Poultry perspective
By: Yvonne Vizzier Thaxton
Local vs. Imported Food
(The views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly those of the author.)
Both of my parents grew up in farming families. They grew up with organic free range animals and crops because there was no alternative. While, neither of them became farmers many of their relatives stayed on the family farms and eventually became large scale farmers as technology evolved. One uncle founded a large dairy and others were successful growing row crops for frozen food or cotton and soybeans. Several of my cousins are farmers but most left the farm for college and careers outside of agriculture.
The cousins that took new paths were able to do that because their families could afford it and they were not needed as labor on the farms. Modern equipment has eased the amount of grueling work required on our farms making it easier to produce more food. Food production is the goal of these large scale farmers. They are business men and women who use computers, radio frequency indicators (RFID), global positioning systems (GPS), wireless internet, cell phones as well as chemical fertilizers. They also use manure from theirs or other local farmers’ animals for their pastures and gardens. These people are as profitable as they can be so that they can support their families and continue to produce food for those of us living in town who find our food at the grocery store or farmers market.
While I buy locally grown produce when it is available, I am delighted to have a wider variety of frozen and canned products grown in other parts of the country available all year. I want to continue to buy U. S. grown food and am avoiding imported products that compete with U. S. crops. Lately I’ve found more imported fish and less U.S. grown or caught. Check out the fresh fruit labels and you’ll find more than bananas imported. As a result of well intended regulation and negative pressure from various groups, farmers are losing their incentive. I wonder how long before we start to see the same phenomenon in poultry, pork and beef. It may be much sooner than you think.
June 01, 2010
Chef’s Table
By: Michael Formichella
Pig roasts — finger lickin’ good
(The views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly those of the author.)
Need to feed a ton of hungry guests? Have a lot of time to kill? There’s something wonderful about the look, smell and flavors of a perfectly roasted pig. This primeval ritual produces some of the best, most exquisite flavors of moist meat. The lacquered crackle has a distinct crunch to melt in your mouth morsels melded with hints of juicy fat. There’s nothing quite like it!
Now there are many ways to do this, several of which I have personally used. While living in the Hawaiian Islands we (the hotel) dug a pit and did it the traditional Hawaiian method with palm leaves, hot rocks and coals then buried. I’ve used the large black steel drum like cookers on a spit, with various types of woods to impart distinctive flavor and a large rotating bakery deck oven. All methods gave a great result.
I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the pre-cooking preparation. One of my favorites is cracked, butcher-ground course black pepper and chopped fresh garlic blended with lots of citrus and fresh herbs. Right before cooking add a healthy handful of sea salt and rub it all over and inside the carcass. These preparations done a day before the actual roast gives the meat such a great flavor.
I was at a pig roast last week. Both pigs were roasted for about twelve hours at a very low level of heat. What a treat! Truly the highlight of the day was that one of the pigs had been prepared Italian style, commonly known as Porchetta, originating from central Italy around Rome. The animal was fully deboned and layered with a stuffing of meat, fat, and skin, rolled and tied on a spit and roasted. Porchetta is usually also salted with a blend or paste of ground fresh garlic, fennel, rosemary and fresh herbs.
Have you ever eaten Porchetta? I highly recommend it! We want to know your best roast pig story. Share with us your favorite recipes for rubs, sauces or special blends! Pigging out is great fun. If you haven’t tried it, you should make a point of trying it out for yourself.
Working Safely
By: Steve Sayer
Food defense: are you ready?
(The views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly those of the author.)
Later this year the USDA will issue another food defense survey to determine how many meat and poultry establishments have voluntary food defense programs in place and whether or not to make them mandatory.
A preceding survey taken in late 2009 evinced that roughly 60 percent of USDA inspected establishments had voluntary food defense programs up and running. If the impending survey determines that less than 90 percent of meat and poultry establishments have a voluntary food defense program in place, then the USDA will begin the rulemaking process to make food defense programs mandatory.
Actually, there is a regulatory arm of USDA that already requires a written and verifiable food defense program; the livestock and seed commodity procurement branch or better known as the national school lunch program. This mandatory and progressive food defense precondition may prove to be a harbinger of things to come for all meat and poultry establishments.
The Agricultural Marketing Service procures various products for school lunch and other domestic food nutrition programs. Since 2004/2005, AMS has required all contractors and subcontractors to have a written food defense plan that provides for the security of each plant’s production processes, their storage and transportation of pre-production raw materials and post-production finished products.
Each plant’s food defense program is audited ensure the following areas are in compliance:
1. Food defense management
2. Interior and exterior security of production and storage facilities
3. Slaughter and processing, including raw materials
4. Shipping and receiving
5. Controlled access to production and storage areas
6. Storage
7. Water and ice supply
8. Mail handling
9. Transportation, shipping and receiving
USDA has continued to take the initiative towards food defense by informing and educating industry and the general public through nation-wide workshops, plant defense checklists, model security plans, transportation guidelines and the askFSIS Web site.
Establishments that already have a voluntary food defense program up and running have taken the pro-active approach towards protecting their businesses, employees, products and ultimate welfare of their customers.
What’s your position regarding food defense?
