Around CGC
In this issue:
The First 50 Years!
ContiParaguay celebrated its 50th anniversary on May 17 in Asuncion. Above, ContiParaguay and CGC executives at the anniversary dinner, from left, Werner Baertschi, Jose Creus, Luis Abreu, Rodolfo Dos Santos, Jean-Pierre Gorgue, Oscar Sosa , Paul Fribourg, Agustin Magallanes, Guillermo Oteiza, Carlos Zaugg, Alberto Re, Romulo Mancuello, Marcelo Carlomagno, Adrian Litmanovich (Unilever Paraguay GM) and Vart Adjemian.
Below, Vart Adjemian and Paul Fribourg with Luis Angel Gonzalez Macchi, President of Paraguay, and, at right, ContiParaguay GM Agustin Magallanes.
Founded as the Compañía Algodonera Paraguaya S.A. (CAPSA) in 1951, the company began as a cotton marketer and exporter and soon expanded into oilseed crushing and processing. It was acquired by CGC in 1978 and became a major supplier and manufacturer for Unilever in 1996. Today, the company produces a wide range of both industrial and consumer products including crude oils, oilseed proteins, refined vegetable oils, margarine, shortening, soaps and detergents.
Moving Day at Wayne Farms
Wayne Farms Corporate Headquarters staff completed their long-awaited move to Oakwood, Georgia on June 5th. Located near the Oakwood Dutch Quality House plant, this new facility consists of two new buildings joined by an enclosed walkway. It will provide office space for approximately 175 employees who until now have worked at four separate locations in Gainesville and Oakwood.
"The move has really gone very smoothly and everyone is excited to be in our new surroundings," says Office Manager Lynne Booth. "Having everyone 'under one roof' will allow us to have better communication and foster a real team feeling."
An architect's drawing of Wayne Farms' new 48,000 square foot headquarters.
New Website Launched
Wayne Farms has launched a new website with detailed information on Wayne Farms/Dutch Quality House products and services, food safety initiatives, career opportunities, press releases, and more! Check it out at www.waynefarmsllc.com.
Safety Achievements
As of the close of business on the 9th of April, Colorado Beef has gone 365 days without a lost-time accident. Please join me in congratulating Greg and the Colorado Beef team on this outstanding achievement. Colorado Beef has maintained an excellent safety record over quite a number of years. Their safety record is a direct result of the hard work, excellent planning and dedication to sending everyone home each day as whole and healthy as when they came to work that morning.
A big CONGRATULATIONS to the folks at Colorado Beef.
--John Rakestraw
Cimarron, Hartley, and Grant County Feeders, and Continental Beef Research also received awards in May for completing F2001 without a lost-time accident. Congratulations to all!
PSF News---
Meeting the Demand for Case-Ready Products
Case-ready.
That is how the meatpacking industry describes products that have been cut and packaged to go directly into the meat display at the retail level.
In response to the needs of retailers, Premium Standard Farms began producing and marketing case-ready products in early spring of 2000. "The entire industry is moving in the direction of case-ready products," said Mike Townsley, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
Mike says the reason the concept has gained momentum is because of a lack of skilled meat cutters at the retail level. "There aren't as many people trained or entering the meat-cutting trade as there used to be," he says. In addition, packers can produce these pre-packaged products at about the same cost or cheaper than what the retailer would spend to have it done in-house.
"Currently, our customers can choose from over 40 different product and packaging options, depending on their preference," said Doug Miller, Director of Fresh Pork Sales. "The most popular items have primarily been the boneless items." All case-ready products are produced using Fresh & Tender (F&T) product, at the request of the company's customers. F&T is the name of Premium Standard Farms' line of moisture enhanced products.
"Case-ready offers product and packaging consistency and merchandising flexibility not easily duplicated at store level," Mike says.
PSF Pioneers Process Detectable Needles
Premium Standard Farms' new process detectable needles. |
Premium Standard Farms is once again taking the lead on a food safety issue in the pork industry. The company placed the first United States order for Process Detectable Needles in January. The needles will be in use company-wide by July.
These needles are made from a special patented alloy that is detectable through conventional metal detection. The plastic hub of these needles is designed to break at the base, thereby leaving the hub exposed for easy removal. The traditional aluminum hub needle, which has been the industry standard, is more likely to break off along the shaft and is not detectable using conventional methods.
As an extra assurance, Premium Standard Farms is installing additional metal detection equipment in strategic locations within the company's processing facilities in Milan, Mo., and Clinton, N.C.
"We are committed to being an industry leader in food safety," said Collette Schultz Kaster, Vice President of Food Safety and Technical Services. "This new product dramatically reduces the risk of a broken needle going undetected. We are proud to be the first pork producer in the United States to use this innovative new technology."
Trade magazines such as National Hog Farmer are preparing stories about Premium Standard Farms use of the needles for upcoming issues.
Premium Standard Farms has been the first to adopt a number of innovative systems and technologies to improve food safety, animal welfare and pork quality. The company was the first to implement the United States Department of Agriculture's Process Verified Program, and the only company to integrate the program on 100 percent of company owned farms. The company plans to incorporate the use of Process Detectable Needles as part of their Process Verified Program.
--Gordon Becton, PSF Perspective
Air Quality Appointment
ContiBeef Vice President and General Counsel Suzanne Griffin has been named to the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, the state body responsible for the oversight of air quality laws and regulations. Appointed to a three-year term by Governor Bill Owens and confirmed by the Colorado State Senate in April, Suzanne joins a nine-member commission that includes business people, academics, environmental engineers, and private citizens. The first-ever appointment from the livestock industry, Suzanne says that the job provides an opportunity to "present the views of livestock producers with respect to air quality regulations and to ensure that decisions are based on good science with due consideration of economic constraints."
CGC Recognizes National Merit Scholars
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has awarded scholarships sponsored by the ContiGroup Foundation to two high school seniors. Rebecca Shaw, daughter of Wayne Farms Financial Analyst Steve Shaw, will attend the University of North Carolina--Charlotte, and plans to specialize in international business. Megan Killingsworth, daughter of Don Killingsworth, Vice President of Procurement at Premium Standard Farms, will attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and major in biology. Recipients and their families will be honored at a luncheon in New York on July 20.
Tornadoes at Colorado Beef--one of 12 funnel clouds that touched down in and around Lamar on June 1st. This large tornado stayed on the ground for 45 minutes and damaged the west side of town. A smaller tornado cut through some open land at the eastern edge of the feedlot. Fortunately, there were no injuries or damage at Colorado Beef.
General Manager Greg McLean says the storm was unusual for Lamar, since most tornadoes occur further east. It also stayed in the area longer than expected. "We had everyone in the office basement for about three hours," says Greg. "We then had to go out and feed the cattle, so it was a very long day." The cattle took it all very calmly, he notes, and basically ignored the entire storm.
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