Monthly Archives: May 2012

Controversy over ‘pink slime’ in the US

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Photo: B+LNZ

A controversy blew up in the US in March and April about the use of lean finely textured beef (LFTB) – also pejoratively coined as ‘pink slime’ – in manufactured ground beef.

Lean, finely-textured beef (LFTB) is lean beef that is separated in a manufacturing process from fatty beef trimmings, to reduce wastage. The process involves treating the LFTB with small amounts of ammonium hydroxide gas or citric acid to eliminate any harmful bacteria present.

The process has been approved as safe by the United States Department of Agriculture and it has been reported that over 70 percent of ground beef used in the US is believed to have incorporated LFTB as an ingredient.

However, a range of media commentators, including ABC News and British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, have criticised the practice. Despite statements by the USDA and meat industry bodies asserting that LFTB is safe for consumption, a number of major retailers and restaurant chains –  including McDonald’s and Burger King – have recently decided not to use LFTB, as a result of considerable negative publicity about the product.

As a result of the controversy, the major producer of LFTB, Beef Products Inc, announced that it is closing down three of its four processing plants. The American Meat Institute estimates that without LFTB, the industry would need 1.5 million additional head of cattle to make up the difference in beef supply.

LFTB is not used in New Zealand, as the leaner, pasture-raised New Zealand beef does not produce the high fat trimmings that provide the raw ingredient for LFTB, the MIA says.

Published in Food NZ (June/July 2012).

A decade of great steak

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B+LNZ chairman Mike Petersen (left) congratulates Producer of the Decade Karen and Chris Biddles.

Chris and Karen Biddles from Te Atarangi Angus are the victorious winners of this year’s Producer of the Decade at the Steak of Origin grand final held on 15 May 2012.

To celebrate 10 years of the contest to find New Zealand’s most tender and tasty steak, all results from previous competitions were tallied up to find the top performing and most consistent producer.

Alongside this special award, the annual competition was once again hotly contested with Alex Macmillan from Pipiwai being named the 2012 Steak of Origin Grand Champion.

Head judge, Graham Hawkes, said this 10 year celebration has made the competition one to remember.

“There’s been a real festival feel to this year’s contest, with 10 judges from across the decade involved,” Hawkes said. “The competition has certainly come a long way from its humble beginnings but one thing’s for sure, the steak has always been incredible.

Allso awarded was the Brand of the Decade, which went to AngusPure, the NZ Retailer/Wholesaler of the Decade, awarded to Neat Meat and the 2012 Supreme Brand Award which was also won by Neat Meat.

 

Graeme Lowe: 2012 Business Hall of Fame laureate

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A hearty congratulations goes to meat industry legend and processing pioneer, Graeme Lowe, who has been made a Fairfax Media New Zealand Business Hall of Fame laureate for 2012.

Graeme Lowe founded Lowe Corporation more than forty years ago and the company has grown to become one of New Zealand’s leading animal by-products processors and exporters. Based in the Hawke’s Bay, the company now operates three tanneries, two fellmongeries (skin preparation plants) and two rendering plants and employs over 500 people at the peak of the production season.

Lowe and this year’s six other new laureates – Bill Gallagher Senior, Sir Graeme Douglas, Sir Patrick Higgins, Thomas Macarthy (1833-1912) and Mary Jane Milne (1840-1921) – will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at a gala dinner on 28 June 2012.

The Hall was created by the Young Enterprise Trust in 1994, to recognise New Zealanders who have made an outstanding contribution to business and society.

Published in Food NZ (June/July 2012). Tickets and more information are here.

Innovative waste reduction project? Apply here

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Meat companies developing initiatives that increase the reuse, recycling or recovery of waste material are among the organisations being invited to apply to the Waste Minimisation Fund.

“This is a chance for organisations with an innovative project to apply for support from the government to give their project a head start,” Environment Minister Amy Adams says.

Since the first funding round opened in 2009, the fund has awarded about $20 million to more than 60 projects.

To receive funding, projects need to increase resource efficiency or reduce the amount of waste sent to New Zealand’s landfills. The current round is open until 19 June.

Money for the WMF comes from the waste levy charged on material disposed of at New Zealand landfills.

For more information about applying for the fund, click here.

Andrew West new vice-chancellor for Lincoln

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Dr Andrew West, former head of AgResearch and current adjunct professor or agribusiness at the University of Waikato, has been appointed as the new vice-chancellor of Lincoln University and took up his new position on 16 April.

Dr West’s career has spanned eduction, science and innovation, agriculture, process manufacturing and tourism. Educated in the UK, Dr West graduated with a BSc in Ecology from the University of Westminister and a PhD from the Council for National Academic Awards prior to emigrating to New Zealand.

He has been particularly influential in his roles as leader of the Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences (GNS) and latterly AgResearch Ltd. Throughout his career, Dr West has been involved in a large number of directorships, predominantly with the primary industry sector, but also with a strong emphasis on innovation and commercialisation.

Dr West’s achievements have been recognised by his peers and others as noted by the awarding of the Thomson Medal for outstanding contributions to the development of science and technology from the Royal Society of New Zealand (2008); an Honorary Fellowship of Waikato Institute of Technology (2009); and most recently a Companionship of the Royal Society of New Zealand (2010).

On his appointment, West says it is a privilege “to be asked to lead such a venerated institution, one with a genuinely global and well-earned reputation”. He is looking forward to working with the land-based of New Zealand and those of other countries.

 

All change from 1 July

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David Smol, acting MBIE head.

It’s all change from 1 July, when a new Super Ministry will govern the country’s business matters.

The New Zealand government has announced that a new Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will kick in on 1 July 2012. This will draw together the existing functions of four current government departments: the Ministry of Science and Innovation: the Minister of Economic Development: Department of Labour; and Department of Building and Housing.

The new Ministry will assist the Government to drive forward its business growth agenda and make it easier for businesses to engage with the government, Economic Development minister Steven Joyce says.

An acting chief executive has already been appointed. David Smol, currently the chief executive of the Ministry of Economic Development, will take up the role to ensure smooth transition to the new agency. The appointment of a new chief executive by the State Services Commissioner is expected by the end of September.

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In another move, agriculture, biosecurity, food safety, forestry, and fishing have already been rolled into one department and the former Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has been renamed the new Ministry of Primary Industries. The change took effect from 30 April and was described by Primary Industries Minister David Carter as “a logical move”.

It recognises the broad role of the Ministry in growing and protecting the primary sector, the power house of New Zealand’s economy. “Importantly, it provides the different parts of the organisation with a single, unifying identity,” he said.

Existing brands for MAF, BioSecurity New Zealand, the Ministry of Fisheries and New Zealand Food Safety Authority will be phased out. The Crown Forestry brand will be retained because it is a commercial forestry business that stands apart from the policy, regulatory and service delivery roles of the Ministry.

 

New Zealand’s ‘Steak of the Decade’

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New Zealand beef producers are lining up in the hunt for New Zealand’s top beef producer of the decade. Ten finalists were announced today in the competition that is being run to celebrate a decade of the Steak of Origin Challenge which aims to find the nation’s most tender and tasty sirloin steak.

The results of over 3,000 entries from the last nine years of competition have been analysed and will be combined with the results from this year. Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd’s chief executive, Dr Scott Champion says 10 years of the Steak of Origin Challenge is a significant milestone for the competition.

“This competition is keenly contested by farmers who are focused on producing the best steak and it goes from strength to strength each year,” he said. The Steak of Origin Producer of the Decade will be decided by the results of this year’s Steak of Origin challenge with semi-finalists also announced today. Ten judges from the past nine years of competition have been invited back to help determine the winner. The judging line-up includes Allyson Gofton, Sir Colin Meads, Sarah Ulmer and Associate Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Nathan Guy. An award for the Brand of the Decade will also be presented to a steak brand which has consistently delivered a quality product. The Steak of Origin semi-final will be held at Gorilla Restaurant in Christchurch on Friday 4 May followed by the Grand Final held during the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Beef Expo in Feilding on Monday 14 May, where all the winners will be announced.

Battle of the butchers begins

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Abigail Smith

Young New Zealand butchers across the country have begun sharpening their knives in anticipation of the 2012 Alto Young Butcher and Retail Meat Industry Training Organisation (RMITO) Butcher Apprentice of the year competition.

Current RMITO Butcher Apprentice of the Year, Abigail Smith, has her sights set on the Young Butcher title after her success in the apprentice category last year.

“Last year’s win set the standard for me and only makes me eager to push myself to the limit this year and take home the big title,” says Abigail.

Entries are now open to the competition, which kicks off with a series of regional heats across New Zealand over the month of July.

The winners of each regional will go on to compete in the Grand Final, to be held on 24 August at the Viaduct Event Centre in Auckland.

During the Grand Final, the young butchers will be put through a practical exam, interview, cutting test and mystery on-stage element to determine who will walk away with the prestigious title and the prize of a study tour to Europe.

The RMITO Butcher Apprentice of the Year will win a study tour to Australia.

The competition is proudly supported by Alto, RMITO, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc., Dunninghams, Hellers, Kerry Ingredients, NZ Pork, Wilson Hellaby, Cabernet Foods, Natural Farm and Tegel Foods.

 

Praise for industry’s animal welfare approach

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Primary Industries Minister David Carter has praised the Primary Industry Chief Executive’s Animal Welfare Forum for its contribution to animal welfare.

Carter attended the biannual meeting of the Forum recently and endorsed the group’s 2012 plan.

“New Zealand’s major livestock production industries are taking a responsible approach to animal welfare standards through encouraging voluntary compliance and proactive initiatives,” he said.

One of the Forum’s key 2012 projects involves working with farmers, meat processors, transport operators, private veterinarians and MAF to ensure that all transported animals are fit for transport. The group is also focusing on the on-farm welfare and transportation of bobby calves for slaughter.

David Carter, Minister for Primary Industries