#mce_temp_url#IMS resets date for World Meat Congress
Due to the problems surrounding the COVID-19 virus, the organizing committee of the International Meat Secretariat (IMS) has decided to postpone the 2020 World Meat Congress originally planned for June 10-12 at the JW Marriott in Cancun. The event has been rescheduled for June 23-25, 2021.
Case Farms milestone
Case Farms announced that its Morganton processing facility reached 1 million hours without experiencing an Occupational Safety and Health Administration recordable lost-time accident. This is the second time in six months that the Morganton facility has reached this significant safety milestone. The Goldsboro processing facility also achieved a significant milestone earlier this year when they reached 2 million man hours without a lost-time accident.
Brashears confirmed
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Mindy Brashears as USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety. For nearly two years, Brashears has served as deputy under secretary for food safety, a role which does not require Senate confirmation. Brashears was favorably reported out of the Senate Agriculture Committee with bipartisan support on May 14, 2019.
Poultry safety award submission deadline extended
The Joint Poultry Industry Safety Award Program is extending the application submission deadline from poultry industry facilities with outstanding safety programs to May 8. The program is open to National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association members with poultry processing plants, further processing facilities, egg processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills and rendering facilities that, through the implementation of innovative and effective programs, have injury and illness rates below the industry average for three consecutive years. Application forms are available here.
New chairman at World Agricultural Outlook Board
U.S. Chief Economist Robert Johansson announced the appointment of Mark Jekanowski as the World Agricultural Outlook Board chairman, replacing Seth Meyer, who departed USDA in July 2019 after five years in the post. Jekanowski, who was acting board chairman, will be responsible for the development and release of the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report and leading USDA’s largest annual meeting, the Agricultural Outlook Forum. He previously was deputy director of USDA’s Economic Research Service and head of the Washington office of Informa Economics.