U.S. for meal and meat categories have been steady in the last five years, with some growth in meat products, especially in the further processing category (see figure). In 2015, private label will account for almost 25 percent of the new product introductions as “retailers are more and more active in private label,” said Dornblaser. This leaves much opportunity for poultry companies to try entering the market with new products that meet consumers’ changing demands. 
Consumers continue to define what “healthy” means to them, and the industry must respond with products that meet these criteria. Dornblaser said consumers don’t want “less” in their food because they aren’t on a diet; instead, they want to be provided with “more” food that provides the needed health benefits for their lifestyle. Dornblaser pointed out that this leaves opportunity for meat and poultry companies to help consumers understand what is in their food package.
For example, the advantages of protein consumption are being talked about around the world. But while foods that contain animal protein substitutes promote these on the label with buzzwords like “high in” and “added,” the meat and poultry industry has not followed suit in advertising the protein benefits in their products.
A survey by Mintel found that 80 percent of consumers look for some type of nutritional information on the packaging, making it key for companies to be transparent with “clean” labels. These consumers want to know exactly what is in their food, where it came from and what nutritional benefits it contains. This is leading to growth in the number of companies talking about the ingredients in their products. Examples given by Dornblaser show that potential for meat and poultry companies may lie in promoting “less processed” ingredients, explaining each ingredient in the product and why it is there, or showing exactly from which country or region each ingredient is sourced.

New product introductions have been steady, but have seen some growth in meat products over the last five years. 
Further, Dornblaser noted that consumers are looking for convenience in their meal preparation but still want a home-cooked taste. Consumers who would rather enjoy meal time than settle for ready-made substitutions are looking for complete meal products that help save preparation time but still provide full flavor. Meat and poultry companies must recognize the value in not only offering a discount product, but also in providing a premium product for a premium price; for example, meal-prep kits that include nearly all ingredients, cut or chopped up, or products with packaging that is easily resealable and keeps food fresh as long as possible.
Kelly re-emphasized this, saying that an average of 3.8 meals per week feature a meat or poultry item. Among consumers who changed their meat and poultry purchasing habits within the last year, 36 percent increased their spending – meaning consumers are willing to purchase at a higher price point if it means getting a high-quality product with the nutritional benefits and taste they desire.
Although there are many opportunities for new products in the meat and poultry industry, Dornblaser noted it can be a challenge to get buyers to embrace these new products and make them successful when they come to market. The industry can, however, engage consumers in research and development to introduce new products that successfully meet consumers’ demands. The Internet presents an excellent opportunity for companies to find out exactly what consumers are looking for, as well as to market the new products and their advantages. Social media channels offer the possibility of not only crowd sourcing, but also providing valuable content that supplements new products, such as cooking demonstration tutorials. Further, online sales can help companies in a very niche market reach their desired customers worldwide.
Dornblaser offered this summary for meat and poultry companies: “Healthy or not, low-cost or not, adaptable or not: Consumers actually do want it all. Your challenge is to offer them choice.”

NCSU kicks off fundraising drive for new layer research facility

Egg producers around the globe may be seeing more research conducted on layers housed in modern aviary systems beginning as early as 2016 if the fundraising drive kicked off by North Carolina State University at the International Production and Processing Expo is successful, reported Dr. Kenneth Anderson, professor of poultry science and director of the North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Program. Anderson told the audience at an evening event hosted by North Carolina State University that the University is trying to raise the funds to help keep the Layer Performance and Management test, the last of its kind in the world, up-to-date with all of the ways layers are being housed today.
If the funds are raised, a new building will be added to the Piedmont Research Station, which has served as home for the test since its inauguration in 1958. The test currently has conventional or battery cages, enrichable cages, enriched cages, cage-free floor pens and range huts with attached outdoor pens.  Anderson said that the proposed aviary house would house around 10,000 layers in 36 aviaries, half with outdoor access and half without outdoor access.
The goal for this project is to raise US$3.2 million. The new building cost has been estimated at US$700,000 and the equipment would have a value of US$500,000. The costs of endowing the professorship and the operating budget for the facility have been set at US$1 million each. It was announced at the event that funding for the professorship has been pledged by Braswell family, owners of Braswell Foods, a North Carolina table egg producer. The family has pledged two-thirds of the US$1 million endowment and the state of North Carolina will provide the remainder.
SALMET GmbH & Co. KG, a poultry equipment company headquarter in Germany, has pledged to provide half of the equipment for the proposed new aviary house.
Anderson said that North Carolina State is now looking for another equipment company to donate equipment for the other half of the house and for the layer industry and other interested parties to donate the US$1 million needed to endow the facilities operating costs. Anderson said that if ground is broken for the new facilities by the fall of 2015 that the aviaries could be added to the test started in 2016.
The Piedmont Research facility has the hatchery capacity to hatch the additional chicks required for the expansion, but provision will also need to be made for raising the pullets in systems that prepare them for life in the aviaries as layers.

Elanco announces full-value approach to poultry market

After five years of growth and multiple acquisitions, Elanco Animal Health has announced its new strategy to service the poultry markets. At a press conference at the 2015 International Production &Processing Expo (IPPE), Kerryann Kocher, director, U.S. Poultry Operations, explained how the company came up with its Full Value Poultry business strategy.
She explained that Elanco conducted a global survey across all animal species to identify the core profit drivers. She said the company has concluded there are four elements that cross all species – health, output, feed and access.
“Health is obvious: identify and manage diseases,” said Kocher, “Feed is optimizing feed for the highest efficiency. Output is making sure you have the right bird at the right time for the right market. That’s the hard part, managing the variation in the production process.”
Elanco defines the fourth factor, access, as the ability to seize global market opportunities by helping to understand and manage regulatory influences, consumer and political influence and global trade.
“Our approach is to serve the customer based on those four pillars,” said Kocher. “We put together teams from across our divisions that can help the customer manage all four of those challenges.”
This approach has been made possible by Elanco’s string of acquisitions over the last five years – culminating with the closing of the acquisition of Lohmann Animal Health early this year. “The ChemGen acquisition in 2012 got us into the enzyme market and Agri Stats in 2013 gave us the ability to help our customers enhance their analytics abilities, which are vital in today’s markets”
“Elanco is seeking to be a total solutions provider across the poultry chain,” said Kocher. “Poutlry producers have to have all of their systems optimized to maintain sustainable profitability. It’s Elanco’s goal to help them do that with our team approach.”
Elanco continues to invest in the market. Kocher said Elanco has just broken ground on a $15 million research center that will house 75 scientists at the company’s Greenfield, Indiana, headquarters. 

The best things come in small packages for UK egg producer

The Mac’s Farm, which produces 70,000 organic eggs each day, has launched Mac’s Mini Eggs, and interest from a celebrity chef has resulted in what the company describes as “mini egg madness”.
The third generation egg business switched to organic production in 1985. Earlier this year it started selling branded pullet eggs both directly from the farm but also to local businesses.
The farm owners say: “These beautiful little pullet eggs are the very first eggs that chickens start laying at about 18 weeks old. We believe they are eggs at their very best. They are only available for a few weeks, so get them while you can.”
Demand for the eggs has been expressed from across the length and breadth of the U.K. In addition to branding the eggs, the company’s owners decided to deliver some of the new range to the offices of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who had featured their farm in a television program in 2013.
“Mini egg madness has hit, it’s quite amazing what an effect Jamie Oliver has on people, but it is great.”

Chinese poultry temporarily banned from Armenia

• 

  Andrea Gantz

  Armenia has banned Chinese poultry exports because of concerns over avian influenza.

  From WATTAgNet:
  The state food safety service of Armenia has temporarily banned Chinese poultry exports to Armenia due to avian influenza cases that have been recorded in China, the press office of the agency has reported. Armenia’s ban on poultry from China particularly pertains to the import of live poultry, as well as poultry products, marketable and hatching eggs, tankage and feedstuffs.
  The ban implemented by Armenian officials is valid for poultry products imported from China after January 1.
  The Chinese poultry industry has been battling an image problem with avian influenza since 2012, and the problems have persisted with both poultry raised for consumption and birds in the wild. The most recent report of avian influenza reported by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) involved H5N1 avian influenza that was confirmed in whooper swans.
  However, avian influenza problems have surfaced in many other countries. The disease information page on the OIE website on January 22 contained reports of confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in China, Taiwan, Japan, Italy, United States, Nigeria, Israel, United Kingdom, Canada, Vietnam and Palestinian Autonomous Territories. The OIE also has confirmed cases of low pathogenic avian influenza in Hong Kong and Germany listed on its website.

Russian ban on EU pork could end soon, European ag leaders say

• 

  freeimages.com/morderska

  European Union leaders are optimistic Russia's ban on EU pork products will be ending soon.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Russia’s ban on pork products from the European Union (EU) may soon come to an end as a result of recent negotiations, several European agriculture leaders say.
  The ban, which was implemented in January 2014, was made as a response to the detection of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars in Poland and Lithuania. Russia later in 2014 further limited its sources for pork when it implemented trade bans on agricultural products from the United States, Canada, Australia and Norway, a move believed by many to be mostly political.
  Stephane Le Foll, French minister of agriculture, stated on January 19 that “an agreement in principle was reached on the resumption of French exports of live pigs, offal and pig fat to Russia.”
  The European Livestock and Meat Trades Union also stated meetings between EU and Russian officials in Berlin, “should allow a resumption of some products from the pork sector to Russia.”
  While some EU leaders are optimistic about the resumption of pork trade with Russia, the U.K. National Pig Association is still skeptical and more work needs to be done to reach an agreement.
  “Contrary to various claims, Russia has not yet selectively lifted the import ban,” said Digby Scott, spokesman for the association.

H5N8, H5N2 avian influenza confirmed in Idaho

Avian influenza has continued to spread in the Northwestern United States, as Idaho has become the latest state to confirm the presence of the virus.
According to a news release from the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), routine surveillance of wild waterfowl in common migratory regions of the state resulted in the discovery of both H5N8 and H5N2 avian influenza.
H5N8 was discovered in wild ducks in Gooding County, Idaho, and the H5N2 strain was confirmed in three falcons from a private, non-commercial flock in Canyon County, Idaho.
According to ISDA, the falcons contracted the virus through contact with wild waterfowl, and the flock is currently under quarantine and the affected birds have been depopulated.
"Both the H5N8 and H5N2 strains of HPAI confirmed in Idaho have previously been identified in incidents in backyard domestic poultry and wild fowl in other northwestern states. It is critical that backyard flock owners and poultry producers take every opportunity to prevent contact between domestic birds and the wild waterfowl that carry the avian influenza virus" said Dr. Bill Barton, ISDA State Veterinarian.
The ISDA is working closely with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, and the USDA to further disease surveillance statewide for avian influenza.
Other states to confirm cases of avian influenza in the past five weeks include Washington, Oregon, Utah and California.
Avian influenza has not been found in commercial poultry anywhere in the United States. 

Demand for sorghum on the rise

• 

  freeimages.com/wcfl10

  Sorghum is in high demand by China.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Sorghum is in high demand by China, and imports of U.S. sorghum to China increased 15-fold in the past year, pushing its price above corn in some parts of the U.S.
  Sorghum is a drought-hardy crop also known as milo that is grown in the Great Plains. According to a report, some Kansas grain elevators are offering farmers 10 percent more for sorghum than for corn.
  Because there is no futures market for sorghum, traders use corn futures to benchmark prices and manage risk.
  In the first 11 months of 2014, shipments of U.S. sorghum to China jumped 5.7 million metric tons, with a value of $1.3 billion, from about 362,000 tons a year earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
  The USDA estimates that the U.S. produced 433 million bushels of sorghum last year, up from 392 million bushels the previous year. That’s compared with 14.2 billion bushels of corn produced in 2014.
  Chinese companies use sorghum in feed for pigs, chickens and ducks because it costs less for them to import it than to buy corn produced in China.
  Analysts expect the higher demand and prices for sorghum to encourage U.S. growers to plant more of it. Sorghum requires less water than corn does, and seed costs are lower.

Smithfield Foods named magazine’s sustainable processor of 2014

Food Engineering magazine has named Smithfield Foods its 2014 sustainable processor of the year, reflecting Smithfield's corporate commitment to sustainability as demonstrated by projects at three plants in Indiana, Illinois and North Carolina. The honor, featured in the November issue, cites successful programs to reduce wastewater, utilize biogas generated by wastewater treatment and reduce waste sent to the landfill — all components of Smithfield's commitment to reduce its environmental impact.
The magazine's 2014 award is the first to focus on a processor with multiple plants rather than a sustainable plant of the year. "This year, Food Engineering has selected Smithfield Foods as its Sustainable Processor of the Year because the processor has made it a corporate priority to improve the sustainability of all its plants and for them to give back to the communities in which they're located," wrote Senior Technical Editor Wayne Labs.
The award is open to any facilities that produce food for human consumption. Judging criteria includes energy usage, recovery and reuse; water usage, reuse and treatment; sustainable packaging initiatives; employee safety, comfort and health initiatives; community impact; and corporate sustainability mission statement implementation, among other criteria.
The article focuses on two initiatives at John Morrell Food Group's Armour-Eckrich Meats in Peru, Indiana, one a project to reduce the amount of wastewater sent to a public treatment plant and the other on the facility's achievement of zero-waste-to-landfill status—a first within the Smithfield organization. Also recognized were the Saratoga Food Specialties operations in Bolingbrook, Illinois, where multiple initiatives reduced energy and water use and the amount of waste to landfill, and a project at Smithfield Farmland's Tar Heel, North Carolina. facility, which utilized biogas from wastewater.
"Food Engineering's decision to feature multiple projects at Smithfield operating companies is further testament to the deep commitment to sustainability found throughout our business," said Dennis Treacy, executive vice president and chief sustainability officer, Smithfield Foods. "We particularly salute our colleagues in North Carolina, Indiana, and Illinois for making us proud through the implementation of these initiatives."

Northern Ireland pursues pork trade with China

Northern Ireland Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle O’Neill met with representatives from the pork industry in the north to discuss securing approval to export pork to China.
After the meeting, O’Neill said: "I understand the disappointment industry feels that we have been unable to secure access to export our pork to China despite the significant efforts I, and my officials, have made. I am however buoyed by the recent agreement by the Chinese government that approving the north is also a priority for them. We have moved swiftly on this commitment asking that the Chinese schedule their visit to the north in late January. We await their advice on this proposal.
"I know industry have worked closely with my officials to ensure they meet the strict Chinese standards, this has meant we can confidently host a visit at very short notice."
Concluding, the minister added: "Of course, China is not the only market of interest to our pork industry. I am committed to continuing the momentum on negotiations for a number of other markets, including Australia, for which we are planning to host an inspection this year. I hope that securing these new markets will aid industry in achieving the ambitious export growth targets set out in going for growth."
In order to be approved to export to China, the Chinese Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA) must audit interested premises in the north to confirm they meet their export standards. This inspection forms part of the overall negotiation process and following a successful outcome premises are added to the approved exporters list.

Big Dutchman acquires controlling interest in Proline Group

The Big Dutchman Group, based in Vechta, Germany, has acquired a controlling interest of the Canada-based Proline Group. With about 50 employees globally, Proline Group is a leading supplier of production technologies for the pig, poultry, and grain handling industries in Asia and Oceania. Proline Group designs, supplies, builds and installs (turn-key) livestock equipment and facilities for pig, poultry and grain production under the brands PigPro, ChickPro and GrainPro.
The Proline Group, headquartered in Alberta, has been present in Asia since 1991 under the management of Darren Rose, who will remain the managing director. Its regional focus, among others, lies in countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Australia and China. The Canadian company is a complete solution provider and specializes in turn-key systems for the pig as well as poultry industry. "The comprehensive know-how Proline has acquired throughout its long presence in the region will ideally complement our sales team and activities particularly in the Philippines and Vietnam," said Bernd Meerpohl, chairman of the Big Dutchman AG board of management. "We are glad to enter this partnership as the long standing customer relationships established by Proline will also further strengthen our market position in particular in Asia."
According to Meerpohl, Proline Group has an outstanding reputation in the industry. Last but not least this is due to the cooperation with some of the world's leading manufacturers in some specialized areas. "We are looking forward to continue the cooperation with a number of those excellent suppliers," confirmed Meerpohl.
Big Dutchman is a leading global equipment supplier for modern pig and poultry production. The independent, family-owned company offers its products in more than 100 countries and achieved a turnover of approximately EUR670 million (US$776.7 million) in the past business year. 

Fire kills 17,000 Jennie-O poults, nearly destroys barn

A fire near Swanville, Minnesota, killed an estimated 17,000 poults and nearly destroyed the barn where the birds were housed. The barn and the poults were owned by Jennie-O Turkey Store.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
According to a report by the Morrison County Record, the fire broke out on the evening of January 18. Firefighters from the Swanville, Grey Eagle and Flensburg fire departments responded to the call, taking nearly six hours to get the fire under control.
“It’s still standing, but I’d say it’s 75 percent destroyed, Swanville Fire Chief Jerry Hollermann said of the barn.
No people were injured in the fire.
Jennie-O Turkey Store is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods. Headquartered in Willmar, Minnesota, Jennie-O Turkey Store is the second largest turkey company in the United States. According to the WATT Global Media Top Companies Database, the company slaughtered 1.25 billion pounds of live turkeys in 2013.

Cumberland County, NC, rethinking incentives for Sanderson Farms

• 

  Jason Morrison

  The commission of Cumberland County, North Carolina, will hold a public hearing on incentives for Sanderson Farms.

  From WATTAgNet:
  The board of commissioners for Cumberland County, North Carolina, has reopened the issue of whether to offer an incentives package for Sanderson Farms, which had been considering building a poultry processing plant in the county.
  After the commission in early January voted 4-3 against holding a public hearing for an incentive package for the poultry company, the issue had appeared to be dead. However, upon hearing that Sanderson Farms was no longer interested in building in Cumberland County after that vote, one commissioner changed his mind.
  The commission on January 20 held another vote on holding a public hearing, this time voting 4-3 in favor of holding a hearing. Commissioner Charles Evans decided to vote for the hearing, citing a need to be fair about the process.
  The hearing will be held on February 2.
  Sanderson Farms has met a fair amount of opposition from residents of Cumberland County, who fear that a new poultry plant would create traffic, odor and pollution problems.
  Cumberland County is not the only North Carolina county that has expressed an interest in the Sanderson Farms plant. Sampson, Hoke, Robeson and Harnett counties have all been examining the possibility. Other counties in Virginia have also reportedly been interested in luring a new Sanderson Farms plant.

Tyson Foods to pay $539,000 for chemical discharge

• 

  freeimages.com/Andreas Krappweis

  Tyson Foods has agreed to pay $539,000 for a chemical discharge that was responsible for the deaths of more than 100,000 fish.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Tyson Foods will pay about $539,000 for a chemical discharge that killed more than 100,000 fish and caused a the wastewater treatment system to fail in Monett, Missouri, announced Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster.
  Koster said that beginning May 16, 2014, the Tyson Foods facility at Monett discharged wastewater from Tyson’s Aurora facility containing a highly acidic animal feed supplement into the city of Monett’s sewer system. The discharge caused the city’s biological wastewater treatment system to fail, and contaminated water containing a high level of ammonia flowed into Clear Creek, causing at least 100,000 fish to die.
  Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Tyson Foods will pay the state of Missouri $162,898 for natural resource damages. In addition, Tyson Foods will pay $110,000 in civil penalties, will reimburse the Missouri Department of Natural Resources more than $11,000 for its costs and expenses, and will reimburse the Missouri Department of Conservation more than $36,000 for its costs and expenses.
  Tyson will also pay to replace a bridge over Clear Creek at Farm Road 1050 in Lawrence County that has acted as a barrier to fish moving readily up and downstream. Tyson will donate $10,000 to the James River Basin Partnership, a not-for-profit organization that works to improve and protect the water quality of all rivers, lakes and streams in the James River watershed, located in seven counties in Southwest Missouri. If the cost of the bridge is less than $210,000, Tyson will also donate additional funds up to that amount to the partnership.
  The agreement also outlines additional obligations of Tyson, including preparation of a hazardous waste manifest before transporting any hazardous waste in Missouri, and allows the state of Missouri the right to inspect the Monett and Aurora facilities at any time to check for compliance with the law and to monitor the progress of all activities required in the agreement.
  Koster said the company has already taken steps to ensure the mistake does not occur again, including:
  •New requirements and practices to prevent, monitor and respond to animal-feed releases at its corporate feed mills
  •Additional hazardous waste and water discharge training to personnel at the Monett and Aurora facilities
  •A new, company-wide environmental operating procedure that focuses on feed mill chemical storage practices
  •A summit of managers at all its Missouri facilities to conduct a comprehensive review of environmental issues at those facilities.
  "Tyson’s actions threatened the vitality of Clear Creek," Koster said. "While Tyson has taken steps to prevent similar environmental damage to the creek in the future, the penalties contained in this agreement hold the company accountable for the damage that occurred."
  Tyson Foods, in a statement, expressed regret for the incident.
  "Tyson Foods' core values include serving as stewards of the environment — in Missouri and every community where we operate — and we take that obligation seriously," the company said in a statement.