Blogging For Food Safety At The Grill

Chuck Zimmerman

Hooray. It’s time to put some of your favorite meat sources on the grill, kick back and enjoy! But, let’s be careful out there. And safe too. If you’ve got food safety questions then look to Home Food Safety. This is a joint campaign by the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods. They’ve put together a wealth of food safety information.

Let’s take grilling for example. I think it’s only common sense but then not everyone thinks about it. “Handle and cook your food properly.” Do this and you really have nothing to worry about. Wonder how? Go to Home Food Safety’s Safe Grilling Guide (pdf) and learn all about it. And get a food thermometer!

This quick, at-a-glance reference helps you keep track of proper internal temperatures for all of your favorite meat dishes. Keep the Safe Grilling Guide handy – along with a food thermometer – next time you head to the grill.

Don’t have time to go read then watch this short video which gives you the basics very quickly.

I did not know that each year 76 million people in the United States get some form of food poisoning. Not that’s surprising. Probably most of these cases would be prevented from just following simple food safety guidelines. Another great source of information on food safety is USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Service. They even have a “virtual” food safety resource called Ask Karen. If you need to get a food safety question answered while you’re outside at your grill then you can Ask Karen via mobile.

Since it’s time for outdoor grilling you may be interested to know that USDA has just revised it’s “Recommended Cooking Temperature” for all whole cuts of meat, including pork, to 145 °F.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is updating its recommendation for safely cooking pork, steaks, roasts, and chops. USDA recommends cooking all whole cuts of meat to 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat, then allowing the meat to rest for three minutes before carving or consuming.

USDA has also released a comprehensive guide to summertime grilling.

The experts at the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline have broken down safe cooking and handling practices into four simple steps: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. To Be Food Safe this summer, round these grilling bases and your barbecue is sure to be a home run.

So, there you have it. Lots of resources for your safe holiday weekend and season long grilling extravaganza. By the way for helping spread the word about the importance of home food safety, I was entered into a drawing for a $15 Starbucks gift card and an iPad through Summertime Food Smarts, a contest run by the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods’ Home Food Safety program. Home Food Safety is dedicated to raising consumer awareness about the seriousness of foodborne illness and providing solutions for easily and safely handling foods. Learn more at www.homefoodsafety.org.

Food, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The American Meat Science Association announces that Dr. Catherine Cutter of Pennsylvania State University is the recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Extension-Industry Service Award.
  • Alltech launched a new app at the 27th Annual International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium. With three features – weather, commodity prices, and pig issues – the app is the first of its kind in the animal health industry. It can be found in the App Store or in the Android marketplace under the name “Alltech.”
  • New cooking guidelines from the nation’s food-safety agency confirm Pork Checkoff research that shows pork can be consumed safely when cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute rest time.
  • Bayer CropScience announced that the EPA approved a new label for Ignite herbicide in soybeans.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Fastline Announces New President

    Melissa Sandfort

    Fastline Publications is pleased to announce that Tim Hess has been promoted to President. Hess, formerly Executive Vice-President and CFO, has been with the company for more than 11 years.

    In the past 11 years, Hess has played a vital role in the advancement of Fastline products and services. He has been an integral part in the development of key initiatives such as regional distribution, mobile marketing, and most recently video capabilities.

    Hess is the successor to Joe McWilliams who recently retired after spending 15 years with the company.

    Media

    Missouri Ag Helps Tornado Victims

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Like so many others in this state, Missouri farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses are doing what they can to help the victims of the tornado in Joplin.

    In less than 24 hours yesterday, the Missouri Department of Agriculture collected more than $19,000 in donations for relief efforts.

    Staff members from the Missouri Department of Agriculture spearheaded a donation drive for the Food Bank of Central Missouri that included a challenge to other state agencies, community organizations and agriculture industry groups.

    “Our hearts and prayers certainly go out to all of those affected by the tornadoes and severe storms in Joplin and to those trying to get back on their feet following flooding throughout the southern portion of our state,” said Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler. “The response to these events is just one example of the power of Missourians helping Missourians in times of crisis. This is certainly a case when the worst of Mother Nature brings out the best of human nature.”

    Donations included a $10,000 commitment from Monsanto and $1,000 from the Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Renewable Fuels Association and FCS Financial. Missouri Department of Agriculture employees came together to donate more than $1,500 and the Missouri Egg Council donated $500.

    The beef cattle industry, as part of the Missouri Farmers Care coalition, has stepped up to provide food for the volunteers. “They did not have any way to feed those folks, and we learned about this need and so in coordination with the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association we’re getting that job done,” said John Kleiboeker, executive director of the Missouri Beef Industry Council.

    John says that the area around Joplin in the southwest part of Missouri is one of the state’s largest beef cattle producing areas, but he has not heard of any major losses to agriculture there. “It sounds like the city of Joplin and its surrounding community is what was hit the hardest,” he said.

    Listen to this week’s Missouri Beef Checkoff Chat where John talks about how people can get involved to help: Missouri Beef Checkoff Chat

    Money is always what is needed most in these disaster situations and the Red Cross has made it very easy to donate. Just visit www.redcross.org or, even easier, text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

    Ag Groups, Audio

    Alltech Has Winning Formula For Symposium

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Aidan ConnollyThe Vice President of Corporate Accounts for Alltech is Aidan Connolly. He is just one of the team that I’ve had the pleasure to get to become friends with and always enjoy seeing. We joke about how often we run into each other at events around the country. This year Aidan moderated the Alltech Symposium Game Changers Debate once again. I spoke with him afterward.

    This year was the first time that Alltech brought in debate participants that didn’t necessarily share viewpoints or experiences with the farm audience. He was fascinated with Ben Self, who was the founder of Blue State Digital, for his idea for using new media and the internet to tell your story to engage the general public. When it came to Hans Johr, Nestle, he was happy to hear how he felt strongly about sharing value with the farmers who supply them with products. Tom Standage, Bus. Editor, The Economist, put forth some viewpoints that challenged people, especially in the area of biofuels, while providing a positive outlook for dealing with the food challenges of today.

    Aidan says that when it comes to the Symposium, “I think we have a winning formula.” He thinks the primary reason people get enthused to attend is that they deliver new concepts and new ideas for running their businesses. Like me, he was also very enthused by all the young people who attended this year’s Symposium. Aidan Connolly Interview

    See more stories on the Alltech Innovations Blog, including photos, interviews and on-demand recordings of certain sessions.

    2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

    Alltech, Audio

    Outside Decorations

    Melissa Sandfort

    I’m not sure how much I’ve told you about my family. We’re just three of a kind – me, my better half, and my mini-me better half (a.k.a. my husband and 2 ½ year old son who is a spitting image of his daddy). My husband is a born-and-raised farm boy, and that’s how we want to raise our son. We aren’t directly involved in production agriculture, and I don’t think USDA would classify my garden as production ag either, but we’re as close to being farmers as you can get. I’ve worked for farmers almost my entire career, and my husband builds energy-efficient houses and sheds, and installs wind turbines, for those farmers. And, my immediate family is still involved in every aspect of farming you can think of. So I guess that lends a bit of credibility when I write about farm life and being a “farm mom.”

    I do live right off a gravel road.

    So now that you know what my husband does, I have to tell you about our conversation the other day. We were talking about how he builds beautiful, stunning, amazing houses, but I make them pretty. Please don’t take that as being vain, I mean pretty on the outside.

    Just last week, I planted 50 Canadian Hemlock bushes, 1 red maple tree, and 2 Forsythia bushes in our front yard. Of course, there’s my garden, my new Jack-in-the-Pulpits transplanted from my grandparents (who are a stone’s throw away, if you have a strong arm), and the asparagus patch I’m trying to get started.

    But these flowers. Aren’t they breath-taking? I have six planters on the front patio overflowing with color. I wish I could freeze frame them through the winter months, but then come next spring, I get the pleasure of growing something beautiful all over again.

    That’s my version of outside decorating. Then again, my husband is from western Kansas where the only things that flourish are tumbleweeds.

    Until we walk again …

    Uncategorized

    Alltech International Symposium Concludes

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Dr. Pearse LyonsThe 2011 Alltech International Animal Health & Nutrition Symposium has concluded and with a resounding message to dream the impossible dream. Dr. Pearse Lyons took the stage to summarize what we learned and to provide some takeaway ideas that included five things that should be on your business survival action list.

    1. No fads, no fashions, just change
    2. Don’t be first, don’t be the best, be different
    3. Know where growth comes from and get to where it is
    4. Don’t act now!
    5. It is about you – and everything you do

    You can hear him explain these in his closing remarks below. In addition to these action items he listed a number of “Game Changers” that included an announcement that Alltech will make the single biggest investment in the company ever within the next eighteen months. This includes building new plants and expanding others in several countries. He also announced that the National Horse Show will be moving to Lexington, KY with Alltech as the title sponsor and that Alltech will once again be the title sponsor for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games which will be held in Normandy, France in 2014.

    Alltech SymposiumAs Dr. Lyons encouraged everyone to dream the impossible dream he was joined on stage by Dr. Everett McCorvey and University of Kentucky students opera singers. They launched into a wonderful rendition of the famous song.

    I recorded Dr. Lyons closing remarks which include the beautiful voices we’ve come to love at an Alltech Symposium: Alltech Symposium Closing Remarks

    Follow the action on the Alltech Innovations Blog, including photos, interviews and there will be live streaming of certain sessions.

    2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

    Alltech, Animal Health, Audio

    Think Green and Change Your Life

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Declan CoyleI thought Declan Coyle’s presentation here at the Alltech Symposium titled, “Get on the Green Platform: The Life Changing Game Changer” would be about recycling and saving the environment. Wrong. He talked about different outlooks on life. He used as examples the green platform or the red platform. Green is good and positive, red is bad and negative. So he then went through a variety of examples to show how you can change your whole outlook on life by re-thinking on the “green platform” instead of the red. It’s not easy, especially when you’re facing a really challenging situation in your personal or work life. Hopefully we’ll all leave here making sure we try to think green!

    Follow the action on the Alltech Innovations Blog, including photos, interviews and there will be live streaming of certain sessions.

    2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

    Alltech

    Alltech Looks To The Future

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Dr. Mark LyonsThe “younger” Dr. Lyons took the stage today at the Alltech International Symposium. He is Dr. Mark Lyons, director of North America for Alltech. He talked about “Game Changers: The 7th Step for the Health and Vitality of Mankind,” with a focus on future generations

    One of the areas he spent some time on was obesity and he shared some startling figures like the fact that worldwide obesity has doubled since 1980 and it costs an average person $1429 per year in increased health costs. He emphasized, “There is a sea of change taking place in our industry. Food and healthcare are at odds and the cost of both is spiraling out of control.”

    You can listen to an interview with Mark here that was done by Aly Rowell: Dr. Mark Lyons Interview

    Follow the action on the Alltech Innovations Blog, including photos, interviews and there will be live streaming of certain sessions.

    2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

    Alltech

    Alltech On Programmed Nutrition

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Dr. Karl DawsonThe closing general session of the Alltech Symposium features a number of speakers. First up is Dr. Karl Dawson, Center for Animal Nutrigenomics and Applied Animal Nutrition, Alltech. His theme is “Programmed Nutrition.” A very interesting concept. He was introduced by Dr. Pearse Lyons as Mr. Genomics since he has created or been involved in the creation of so many new words that end in genomics.

    Dr. Dawson says he’s more optimistic about the future of animal health and human nutrition than he ever has been. He then walked us through many of the projects Alltech is working on in this area via the Center that he manages. Some quotes that really caught my attention from his talk include:

    “Performance & product quality are not influenced by the genes but ultimately determined by gene expression.”

    “You are what your mother ate.”

    “It’s not just what we feed but when we feed it.”

    Follow the action on the Alltech Innovations Blog, including photos, interviews and there will be live streaming of certain sessions.

    2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

    Alltech, Animal Health