Boon or folly: USDA meat processing grants

Originally broadcast on 6/20/2024 10:00:00 AM

Boon or folly: Two experts debate the effectiveness of USDA meat processing grants
Presented by Meatingplace

On July 9, 2021, the USDA grabbed headlines when it announced more than $650 million in grants and assistance to U.S. meat processors. Described as part of a "historic commitment to fight monopolization and promote competition across the economy," the funds were intended to expand capacity in small and very small plants, and to address consolidation in the meat industry.

Three years later, more than $300 million of those funds have been distributed to more than 300 processing facilities across the country, and in an exclusive webinar, Meatingplace will explore the program’s status and success. Peter Thomas Ricci, Managing Editor, Meatingplace, will moderate. Our expert guests will be:

Dave Carter serves as a Director of Regional Technical Assistance Coordination for the Flower Hill Institute, an indigenous-led nonprofit organization coordinating the technical assistance network USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Carter is part of the Flower Hill team that has successfully fielded more than 1,300 requests for technical assistance since March 2022, and has assisted those clients in federal grant applications, business and marketing plan development, and other needs.

Dr. Sarah Low is professor and head, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics in the College of ACES at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research and Extension emphasize how to support and facilitate regional economic development and prioritizes policy-relevant issues, drawing on her experience in federal government. Her research interests include business dynamics, broadband impacts, rural household wellbeing, value-added agriculture, and entrepreneurial ecosystem building. CLICK HERE TO VIEW.

Experts Discuss: How a Multiple-Hurdle Approach With Visual Inspection Can Achieve Zero Foreign Materials In Your Plant

Originally broadcast on 11/16/2022 10:00:00 AM

Presented by P&P Optica, Produced by Meatingplace

Most processors experience some foreign material incidents in their plants and are searching for solutions to reduce that to zero. Recognizing that a multiple hurdle approach to inspection is crucial in preventing foreign materials incidents, processors are finding current technologies are experiencing challenges in finding low density materials (like plastics, rubber, cardboard, wood) that are common in plants, leaving them vulnerable. New technologies are reviewed with an emphasis on multi-hurdle approaches. Our experts take a close look at hyperspectral imaging and how it is delivering better inspection outcomes and producing higher-quality products. They will share the most current technology and information whether a processor is considering a multi-hurdle approach to inspection or wish to learn more about further utilizing visual inspection and, how they can get closer to the goal of zero foreign materials.Click here to view

Mouth Behavior and Ground Beef Patties: How Texture Shapes Enjoyment

Originally broadcast on 10/28/2021 10:00:00 AM

In this exclusive Meatingplace webinar, Senior Editor Tom Johnston moderates a presentation/discussion with Jennifer Vahalik of U&I Collaboration and Dr. Rhonda Miller of Texas A&M University as they explain what the Mouth Behavior concept is and how it affects consumer enjoyment of food. They will also discuss their original research on ground-beef patties. Processors will hear how the wide variety of beef patties based on grind size, fat content, formation, processing techniques and resulting textures impact the burger-buying masses like ­ and dislike ­of various ground beef patties.Click here to view

A Comprehensive Overview of Quantitative Salmonella: Sharing the Story from Industry to Academia

Originally broadcast on 10/14/2021 1:00:00 PM

Presented by bioMérieux, produced by Meatingplace

Leverage quantitative Salmonella data to improve process control. Dr. Marcos Sanchez, Ph.D., Associate Professor, at Texas Tech, and Anna Carlson, Ph.D., Sr. Scientist at Cargill, discuss regulatory trends and how today¹s innovations by industry partners can help processors assess risk, make real-time data-driven decisions, and improve their bottom line. Attendees will understand the various applications of quantitative Salmonella data and how they can be leveraged in their operations, will hear how true quantification of Salmonella offers operational benefits while Doctors Carlson and Sanchez review the data and applications across a variety of matrices.Click here to view