INDUSTRY COUNCIL MEETS TO TACKLE FOOD SAFETY

CHICAGO, Oct. 30, 1997 -- Members of the Beef Industry Food Safety Steering Committee met this week to lay out the organizational structure and set short- and long-term objectives for the Beef Industry Food Safety Council, according to Council Chairman Chuck Schroeder, CEO of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA).

   Resulting from an Oct. 6 meeting of industry leaders in Lincoln, Neb. called by Nebraska Governor Ben Nelson, the Beef Industry Food Safety Council was formed to address food safety issues collectively throughout all industry segments.

   Schroeder appointed the steering committee to identify key result areas that the Council should address, develop broad objectives to define solutions and coordinate efforts for rapid implementation.

   Steering committee members are: Alan Janzen, NCBA Beef Safety Committee vice chairman; Patrick Boyle, president, the American Meat Institute; Rosemary Mucklow, executive director, the National Meat Association; Tim Hammonds, president, Food Marketing Institute; Herman Cain, president & CEO, National Restaurant Association; Phil Seng, president, U.S. Meat Export Federation; Larry Sitzman, director, Nebraska Department of Agriculture; Dr. Jim Sears, president, American Association of Bovine Practitioners; Dr. Russell Cross, IDEXX; and Dr. Skip Seward, McDonalds Corp. Dr. Cathy Woteki, USDA undersecretary for Food Safety and Dr. Dan Laster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, will serve as resources to the Steering Committee.

   During the first organizational meeting, the Steering Committee agreed on the following Statement of Principle.

   "The Beef Industry Food Safety Council is committed to developing industry-wide, science-based strategies to solve the problem of E. coli O157:H7 and other foodborne pathogens in beef. The Council will accomplish this by identifying, funding and prioritizing research priorities from farm to table; developing programs to help industry segments operate in today's business environment; speaking with one voice in seeking regulatory and legislative solutions; developing consumer education programs; and developing and implementing industry education programs to assist in the transfer of technology into the market place."

   "In short, our focus will be on prevention at all stages to significantly reduce and possibly eliminate problems," said Schroeder.

   "We believe this approach holds much more promise than strategies designed to detect contamination after it has already occurred. Because of the unprecedented commitment by the entire industry, we are well on our way to aggressive solutions to this issue by refocusing industry efforts and resources."

   Schroeder said the remaining members of the Council will be named within days. The next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 11-12 in Dallas, Texas.