AMERICA’S CATTLEMEN HELP FUND NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION MONTH PROGRAMS

CHICAGO (September 16, 1998) - Consumers this month are being asked to "Keep it Clean" through comprehensive checkoff-funded programs that increase awareness and education efforts on food safety practices.

The effort is a component of National Food Safety Education Month, sponsored by the International Food Safety Council (IFSC). The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is a member of the council, which is a coalition that promotes safe food handling and preparation.

"America’s beef producers are strongly involved with food safety education on many levels, including consumer education campaigns such as National Food Safety Education Month," said Lyle Gray, a cattle producer from Leon, Kansas, and chairman of the beef industry's Communications Group.

For example, throughout September, a series of full-page advertisements are appearing in USA Today to promote National Food Safety Education Month. The checkoff-funded ads contain easy steps for consumers to follow to help ensure the safety of the food they prepare at home, such as proper hand washing. Included on the ads is a toll-free number for consumers to request a free copy of "Plating it Safe: A Market-to-Mealtime Checklist to Help Keep Foods Safe," developed by NCBA with checkoff dollars.

Also, as part of Food Safety Education Month, consumers are being reached with an attention-grabbing, pre-produced newspaper page "Keep Food Safe…from Purchase to Plate," which to date, has been placed in papers with a combined circulation of 2.8 million readers nationwide. The full-color page displays food safety instructions, offers information on how to read food thermometers accurately, and provides two easy-to-prepare beef recipes. In addition, food editors were provided with tips on proper hand washing (about 20 seconds or two rounds of "Happy Birthday") as well as the Top 10 Food Safety Mistakes.

In August, a Food Safety Education Month Press Kit was distributed to state beef councils. The kit, containing news releases, Food Safety Month awareness activities and training information for foodservice, was developed by IFSC of the National Restaurant Association (NRA). It was aimed at restaurant operators, hospitality associations, colleges and universities, state and local health departments and USDA extension agents across the country.

On September 16, the kitchen of the U.S. Senate Restaurants was the site of a special food safety demonstration by Nora Pouillon, chef/owner of Restaurant Nora and Asia Nora in Washington, D.C., and chairperson of National Food Safety Education Month. A video news release, also sponsored with checkoff dollars, was produced at the event and was distributed to media representatives nationwide.

In addition, the beef industry reached 24,000 pre-school and day care operators this month with a comprehensive food safety packet designed to educate parents about the critical role they play in protecting their young children against foodborne illness.

The kit includes an information tear pad with both general food safety information and instructions for how to prepare meat safely at home, a full-color "Fight BAC!"Ô poster for school/center parent bulletin boards and "Fight BAC!"Ô clip art for use in parent newsletters to further promote the campaign. NCBA is also a founding member of the Partnership for Food Safety Education and "Fight BAC!"Ô , a public/private partnership to promote safe food handling and preparation nationwide.

"In addition to supporting consumer education efforts targeting several audiences, such as Food Safety Education Month, beef producers have spent more than $8 million in the last five years in E.coli O157:H7 and other food safety research," said Van Amundson, beef producer from Jamestown, N.D., and chairman of NCBA's Beef Safety Committee.

Amundson added that the Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCO), a coalition of leaders from all segments of the beef and food industries, has developed an industry-wide plan for research, industry education, and government support. The Council finalized and approved a $50 million plan in March that would initiate a cooperative effort among private firms, organizations and state and federal governments aimed at eliminating the health risks associated with E. coli O157:H7. Chuck Schroeder, NCBA Chief Executive Officer, is chairman of BIFSCO.

-- NCBA --

NCBA campaigns that promote beef safety are funded through the national beef checkoff, which is administered by the Beef Board. This 111-member board is appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to oversee the collection of the $1-per-head checkoff, certify state beef councils, implement the provisions of the Federal order establishing the checkoff and evaluate the effectiveness of checkoff programs.

Initiated in 1898, NCBA is the marketing organization and trade association for America’s one million cattle farmers and ranchers. With offices in Denver, Chicago and Washington D.C., NCBA is a consumer-focused, producer-directed organization representing the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.