June 13, 2008
Welcome
Welcome to another issue of the FIBR Sampler, an electronic newsletter
that keeps you connected with FIBR and regional food industry issues. Tell your
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Topics covered in this issue--
2008 FIBR Annual Members Meeting Set For June 19th
The 2008 FIBR Annual Members Meeting has been set for Thursday, June 19th from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in downtown Los Angeles. The meeting will take place in the Los Angeles Room. The LA DWP, a FIBR member, is located at 111 No. Hope Street, at 1st and Hope. Enter the parking structure from Hope. Parking will be validated for members.
We will review the past year and look to the future. We will also be discussing our upcoming 2008 A Taste of FIBR and how you can help make it a success. Most importantly, we hope to have input from our members about future ideas and projects for the organization. Come share your thoughts, meet new members and network with old colleagues. Please RSVP to 213/763-2520 x227 or by e-mail to ynunez@fibr.info.
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Ofelia U. Barretto Receives Prestigious Freund-Marquardt Medal from ASQ
On May 5th, Ms. Ofelia U. Barretto, a long-time member of FIBR and the FIBR Training Council, received the Prestigious Freund-Marquardt Award and Medal from the American Society for Quality (ASQ) at the World Conference for Quality and Improvement. The Award is "In recognition of an individual who has held positions of responsibility for development of standards that focus on the management system of an organization." Ms. Barretto was honored for her development of the long-awaited Good Manufacturing Practices for Dietary Supplements. The award read: "For her many years of leadership in the development of standards for quality assurance and management systems. Her standards work in the pharmaceutical, dietary supplements, and processed foods industries has been accepted by nations worldwide" You may view Ms. Barretto's picture and acceptance speech at http://www.asq.org/about-asq/awards/2007-2008-recipients/barretto.html
FIBR is honored to have such an exceptional food industry professional as part of our Organization. Her contributions to FIBR are many. Not only did she author FIBR's GMP manual, she has participated in countless training sessions and education seminars throughout the years. Congratulations Ofelia!
Final Chance for 2008 GMP Training - Register Now!
The final two English-language session for the Food Safety with FIBR Training Institute are being held this summer. The Los Angeles/Vernon area training will take place on June 17th & 18th in Baldwin Park. The Orange County session is scheduled for July 29th & 30th. These two full-day courses will complete FIBR's effort to provide the training in different Southern California locations throughout the year. The idea was to make the training more accessible to our members around the region. This past spring, sessions were held in San Bernardino and San Diego Counties.
The Good Manufacturing Practices Module is ideal for all members of the production staff from line-persons to the Quality Assurance Managers. Many company owners have taken the course over the years and learned the value of providing safe, quality foods. It is also a required session for those interested in taking the advanced Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) course this Fall. Details about the course curriculum, specific training sessions, cost and registration can be found on the home page of www.fibr.info. Watch for details about Spanish-language GMP's later this year. Don't Delay - Register Today!
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FIBR Honors the Memory of Gilbert Medina and Tom Ahrens
FIBR is sad to learn of the loss of two of its finest. Gilbert Medina was President of Global Trade Experts in California and New Mexico. His business, based out of Riverside, California specialized in New Mexico Chili products and the delicious high-quality dried mangos. Mr. Medina was a long-time FIBR Board Member and respected professional in the food processing industry.
Tom Ahrens was the Supervising Environmental Health Specialist with the Environmental Health Department of Orange County. Tom always sought to build relations with his constituents and to tackle issues affecting industry. Tom was a great friend of FIBR and a member of the Regional Wholesale Food Processors Committee.
Both Gilbert and Tom are deeply missed by their FIBR family and the entire food processing community of Southern California. FIBR will forever honor their memory and their contributions to our mission.
PCV Announces Healthcare And Your Business Seminar CEO Insight Forum
FIBR Partner, Pacific Community Ventures (PCV), has announced that a PCV CEO Insight Forum will be held on "Healthcare and Your Business" on June 25, 2008. The session will be held from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. at the NTC Command Center in San Diego, California. There will also be a Networking Celebration & Program Launch following the program from 5 to 7 p.m. The cost is $35 per person.
Are you frustrated with rising healthcare costs? Do you know what's happening in the healthcare policy debate and how your business will be affected? Learn how to make your voice heard in Sacramento. For more information, please contact PCV at 858/663-1639 or e-mail gculver@pcvmail.org.
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CMTC Resource Link - A New Monthly Email Newsletter
FIBR Member, California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC), has introduced a new email newsletter for Southern California manufacturers. Interact with the CMTC Sales or Account team, peruse an eLibrary of articles, and even get online advice via the Ask and Expert section. To receive the email newsletter, contact Ron Calame at news@questline.dm-4.com.
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Who Will Be the 2008 FIBR Food Processor of the Year? Do You Deserve the FIBR Food Safety Achievement Award? Submit Nominations Now!
Nominations are now open for FIBR Food Processor of the Year & the FIBR Food Safety Achievement Award. These awards will be presented at A Taste of FIBR - September 25, 2008. You must be a FIBR member to receive the award, but anyone can submit nominations. And Yes! FIBR members may, and are encouraged to, nominate themselves. To see a list of our members, click on the "members" icon on the home page. If you would like a nomination form to be emailed or faxed to you, please contact Yvette at 213/763-2520 x227 or ynunez@fibr.info. The Deadline to submit nominations is Friday, August 29th.
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Excerpts of Interest from "Lean Trimmings and Herd On the Hill"
An electronic newsletter of the National Meat Association. To subscribe, please contact staff@nmaonline.org. Let them know you learned about them from FIBR!:
AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS FORECAST FOR 2008
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced on May 30th an updated quarterly forecast for U.S. agricultural exports. Exports are expected to reach a record $108.5 billion for fiscal year 2008. The upward revision is a $7.5 billion increase from February's previous record forecast and $26.5 billion above the final 2007 exports. Grains and animal products account for two-thirds of the export gains.
Asia continues to be an important growth market for U.S. agricultural commodities. U.S. exports to China are forecast to reach a record $10.5 billion, up almost $3.4 billion from 2007 levels. Canada and Mexico remain the United States' top two markets worldwide with exports forecast to reach $30.5 billion in 2008 and some $5 billion above 2007. While agricultural imports in two-way trade with the United States will also increase to a record $78.5 billion forecast by USDA. The $108.5 billion in export sales by American farmers and ranchers will net a positive agricultural trade surplus of $30 billion for the United States. The next quarterly report will be issued at the end of August 2008.
The summary and full report of USDA's "Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade" may be accessed from the ERS web site at http://www.ers.usda.gov or the FAS website at http://www.fas.usda.gov.
SAFE QUALITY FOOD (SQF)
Increasingly, retailers are notifying their suppliers that they must develop and implement SQF programs in their operations to continue supplying them with product. Just what is SQF? It is an acronym for "Safe Quality Food." In simple terms, it is a written program using much the same technique and format as HACCP.
There are currently two SQF codes, SQF 1000 and SQF 2000. However, most NMA members would be subject to SQF 2000 since it refers to Food Manufacturers whereas SQF 1000 is geared toward operations defined as Primary Producers such as fresh field packed produce, etc.
Most retailers that are requiring their suppliers to develop these programs are also insisting that the programs be at level 3 of SQF. Level 3 incorporates pre-requisite programs such as site plans, building construction specifications, sanitation programs, employee hygiene programs, etc., and food safety (HACCP) plans. In addition, suppliers must complete and document a food quality risk assessment of their products and associated processes to identify any threats to
producing quality and outline what actions would be taken to eliminate, reduce, or prevent their occurrence. Sound familiar?
If your company has been advised that you must develop and implement
an SQF program or if you would like to have more information, please
contact NMA or go to http://www.sqfi.com, which is the website of the
SQF Institute, a division of the Food Marketing Institute.
SAVE THE DATE! 2008 A TASTE OF FIBR!
SEPTEMBER 25TH! DETAILS SOON!
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