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Beef Central News Briefs 17 October

Beef Central 17/10/2012

 

NSW Export award to Atron

 

Atron';s David Larkin receives the NSW Agribusiness export award from Jason McGregor, Sydney Ports Corp.Atron Enterprises was recognised for the fourth consecutive year at the 2012 Premier’s NSW Export Awards held last week. The Sydney based non-packer exporter and branded beef marketer was the State winner in the awards’ agribusiness category, for outstanding export achievement in the field of agricultural products, services and technology. Atron is a privately-owned company established in 2007 engaged in livestock producing, beef processing (via a service kill at Northern Cooperative Meat Co, Casino) and marketing, using a suite of brands including Condabri, Brenton, Spring Grove and Premi-Yum Black. More than 70pc of Atron’s beef is exported. Executive director of the Export Council of Australia, Ian Murray, said the 2012 winners of the Premier’s NSW Export Awards were role models for other businesses in the State. The innovation, persistence, and focus they had exhibited in taking on the world and winning – in a period where the A$ is high and economic recovery still very fragile in many markets – was testament to their tenacity, he said. Atron managing director David Larkin dedicated the award to the company’s talented and committed team, as well as the company’s producers, processors and customers. 

 

US herd sinks further, NAMA told

Last week’s annual conference of the North American Meat Association was told that the January 2013 US cattle inventory is projected at just 88.9 million head – the lowest seen in 54 years. Among other key points raised by meat industry analyst Len Steiner from Steiner Consulting Group, he said per capita consumption of meat in the US was expected to decline for the fifth year in a row. 2013 was expected to be another difficult year, with total US red and white meat production forecast at 89 billion lbs (about 4 million tonnes) in 2013, down 2.1 percent. US beef imports should be up in 2012 and 2013, with Australia, and Mexico to a lesser degree, driving that growth, Mr Steiner said. The US$7.50 per bushel corn market was not sustainable, he suggested, and will get back to the $5.50-$6 level eventually. US restaurant performance had improved, with traffic and sales up across all sectors. 

 

IT workshops for Tablelands producers

Atherton Tablelands producers wanting to catch up on the latest apps to assist them with their business took advantage of free workshops held this week to coincide with the International Day for Rural Women. DAFF rural information specialist JoAnn Resing presented four one-hour workshops on two different topics at Mareeba and Malanda. The Smartphone Apps for Farmers workshop is designed to be a ‘taster’ on apps – those little icons on your Smartphone or iPad that open tools which make farm life easier. “From simple tools, like digital spirit levels, to more complex ones that keep farm records, track weather, and make maps, we’re exploring the moveable feast that is offered on the little old phone,” Ms Resing said. “Many of these work even if your phone is not in a service area, making your phone a portable and efficient field tool for data collection.” A second workshop called Google for Agri-business Intelligence, presents tips and tricks to better use Google to gather business intelligence. Attendees hunted-down topics of special interest to farms, like finding new niche products and their markets and sourcing online tools that reduce labour inputs.

 

Mechanical tenderisation thrown into spotlight

The recent widespread recall of Canadian beef products due to bacterial contamination has not only disrupted the cattle and beef markets in Canada, but posed new questions about the use of needles to mechanically tenderise or marinate beef cuts, North American analysts said last week. The recall involved a wide range of cuts and ground beef produced by XL Foods, Canada’s second largest beef processor. The initial September 17 recall involved only ground beef products produced at XL’s Edmonton, plant, but had expanded at least 12 times over the next two weeks to include whole muscle cuts, short ribs and other intact steak and roast cuts that were mechanically tenderised, apparently with contaminated equipment. By early October, the total amount of beef under recall involved several million pounds and at least 1700 products – Canada’s largest-ever beef recall. Fallout from the recall and negative publicity about it occurred on several fronts, Steve Kay from Cattle Buyers Weekly said. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) suspended all operations at XL’s beef processing plant – one of the largest in Canada processing 4000 head per day. Its closure has deeply affected Canada’s overall processing capacity, leaving just one plant of any size operating in the western part of the country. Cattle producers throughout Canada were extremely anxious for CFIA to allow XL to resume full operations at its Brooks plant, Alberta industry officials said. Meanwhile, the Canadian government and CFIA have taken heat for why it took CFIA 13 days to initiate a recall after it and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service each found E. coli O157:H7 in boneless trimmings produced by XL. The recall now covers every province and territory in Canada and 30 US states as far south as Texas. It includes all major grocery chains in Canada and some of the U.S.’s largest retailers.

 

Opportunity to serve on RNA Future Directions

Are you an enthusiastic young person interested in shaping the future of the Royal Queensland Show and making your mark in agriculture and industry? The Future Directions Committee was formed by the RNA in 2000 to provide a youthful perspective on the future of the Ekka and to engage with young people both during and outside show-time. The Committee is seeking interest from candidates aged 18-25 years to join its ranks. Candidates will bring with them a passion for the Ekka and fresh ideas for its future. During the Ekka, committee members often act as stewards in the Main Arena, providing guided tours of the show, organise the hugely successful Queensland Young Farmers Challenge or kicking up their heels at social events such as the Committee's own City Meets Country Ekka Cocktails. The Committee has become an important part of the RNA, providing feedback on the future plans for both the RNA showgrounds and the Royal Queensland Show. The Committee aims to make Showground Hill and the Ekka a place for young people to experience Queensland’s finest agricultural, industrial and cultural resources. Members of the Committee regularly attend other shows in Australia and have travelled overseas to participate in the Royal Agricultural Societies of the Commonwealth’s Next Generation forums, conferences and missions. In 2014, the RNA will host the Commonwealth Conference in Brisbane, and the Future Directions Committee will contribute to the coordination of the Next Generation Forum and activities. To express interest in joining the committee, contact chairperson, Kirstie Olive k.olive@elanco.com Nominations close 31 October.

 

CAAB crowned grand champion for Melbourne

Certified Australian Angus Beef has taken out the coveted grand champion branded beef trophy from the 2012 Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards. CAAB now claims to be Australia’s most awarded beef brand with 20 Royal Show Fine Food Show medals in its 16-year history. “We are thrilled to have achieved a grand champion trophy in Melbourne, where our beef was judged by some of the city’s  finest meat aficionados, including Justin Wise, executive chef at The Point Restaurant,” said Phil Morley, CAAB chief executive. “We think that is a true test of CAAB’s quality, because The Point has been judged the best Victorian Premium Steakhouse in both 2011 and 2012 and in 2011 took out the Best Steakhouse in Australia award.” CAAB lays claim to being served on many occasions at the Prime Minister’s residence, The Lodge in Canberra, supplied by the ACT’s Red Hill Butchery a CAAB stockiest. Certified Australian Angus Beef is said to be Australia’s largest beef brand by volume.

 

20 million chemical drums collected by drumMuster

Ag minister Joe Ludwig has congratulated the drumMuster program on the collection of 20 million agvet chemical drums for recycling purposes. He said the program had seen more than 25,000 tonnes of waste avoiding landfill sites and instead being recycled for other uses. “The drumMuster program has become one of the most successful farm recycling programs in Australia’s agricultural history,” Mr Ludwig said. “By collecting and recycling agvet chemical containers from our farmers, the program has provided a safe and smart way to dispose of such chemical containers. A lot of farmers have already adopted drumMuster as part of their current work routines and I look forward to seeing the program continue to grow into the future.” Established in 1998, drumMuster now has 762 sites across Australia collecting and recycling clean, eligible, non-returnable crop production and on-farm animal health chemical containers. The containers are usually baled, mulched and made into new items like plastic garden stakes, cable covers or new wheelie bins.

 

Macca’s Taiwan promotes Aussie beef

McDonald’s 360 outlets in Taiwan have started applying Australian and New Zealand beef country of origin logos on tray mats to reassure consumers that McDonald’s Taiwan only serves safe and residue free beef. McDonald’s has been using blended Australian and NZ beef in its burgers for many years, and the purpose of the recent action is to highlight this as a highly visible point of sale (POS) message. This is largely in response to the Taiwanese public concern over recent decisions over acceptable levels of beta-agonist Ractopamine in imported beef. Ractopamine is not permitted for use in beef in Australia, but is widely used in the US industry. McDonald’s also plans to apply the logos on various POS materials to further reinforce this message. According to news reports in 2011, McDonald’s Taiwan is estimated to expand its number of franchisees to operate a total number of 500 outlets within three years.

 

Award for meat training provider

Michael Grogan Managing Director FGM Consultants receives the Training Provider of the Year Award from Richard Bolt from Victoria's Department of EducationMelbourne-based FGM Consultants recently won the Small Training Provider category at the Victorian Government’s Training Awards 2012. The award ceremony held at the Crown Palladium Ballroom was attended by more than 800 guests. This award provides for direct entry to the Australian Training Awards which will be announced next month. FGM Consultants is a Registered Training Organisation specialising in the meat and food industry. It was formed in 1996 with primary objectives of developing and promoting traineeships across the meat processing, other food manufacturing and transport and logistics sectors. The business is headed by Michael Grogan, who has 35 years’ experience in senior management and advisory positions across the Australian and international meat processing industry. FGM has grown to be one of Victoria’s largest independent providers of meat and food industry training. Recently, Michael Grogan was appointed as the meat industry consultant to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan where he led a team to refurbish sections of the Greater Amman Abattoir. This included overcoming cultural resistance to the Royally-mandated introduction of stunning for cattle and sheep.

 

Applications open for Peter Kenny Bursary

Queensland’s peak rural lobby group AgForce has begun its search for the next generation of leaders, innovators and thinkers of the agricultural industry with the official opening of nominations for the inaugural Peter Kenny Bursary. The memorial bursary, which will provide $10,000 to the successful applicant, was created by AgForce Queensland to honour Peter Kenny’s contribution to the rural sector and communities. Peter commenced his career as a teacher working in rural and remote regions of Queensland before managing and owning agricultural enterprises. During this time he actively participated in agricultural industry groups which lead him to become AgForce General President. His passion for the agricultural industry and collaborative nature made him one of Queensland’s most innovative agri-political leaders and a devoted advocate of rural education and regional communities. The bursary is open to a broad range of applicants committed to being an agricultural advocate for 2013. “The bursary isn’t restricted to just school leavers; AgForce encourages all current students, post graduates and those entering agriculturally based accredited courses to apply,” AgForce president Brett Finlay said. Contact AgForce for eligibility criteria. Applications close 31 October.  

 

 

 

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