CONTACT:        Michele Peterson           303-850-3343                 mpeterson@beef.org

Summit Highlights Successes, Challenges in Beef Safety

DENVER (April 26, 2005) – Industry leaders convened at the Beef Industry Safety Summit held in Orlando April 19 and 20 to discuss advancements in food safety, including the remarkable success in reducing the incidence of E. coli O157:H7. Participants updated the checkoff-funded Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCo) Best Practices based on research and learnings since the documents were first developed.

Beef safety research is funded by America’s Beef Producers through the $1-per-head Beef Checkoff Program. The program is coordinated on behalf of the Cattlemen's Beef Board and state beef councils by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). The NCBA serves as one of the Beef Board's contractors for checkoff-funded programs. 

Pathogens remain a primary focus for the beef industry and its consumers, but significant progress has been accomplished. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that the overall incidence of E. coli O157:H7 infections declined 9.5 percent in 2004 alone. The number of infections has declined by 42 percent since the baseline was established between 1996 and 1998. In addition, USDA recently reported that the percentage of ground beef samples testing positive for E. coli O157:H7 declined by more than 80 percent since 2000, including a 43.3 percent year-over-year reduction between 2003 and 2004.

“These numbers show that the strategies put in place by the beef industry to fight E. coli are achieving remarkable results,” said Roger West, a Florida cow-calf producer and current chair of the beef industry’s Joint Research and Knowledge Management Committee.

West noted that these results already exceed the national goal of reducing incidences of E. coli O157:H7 to 1.0 per 100,000 people by 2010. “We’ve actually surpassed the national ‘Healthy People 2010’ goal well ahead of schedule,” West said.

The keynote address was delivered by Elsa Murano, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean of agriculture at Texas A&M University. Dr. Murano reflected on her experience as the USDA undersecretary for food safety and shared her thoughts about recent food safety accomplishments.

“The industry really rolled up its sleeves along with the USDA and, in partnership, worked together to ensure that we were doing everything we could to keep beef safe. We are a model for the whole world, and I think it’s that leadership displayed by the industry that really is what has gotten us to this point,” Murano said.

BIFSCo – funded by beef producers with checkoff dollars – has been working toward compiling best practices from across the beef industry, which includes sharing safety strategies among competitors. BIFSCo best practices are available at www.bifsco.org. These are living documents that are updated and reviewed as scientific and technological advances are made.

While pathogen reduction strategies took center stage at the conference, other food safety issues were featured as well. The Issues Update Forum covered multi-drug resistant Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, dioxins, Johne’s disease and FMD preparedness. Summit participants heard from presenters representing USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, Department of Homeland Security, the Beef Information Center and Standard Meat Company.

Janice Huvve, Ph.D., of USDA-ARS discussed history of and research conducted on dioxins. Paula Fedorka-Cray, Ph.D., also of USDA-ARS explained the science behind multi-drug resistant pathogens and the importance of reducing Salmonella incidence. Nick Nickelson, Ph.D., chief executive for science and health for Standard Meat Company, shared research results and strategies to reduce foodborne listeriosis. Mark Klassen of the Beef Information Center provided an update on Johne’s disease research findings and John Martin, Ph.D., of the Department of Homeland Security briefed the group on FMD preparedness planning.  

“I am truly impressed with the kind of interaction that takes place between all segments of the beef industry to help progress the safety of beef to an even higher standard,” said Bo Reagan, Ph.D., NCBA vice president of research and knowledge management. “In that respect, this year’s conference was a tremendous achievement.”

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The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The checkoff assessment became mandatory when the program was approved by 79 percent of producers in a 1988 national referendum vote. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef.

Funded by beef producers with checkoff dollars, BIFSCo brings together representatives from all sectors of the beef industry – including cow/calf producers, feedlot operators, packers, processors, retailers and foodservice operators – to battle the industry’s most complex food safety issues together. 

Producer-directed and consumer-focused, the NCBA is a trade association of America’s cattle farmers and ranchers, and the marketing organization for the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.