Murphy-Brown LLC

Murphy-Brown
Copyright Murphy-Brown LLC - A Smithfield Foods Company
Volume IX, No. 1
Russia to reopen market
The United States and Russia
have recently reached
an agreement to reopen
the Russian market to U.S.
pork and pork products -excellent news for American
hog producers. The U.S.
exported nearly 20 percent of
our pork production in 2009.
Russia imported $257 million
worth, six percent, of U.S.
pork and pork variety meat
exports last year.
LLC
First Quarter 2010
As predicted, CBS News report biased
towards modern animal agriculture
--Don Butler, Director of Government
Relations & Public Affairs
O
n February 9 and 10, 2010,
the CBS Evening News with
Katie Couric aired segments
on antibiotic use in livestock. The
two-part special was a biased and
negative view of modern production
Sioux City plant closing
practices. As predicted, the stories
John Morrell & Company
announced in January that
were little more than a drive-by
is will permanently close its
shooting of modern agriculture.
hog processing and fresh
Anticipating the news segments
meat fabrication plant
located in Sioux City, Iowa,
would be negative, the National Pork
effective April 20, 2010. The
Producers Council, the National Pork
Sioux City plant processes
hog and produces boneless
Board, the American Association of
loins and other fresh pork
Swine Veterinarians, the American
products. The plant closure
Veterinary Medical Association and others worked to deal with the upcoming stories, providing
will affect approximately
1,450 hourly and salaried
CBS with access to veterinary experts to talk about the proper use of antibiotics and accurate
employees. The company will
scientific information about the benefits of proper antibiotic use. Pork producers were also made
honor all contracts at Sioux
available to be interviewed. Very little of this information made its way to the broadcasts.
City. Smithfield has no further
plans for plant closures in the
Members of congress and government agencies were alerted to the news coverage and
foreseeable future.
were given accurate and complete information about the use of animal health products in pork
production. Several members of congress were prepared to discredit the CBS reports and to stand
up for livestock producers. They understood that CBS tried to mislead its viewers into
believing that pork and pork products may be unhealthy and that handling or eating pork
products could result in antibiotic resistance in humans. The fact is there is no scientific
evidence this is true. To the contrary, proper use of antibiotics, under the guidance and
direction of a licensed veterinarian helps keep animals healthy and healthy animals are
Page 2
needed to produce safe food.
Antibiotics Q&A
Murphy-Brown has a robust antibiotics usage policy. Veterinarians must approve all
Page 5
antibiotics used to prevent or treat disease. Murphy-Brown’s antibiotic use policy can
2010 North Carolina Pork Council
be found on the company’s website at www.murphybrownllc.com.
Pork Conference
Page 6
7th Annual Murphy-Brown Truck
Rodeo
Additional information about the proper use of antibiotics in pork
production can be found at the following resources:
Page 8
Support grows for NPPC’s
Strategic Investment Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
National Pork Producers Council
National Pork Board
Frequently asked questions about the use of antibiotics
Question:
Why are antibiotics used in pork
production?
Answer:
Just like with humans, appropriate
antibiotic use can keep animals healthy. Safe
food is produced from safe animals.
Question:
How are antibiotics used in pork
production?
Answer: Antibiotics are used strategically,
administered when pigs are sick, susceptible or
exposed to illness.
Question:
What is the industry’s position on
the use of antibiotics in pork production?
Answer: The National Pork Producer’s
Council believes it is essential to public health
and well-being, and the environment to
maintain the effectiveness and availability of
antimicrobials. All decisions affecting their
availability should be based on sound science.
Question:
Aren’t antibiotics in feed only used
by large producers?
Answer: A 2000 survey conducted by the
National Animal Health Monitoring System
(NAHMS) determined that the use of antibiotics
was not related to the size of the operation. In
fact, a similar percentage of small producers and
large producers report using antibiotics.
Question:
Are there other factors besides
antibiotic use that impact animal health?
Answer:
Yes. The use of animal health
products, including antibiotics, is only one part
of a comprehensive herd health program.
Biosecurity, diagnostics, vaccinations, facility
maintenance and animal care contribute to the
farm’s animal health picture.
Question:
What is antibiotic resistance?
Answer: “Antibiotic resistance” refers to
bacteria that are able to withstand exposure to
antibiotics and, in fact, survive.
Question:
What else is the industry doing to
make sure resistance doesn’t become a problem?
Answer: Pork producers are committed to
protecting public health and preserving animal
health and well-being by using antibiotics
responsibly. Programs such as Pork Quality
Assurance Plus have been implemented to
address the issue of antibiotics use in modern pork
production. This is resulting in healthier pigs and a
safer food supply.
Question:
Is it safe to use antibiotics in
food animals?
Answer: Yes. The FDA does not approve
the use of antibiotics until they undergo a
vigorous review for safety to animals, humans
and the environment. The FDA approval
process is the first of multiple steps to ensure
food products from animals treated with
antibiotics are safe. Farmers work closely
with veterinarians to decide which antibiotics
to use, and they are administered when the
animals are most at risk for illness. Additionally,
the FSIS inspects every animal that enters and
passes through a processing plant. FSIS also
takes samples from meat to verify that there
are no violative antibiotic or other residues in
our meat.
Question:
What about organic meats?
Are they safer?
Answer:
No. There is no scientific
evidence that nutritional and safety
profiles or organic meats are different than
conventionally raised product. Only growing,
handling, and processing methods differ.
Source: www.porkanswers.org
Butler’s “challenging” term as NPPC
president comes to a close
“It has been a fascinating, wonderful, frustrating,
depressing and challenging time for me during my
tenure as president of the National Pork Producers
Council. But I am proud of our accomplishments
over what has been a very trying year for U.S. pork
producers.”
Don Butler,
director of
government
relations and
public affairs
for MurphyBrown.
H
aving endured one of the
most challenging economic
and social periods in
American agricultural history, Don
Butler ended his term as president
of the National Pork Producers
Council during the 2010 National
Pork Industry Forum on March 5 in
Kansas City, Missouri. “It has been
a fascinating, wonderful, frustrating,
depressing and challenging time
to serve as NPPC president but it
also has been a great honor and
learning experience which I will
never forget,” Butler said during his
opening remarks at the Forum.
“Over the past year, NPPC has
done many things that all of us
should be proud of,” he continued.
We overcame the H1N1 crisis;
helped reopen foreign markets;
facilitated robust trade; prevented
market obstacles and border closures
in Mexico; obtained $250 million
in pork purchases from USDA;
protected pork producers from
damaging legislation, including
a ban on antibiotics; and worked
very closely with the National Pork
Board for the betterment of all pork
producers.”
“Over the past two years, we
have had a bitter taste of challenges,
with the most infamous being the
H1N1 flu debacle. Instantaneous
global communications spread the
term ‘swine flu’ around the world
and it negatively affected global
demand for our products and closed
many foreign markets.”
Don worked diligently with
industry partners to encourage
news outlets to correctly refer to
the virus as H1N1 and to reinforce
that pork was completely safe to
eat. Demand was heavily damaged
with a prolonged loss to the
industry of nearly $2 billion. With
Don’s guidance, NPPC made great
strides by working to reopen export
borders, resulting in more stable
pork prices and renewed demand.
Another challenge was the
political decision to move toward
U.S. energy independence, which
prompted a significant ramp up in
corn ethanol production and which,
in turn, has resulted in permanently
higher costs to the industry - higher
grain prices, fuel prices, fertilizer
prices and other costs.
“The huge opportunity going
forward is for the U.S. to remain
the best, most efficient place on
earth to grow pigs.” Butler said.
And that will happen if government
policies, legislation, regulations
and attacks from animal rights
activists and others don’t succeed
in putting enough obstacles in our
path to put us out of business. To
ensure that we have a future and
that we can prevail against all
those forces, the U.S. pork industry
must not only maintain its current
position of strong influence in
Washington, it must become even
more of a force there.”
“We have very smart business
people running extremely
sophisticated hog operations, and
we are very competitive globally
and are positioned to expand
international trade opportunities,”
Butler said.
“I urge all producers to do
the right thing every day on your
farm to ensure that your animals
are safe, comfortable and healthy,
and to protect the environment
and be a good neighbor,” Butler
concluded. “Become PQA-Pluscertified and site-assessed, display
the “WE CARE” banner on your
farms and take advantage of every
opportunity to tell others what we
care about.”
Although he is relinquishing
his position as president of NPPC,
he will remain on the board and
is committed to serving and
consulting with the organization
whenever needed. As director of
government relations and public
affairs for Murphy-Brown, he will
rely heavily on his experiences
and connections with NPPC. In
this position, he is responsible for
public policy development, media
relations, and interaction with
elected and regulatory officials
at the local, state and national
levels. Don, along with his father
William, is also a producer with
Murphy-Brown.
“As president of the National
Pork Producers Council this year,
Don Butler has done a supremely
good job,” said Neil Dierks, chief
executive officer of NPPC. “The
issues the industry has faced have
been significant challenges and
Don has helped provide leadership
and stability as we went forward
to work on behalf of the industry
and its producers. Don has done
an excellent job and he needs to be
congratulated. Thanks, Don.”
Strong leadership rewarded
Dexter Edwards recognized for
outstanding service to agriculture
Dexter Edwards, director of finishing operations for Murphy-Brown East,
received the Melvin G. Cording Service to Agriculture award from the
Duplin County Agribusiness Council in Kenansville, North Carolina.
E
ver wonder about the term
“agribusiness”? It means agriculture operated by business; specifically,
that part of a modern national economy
devoted to the production, processing,
and distribution of food and fiber products
and byproducts. Agribusiness is the
largest employer in Duplin County,
North Carolina. The county leads the
state in the sale of valuable agricultural
commodities*. Butterball LLC and
Murphy-Brown LLC are the first and
second largest employers in Duplin
County. The success of these companies
is established with a work force inspired
by leaders like Dexter Edwards, director
of finishing production operations for
Murphy-Brown East. In this capacity,
Dexter is responsible for all MurphyBrown finishing operations east of the
Mississippi.
Dexter, a native of Duplin County,
began his tenure in agribusiness with
Carroll’s Foods in 1976. Over the past 30
years he has been an instrumental player
in the pork production boom, managing
production facilities, working in
marketing and transportation, overseeing
construction projects and production
services, and supervising grower
contract programs. He was a director of
finishing operations for Murphy-Brown’s
Kenansville, NC division until last year
when he was promoted to his current
position.
Dexter’s devotion to agribusiness
doesn’t end when he leaves his office. He
and his family have 13 finishing facilities,
3 turkey houses and a cattle business
with partner John Smith, complete with
approximately 850 registered cattle and
1,300 acres of hay forage.
Dexter is also past president of the
board of directors for the Duplin County
Agribusiness Council which, each year,
presents its Melvin G. Cording Award
for Outstanding Service to Agriculture.
This year, Dexter received this welldeserved distinction at the council’s
annual meeting. The award is given in
honor of Melvin G. Cording, a former
dairy farmer with Maola Milk Company
who was instrumental in organizing the
Duplin County Agribusiness Council
and a charter member of the council.
Cording is well remembered for the
Left: John Dail and
Lee Ann Garner
of Kenansville,
NC. The Garners,
contract growers
with Murphy-Brown,
received the Pork
All American Award
given to pork
producers under
the age of 40 at the
annual meeting of
the Duplin County
Agribusiness
Council.
Dexter Edwards
eloquent speeches he presented to eager
listeners on the importance of agriculture
and agribusiness. The Melvin G.
Cording Award for Outstanding Service
to Agriculture was established by the
Council upon his death in 1991.
Three other Murphy-Brown contract
growers received awards during
the meeting. John Dail Garner of
Kenansville, N.C. received the Pork All
American Award given to pork producers
under the age of 40. Ralph Britt, Jr. of
Calypso, N.C. and Donnell Kornegay of
Scott’s Hill, N.C. received awards for
corn and soybean production.
*Source: North Carolina Department of Agriculture
NC producers see
changes in 2010 pork
conference venue
U
nusually cold, wet weather
conditions did nothing to hamper
the attendance at the North Carolina
Pork Council’s Annual Pork Conference
in February. This year the two-day event
was held in conjunction with the Southern
Farm Show, the largest agriculture
exposition in the Carolinas and Virginia,
filling the NC State Fairgrounds with
equipment, experts and ideas from over
500 manufacturers. Both days industry
leaders, agribusiness lenders and industry
economists gathered at the Martin
Building to discuss the current state of the
industry with high hopes for a turnaround
in the near future. As always, seminars
for Operator in Charge credits were
available for pork producers and industry
employees.
The annual Bacon Bash, the membersonly fundraising event for the NCPC
Political Action Committee, took place
at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley.
In addition to the traditional reverse
raffle for the $5,000 grand prize and the
wonderful food, this year’s event offered
entertainment--a dueling piano show that
had the audience rolling on the floor with
laughter. The 2010 Bacon Bash was a
huge success,
raising over
$30,000 for
the North
Carolina Pork
Council’s
PAC.
Wrapping up the event was the annual
industry awards breakfast ceremony and
the 2010 annual meeting, which was open
to all members. Both were held at the
Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley.
If you missed it this year, mark you
calendars for the North Carolina Pork
Council Annual Pork Conference -- 2011!
The “We Care” trailer from the
National Pork Board was at the
fairgrounds serving their famous
mouth-watering pork burgers for pork
conference participants.
THE BACON
BASH!
Above: Deborah Johnson, CEO of
the North Carolina Pork Council;
North Carolina Commissioner of
Agriculture, Steve Troxler; and Don
Butler, past president of the National
Pork Producers Council and director
of government relations and public
affairs for Murphy-Brown.
You see them everywhere — Murphy-Brown feed trucks, Murphy-Brown
live haul trucks — but we rarely get a glimpse of the men and women
behind the wheel, the individuals that provide such a vital service to the
company. Each year, they are given an opportunity to come together,
families in tow, and share a camaraderie with their fellow truckers.
M
urphy-Brown feed and live haul
drivers from the Eastern Division
saddled up for the 7th Annual Truck
Driver Rodeo on March 27th in Kenansville,
North Carolina. Each competitor came ready to
test their driving and maintenance skills and to
compete for this year’s bragging rights.
The three-part competition isn’t easy.
Drivers must complete an obstacle course and
are judged on their backing skills, their ability
to maneuver in tight corners and stop on a
dime. They are even judged on how they enter
and exit the vehicle. The written test examines
their knowledge of DOT laws and regulations,
and the pre-trip test demonstrates each driver’s
knowledge of the vehicle.
Out of a possible 400 points, the winning
driver had a top score of 318. The top four
drivers from this event will go to the North
Carolina State Rodeo in May.
This year’s first place winner of the MurphyBrown truck rodeo is Larry Nance of the
Bladenboro Division with a score of 318. Larry
also walked away with the trophy last year,
an accomplishment for a man who never let
physical obstacles stand in his way. Coming
in second was Cecil Pittman of the
Rose Hill Division with a score of
317. Tim Titch of the Laurinburg
Division came in third with a score
of 274.
The Murphy-Brown Truck Rodeo
is designed to be a family event,
with games for the kids and door
prizes donated by vendors such as
Colony Tire, Gregory Poole, Cooper
Kenworth and Cooper Leasing,
Ledwell, Stone Parts and Cintas.
Of course no family event is
complete without food. Lunch was
prepared and served by the Murphy-Brown
supervisory team from all transportation
divisions, with Whit Porter, driver supervisor
with the Warsaw division, as chief cook.
This competition not only gives these drivers
a chance to show their stuff, it helps build
moral and a cohesiveness among a group of
individuals whose expertise and agility behind
the wheel of a semi truck are essential to the
company’s success.
Our hats off to you!
Left: Driver Tony Harrington (left) gives
direction to his supervisor, Whit Porter
(right) on the finer points of grilling.
Photos top right: Driver, Jerry Quinn,
completes the obstacle course.
Center photo right: Michael Wheeler
studies his vehicle to determine where
the problems are. During the pretrip test, drivers had to identify five
glitches that were purposely made to
the vehicle.
Bottom right: Dave Wheeler (center)
from the Waverly Division received the
“Rookie of the Year” award. Dave is
seen here with his wife, Tammy, and
Waverly live haul supervisor Greg
Harvey.
? completes his pre-trip inspection.
Left: Larry Nance
of the Bladenboro
Division takes
first place at the
2010 Truck Rodeo;
(Below, left), Cecil
Pittman of the Rose
Hill Division came
in second; and Tim
Titch (below, right)
of the Laurinburg
Division was third.
Left: In a little
father and son
competition,
Don Bell (left)
and Gary Bell
(right) both
completed the
obstacle course.
Don received
this year’s Top
Supervisor award
at the 2010 Truck
Rodeo.
Laurinburg group a “Wiz”
at raising money for
American Red Cross
Admittedly, fundraisers can sometimes be a bit
boring. The Scotland County, NC Chapter of the
American Red Cross has a cure for that--Celebrity
Dinner and Game night, and the good folks at
Murphy-Brown’s Laurinburg Division were there
to administer the remedy. More than 200 people
enjoyed a night of dining, dancing, auctions and
games at this year’s event. The 14th annual event
featured a buffet dinner attended by some 27
“celebrity” waitstaff, i.e. Red Cross volunteers who
adopted a theme (hence the Wizard of Oz). These
attendants collected almost $1,700 in tips from
their tables. The public supported the event by
sponsoring at different “celebrity” levels: Vanna
White level - $100; Bob Eubanks level - $500; Richard
Dawson level - $1000; or at the Regis Philbin level $2,000. Other options to donate were ticket sales,
donating items to raffle at the dinner, or a monetary
donation. Some 17 business partners sponsored the
celebrity dinner. Top sponsors were Murphy-Brown
and Dominos Pizza. This year’s dinner raised more
than $19,000 for the Scotland and Robeson County
(NC) Chapters of the American Red Cross.
Environmental Excellence
Employees of 7083 Bladen Boar Stud received the
2009 Environmental Excellence Award for outstanding
achievement in the area of environmental protection
and stewardship. The Bladen Boar Stud had the
highest combined rank in EMS compliance, training of
employees, and water usage among SPG farms and
has demonstrated outstanding EMS focus. Left to right:
Brad Belstra, boar stud production manager, William Dy,
current manager of the Bladen Boar Stud, and former
manager Yung Liang-Hei, who currently manages Farm
7092-Askin.
Investing in the future
Craig is president of
NC Pork Council
Tim Craig, President
North Carolina Pork Council
Tim Craig is the newly elected president of
the North Carolina Pork Council. A contract
producer with Murphy-Brown LLC, Tim
manages a 750 farrow-to-finish sow farm and
a 4500 head finishing facility. He is also owner/
manager/operator of Craig & Company, LLC,
a grading company originally founded by
his family approximately 60 years ago. Tim
has served as vice president of the Chatham
County Agribusiness Council. He is a graduate
of NC State University. In addition to serving
on the NC Pork Council’s board, Tim is a
member of the Council’s producer education
and communications committee and the
promotions committee.
Support grows for Strategic
Investment Program
Protecting your right to do business
The funds are used
to strengten NPPC’s
mission to enhance
and defend the
opportunities for U.S.
pork producers at
home and abroad.
By now, many MurphyBrown producers have
received letters of support
for the National Pork
Producers Council’s
Strategic Investment
Program (SIP). This program
is the primary source of
funds for the National Pork
Producers Council. Pork
producers participate
by voluntarily investing a
percentage of the price of
each market hog sold. A
portion of this investment is
distributed as unrestricted
funds to state pork producer
organizations, allowing them
to respond to threats on the
local level. The funds are
used to strengthen NPPC’s
mission to enhance and
defend the opportunities for
U.S. pork producers at home
and abroad.
The U.S. swine industry,
and all food animal
production, is continually
being threatened
by extremist animal
rights, vegetarian, and
environmental activist
groups who want to
eliminate all animal
agriculture. These groups
have been able to
mandate the elimination
of certain farm practices in
Florida, Arizona, California,
New Jersey, Oregon,
Colorado, and Michigan.
The pork industry also
faces challenges on the
legislative and regulatory
fronts from members of
Congress and federal
agencies who want to
ban the use of certain
antibiotics, giving the Food
and Drug Administration the
authority to go to your farm
to inspect your production
records and to greatly
increase environmental
regulations on farms.
As the nation’s leading
pork producer, MurphyBrown has long been a
strong supporter of NPPC
through the voluntary
membership in the SIP
program. Each year, the
company contributes over
$1 million to SIP. The owners
of approximately 65% of
the pigs produced in the
U.S. contribute to the SIP
program.
The SIP program is based
on a voluntary annual
investment of $.10/$100 of
the value of your grower
contract. To participate,
complete the form that
was recently mailed to you
and return it in the enclosed
postage paid envelope. If
you are a Murphy-Brown
grower and have not
received this information,
please contact the Grower
Relations Department in
your area.
Help Murphy-Brown lead
the way in setting a positive
example for the whole
industry by becoming an
SIP participant. Investing
in SIP is a small price to pay
to protect your right to do
business!
Smithfield Foods Environmental Excellence awards recognize subsidiary
personnel that look beyond compliance to focus on pollution prevention,
enhanced environmental protection and stewardship, and compliance
assurance. The acquisition of hand-held computers to assist farms in their
nutrient management programs earned Murphy-Brown the prestigious
President’s Award for Environmental Excellence in 2009. These hand-held
computers allow for instance real-time uploading to central Murphy-Brown
computers and automated annualized reporting of all facility’s metrics.
Each President’s Award winner received a $3,000 check, of which the entire
amount will be donated to a charity of their choice.
Murphy-Brown used the
money received from
the President’s Award to
provide support for victims
of domestic violence and
to provide meals to kids
on Friday for the weekend
when they are not in school.
Left: Tonya Cavenaugh,
Murphy-Brown land &
waste management
administrator and Pamela
Gonzalez, director of
U-Care in Sampson County,
NC. Right: Dr. McPherson,
School Superintendent
of Isle of Wight County,
VA schools; Robert Harris,
senior engineer
with Smithfield
Foods; Minette
Brooks, Hardy
Elementary
School;
and Joyce
McDowell,
Principal, Hardy
Elementary
School.
Murphy-Brown on You Tube! If you’ve checked out www.murphybrownllc.com you know there’s a video
farm tour that allows you to look inside our farms and see firsthand how we put our commitment to product quality,
food safety and animal welfare into practice. Recently that same farm tour was posted on You Tube and it’s
getting a significant number of hits. Check it out for yourself and feel free to share it with friends and family. It’s a
great way to share what we do! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv8SQaZINhc
Murphy-Brown was a sponsoring partner with the
Clinton Kiwanis Club during their annual Pancake &
Sausage Feast in March. Murphy-Brown covered the
cost of the sausage, approximately $1,600, making
the company the largest single contributor of the
event. Kiwanis member Bill Scott said this will have
a major impact on what the club will be able to give
back to the commnity in terms of support. Pictured
left: Bill Scott, Clinton Kiwanis Club, Clinton, North
Carolina and Don Butler, director of Government
Relations and Public Affairs for Murphy-Brown.
Food & Fun
Baby Back Ribs
Treat your family this Memorial Day
with these “fall off the bone” baby
back ribs, dripping with sweet and
tangy barbecue sauce. Serve with
new potatoes, baked beans and
your favorite springtime salads.
The best ribs you’ll ever wrap
your lips around
ay ,
d
es 22
u
T ch
r
a
M 2011
Save the date...
Free
Admission!
Lunch Provided
Duplin Events Center
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
195 Fairground Drive
Kenansville,
North Carolina
2 racks baby back ribs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
5 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups catsup
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbs. spicy mustard w/horseradish
2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Cooking Directions
Melt butter in 2 quart pot. Add onions
and garlic. Cook over low heat until
onions are soft. Stir in remainder of
ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat
to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Let cool completely.
Cut each rib rack in half. Place in tins
and pour a liberal amount of BBQ Sauce
over ribs. Cover with tin foil and place in
preheated 190°F oven for 9 hours. (Yes, 9
hours!)
...for the 2011 Murphy-Brown
Vendor Expo
Remove from oven. Discard drippings or
save for other use. Transfer ribs to grill or
place under broiler for about 10 minutes.
May be refrigerated and grilled at later
time. Serve with extra BBQ sauce. Enjoy!
El 9 y 10 de febrero del 2010, el
noticiero vespertino de CBS con
Katie Couric mostró segmentos en
referencia al uso de antibióticos en
el ganado. El especial de dos partes
fue una revisión parcial y muy
negativa de las prácticas modernas de
producción pecuaria. Como se predijo,
las historias fueron poco menos que
un ataque abierto a la producción
agropecuaria moderna.
Anticipando que los segmentos
noticiosos serían negativos, el Consejo
Nacional de Productores de Cerdo,
el Buró Nacional de Producción
Porcícola, la Asociación Americana de
Veterinarios Porcícolas, La Asociación
Americana de Medicina Veterinaria
y otras organizaciones trabajaron
para lidiar con la presentación
televisiva, proveyendo a CBS
acceso a expertos veterinarios para
hablar sobre el uso apropiado de
antibióticos e información
científica exacta sobre
la necesidad y beneficios
del uso apropiado de los
antibióticos. Productores de
cerdo también se pusieron
a disposición para ser
entrevistados. Como se
anticipó, muy poca de esta
información llegó a ser
transmitida.
Miembros del congreso
y agencias de gobierno
fueron alertados sobre
la cobertura noticiosa y
recibieron información completa y precisa
sobre el uso de productos de salud animal
en la producción de cerdos.
Varios miembros del congreso se
prepararon para desacreditar los reportes
de CBS y brindar apoyo a los productores.
Ellos entendieron que la cadena CBS trató
de engañar a sus televidentes haciéndolos
Tim Craig es el recién elegido presidente del Concejo
del Cerdo de Carolina del Norte. Productor por
contrato con Murphy-Brown, LLC, Tim administra una
granja de reproducción de 750 cerdas de parto a
finalización y una operación de engorda para 4500
cabezas. También es propietario, gerente y operador
de Craig y Compañía, LLC una empresa clasificadora
originalmente fundada por su familia hace unos 60
años. Tim ha servido como vicepresidente del Consejo
Agroindustrial del Condado Chatham. Es graduado de la
Universidad Estatal de Carolina del Norte. Además de servir en
el buró del Concejo del Cerdo de NC, Tim es miembro de los
comités de comunicaciones, educación de los productores y
promociones del Consejo.
creer que los productos del cerdo no
son saludables y que manipularlos
o consumirlos podría resultar en
resistencia de los humanos a los
antibióticos. El hecho es que no
existe evidencia científica de que eso
sea verdad. Por el contrario, el uso
apropiado de los antibióticos, bajo
la guía y dirección de un médico
veterinario ayuda a mantener sanos
a los animales y es precisamente
animales saludables lo que se necesita
para producir alimentos seguros.
Murphy-Brown cuenta con una
muy robusta política de uso de
antibióticos a la cual se adhieren
todos los departamentos de la
compañía. Los Veterinarios deben
aprobar todos los antibióticos
usados para prevenir o tratar
enfermedades. La política sobre
el uso de antibióticos de MurphyBrown puede ser consultada en el
sitio de Internet de la compañía
.
¿Preguntas sobre antibióticos?
Pregunta: ¿Por qué se usan antibióticos en la
producción de cerdos?
Respuesta: Al igual que con humanos, el uso
apropiado de antibióticos puede mantener
saludables a los animales. Comida saludable
es producida con animales saludables.
Pregunta: ¿Cómo se usan los antibióticos en la
producción de cerdos?
Respuesta: Se usan estratégicamente, se
administran a cerdos que están enfermos o
susceptibles o expuestos a enfermedades.
Pregunta: ¿Cuál es la posición de la industria en
el uso de antibióticos para producir cerdos?
Respuesta: El Consejo Nacional de Productores
de Cerdos, cree que es esencial para la salud y
bienestar público y del medio ambiente, para
mantener la efectividad y disponibilidad de
antimicrobianos. Todas las decisiones que afecten
su disponibilidad deberán basarse en información
científica.
Pregunta: ¿No son los antibióticos usados
solo por los grandes productores?
Respuesta: Una encuesta conducida en
el año 2000 por el Sistema Nacional de
Monitoreo de Salud Animal (NAHMS por
sus siglas en inglés) determinó que el uso
de antibióticos no está relacionado con
el tamaño de la operación. De hecho, un
porcentaje similar de pequeños y grandes
productores reportaron usar antibióticos.
Pregunta: ¿Qué es la Resistencia a antibióticos?
Respuesta: “Resistencia a los antibióticos” se
refiere a que las bacterias serían capaces de
soportar la exposición a los antibióticos y de
hecho, sobrevivir”
Pregunta: ¿Qué más está haciendo la industria
para asegurar que la resistencia no se convierta
en un problema?
Respuesta: Los productores de cerdo están
comprometidos a proteger la salud del público y
preservar la salud y bienestar animal usando los
antibióticos responsablemente. Programas tales
como Aseguramiento de Calidad del Cerdo (PQA
Plus) se han implementado para abordar el asunto
del uso de antibióticos en la producción moderna
de cerdos. El resultado es lechones más saludables y
una provisión más segura de alimentos.
Pregunta: ¿Es seguro usar antibióticos en
animales para el consumo?
Respuesta: Si. La FDA no aprueba el uso de
antibióticos sin antes haber realizado una
vigorosa revisión de su efecto en la salud
de los animales, los humanos y el medio
ambiente. El proceso de aprobación de
la FDA es el primero de múltiples pasos
para asegurar que los alimentos derivados
de animales tratados con antibióticos son
seguros. Los granjeros trabajan de cerca
con los veterinarios para decidir cuáles
antibióticos usar, y estos son administrados
cuando los animales se encuentran en mayor
riesgo de contraer enfermedades. Además,
la FSIS inspecciona cada animal que ingresa
y pasa a través de la planta procesadora.
FSIS también toma muestras de carne
para verificar que no existen residuos de
antibióticos en nuestra carne.
Pregunta: ¿Además del uso de antibióticos, existen otros factores que impactan la salud animal?
Respuesta: Si. El uso de productos de salud animal,
incluyendo antibióticos, es sólo una parte de un
programa comprehensivo de salud del hato.
Bioseguridad, diagnóstico, vacunación, mantenimiento de instalaciones y cuidado de los animales contribuyen al panorama general de salud
animal en la granja.
Pregunta: ¿Que tal las carnes producidas orgánicamente? ¿Son más seguras?
Respuesta: No. No existe evidencia científica
de que los perfiles nutritivos y de seguridad de
carnes orgánicas sean diferentes a los productos
convencionalmente producidos. Sólo varían los
métodos de cría, manejo y procesamiento.
Llega a su fin el período “de grandes retos”
de Butler como presidente de la NPPC
Habiendo enfrentado uno de los períodos económicos más difíciles en la historia de la
agricultura estadounidense, Don Butler finalizó su período como presidente del Consejo Nacional
de Productores de Cerdo durante le Foro Nacional de la Industria Porcícola 2010 el día 5 de marzo
en la Ciudad de Kansas, Missouri. “Ha sido un tiempo, fascinante, maravilloso, frustrante, deprimente
y retador para servir como presiente de la NPPC pero también ha sido un gran honor y una
experiencia de aprendizaje que nunca olvidaré,” dijo Butler durante sus comentarios de apertura
al Forum.
“Durante el pasado año, la NPPC ha hecho
muchas cosas de las que todos debemos
estar orgullosos,” continuó. “Superamos
la crisis del H1N1; ayudamos a reabrir
los mercados extranjeros; facilitamos
un intercambio robusto; previnimos
obstáculos en el mercado y cerrado
de fronteras en México; obtuvimos
compras de la USDA por $250 millones;
protegimos a los productores de cerdo
contra legislaciones perjudiciales,
incluyendo una prohibición de
antibióticos; y trabajamos muy de cerca
con el Buró Nacional de Productores
de Cerdo para beneficio de todos los
productores de cerdos.”
“Durante los últimos años, hemos
enfrentado una gran cantidad de retos,
siendo el más infame la debacle de la
influenza H1N1. Comunicaciones globales
instantáneamente difundieron el término
“influenza porcina” alrededor del mundo
y ello afectó negativamente la demanda
global por nuestros productos y cerró
muchos mercados extranjeros.”
Don trabajó diligentemente con
los socios en la industria para lograr
que los medios noticiosos se refirieran
correctamente al virus como H1N1 y para
que reafirmar que los productos del cerdo
eran alimentos completamente seguros.
La demanda fue dañada fuertemente con
una pérdida prolongada en la industria de
cerca $2 billones. Con la guía de Don, la
NPPC hizo grandes avances trabajando
para reabrir las fronteras a la exportación,
resultando en precios más estables de
nuestros productos y una demanda
renovada.
Otro reto fue la decisión política de
EU para avanzar hacia una independencia
energética, lo cual inició un incremento
significante en la producción de etanol
producido con maíz, lo que resultó en
aumento permanente a los costos de la
industria – precios más altos en grano,
combustible, fertilizante y otros costos.
“La enorme oportunidad en adelante
es que los EU continúe siendo el
mejor, más eficiente lugar en el planeta
para criar cerdos.” Dijo Butler. Y eso
sucederá si las políticas gubernamentales,
legislación, regulaciones y ataques de
parte de activistas de los derechos de
los animales no tienen éxito en colocar
suficientes obstáculos en nuestro camino
para sacarnos del negocio. Para asegurar
que tenemos un futuro y que podemos
prevalecer contra todas esas fuerzas, la
industria porcícola de los EU no sólo debe
mantener su posición actual de fuerte
influencia en Washington, sino que debe
de convertirse en una fuerza mayor ahí.”
“Tenemos gente de negocios muy
inteligente administrando operaciones
porcícolas muy sofisticadas, somos muy
competitivos globalmente y estamos
posicionados para la expansión de
intercambio internacional,” dijo Butler.
“Hago un llamado urgente a todos
los productores a que hagan lo correcto
cada día en su granja para asegurar que
sus animales estén seguros, confortables
y saludables, proteger el medio ambiente
y ser buenos vecinos,” concluyó Butler.
“Obtenga su certificado en PQA Plus y
evalúe su sitio, muestre la bandera “WE
CARE” en sus granjas y tome ventaja de
cada oportunidad que tenga para decir a
otros lo que nos preocupa y nos interesa.”
Aunque está cediendo su posición como
presidente del NPPC, Don permanecerá
en el buró y está comprometido a servir
y consultar a la organización siempre
que se necesite. Como director de
relaciones gubernamentales y relaciones
públicas de Murphy-Brown, él se apoyará
grandemente en sus experiencias y
conexiones con el NPPC. En esta posición,
él es responsable por el crecimiento de
una política de desarrollo, relaciones con
los medios e interacción con los oficiales
elegidos y regulaciones a nivel local,
estatal y nacional. Don, junto con su
padre William, es también productor con
Murphy-Brown.
“Como presidente del Consejo Nacional
de Productores de Cerdo este año, Don
Butler ha realizado un trabajo supremo.”
Dijo Neil Dierks, oficial ejecutivo en jefe
del NPPC. “Los asuntos que la industria
ha enfrentado han sido retos significativos
y Don ha ayudado a proveer liderazgo y
estabilidad al avanzar trabajando a favor
de la industria y sus productores. Don
ha hecho un trabajo excelente y debe ser
felicitado. Gracias Don.”
Dexter Edwards fue reconocido por su
sobresaliente servicio a la agricultura
¿Alguna vez se ha preguntado acerca
del término “agro-negocios”? Significa
agricultura operada por negocios,
específicamente, aquella parte de una
economía nacional moderna dedicada a la
producción, procesamiento y distribución
de alimentos, productos de fibra y bioproductos. Los agro-negocios son los
más grandes empleadores en el Condado
Duplin, Carolina del Norte. El condado es
líder estatal en la venta de productos de
valor agrícola*. Butterball LLC y MurphyBrown LLC son el primer y segundo
empleadores en el Condado Duplin. El
éxito de estas compañías es establecido
con una fuerza laboral inspirada por
líderes como Dexter Edwars, director
de producción de engorda de MurphyBrown Este. En esta capacidad, Dexter
es responsable por todas las operaciones
de engorda de Murphy-Brown al este del
Misisipi.
Dexter, nativo del Condado Duplin,
comenzó su participación en la agroindustria con Carroll´s Foods en 1976.
Durante los pasados 30 años ha sido
pieza instrumental en el boom de la
producción de cerdos, administrando
instalaciones de producción, trabajando
en comercialización y transportación,
supervisando proyectos de construcción
y servicios de producción, así como
programas de contratos con productores.
Fue director de operaciones de engorda
para la división de Murphy-Brown en
Kenansville, NC hasta el año pasado,
cuando fue promovido a su posición
actual. La devoción de Dexter por la
agroindustria no termina al salir de su
oficina. El y su familia tienen 13 edificios
de engorda, tres galeras de pavos y un
negocio de ganado con su socio John
Smith, con aproximadamente 850 cabezas
de ganado de registro y 1,300 acres de
pastizales.
Dexter fue también presidente del
Consejo del Buró de directores de Agronegocios en el Condado Duplin, el cual
cada año presente su Premio Melvin G.
Cording por Servicios Sobresalientes a
la Agricultura. Este año, Dexter recibió
esta bien merecida distinción durante la
reunión anual del consejo. Este premio se
otorga en honor de Melvin G. Cording, un
ex-productor de leche con la Compañía
Lechera Maola que fue instrumental en
la organización del Consejo de Agronegocios del Condado Duplin y miembro
ejecutivo del consejo. Recordado por
sus elocuentes discursos presentados a
sus ávidos oyentes sobre la importancia
de la agricultura y la agroindustria. El
Premio Melvin G. Cording por Servicio
Sobresaliente a la Agricultura fue
establecido por el Consejo a su muerte en
el año 1991.
Otros tres productores de contrato
con Murphy-Brown recibieron premios
durante la reunión. John Dail Garner
de Kenansville, NC: recibió el Premio
Americano del Cerdo, otorgado a
Dexter Edwards
productores de cerdos menores de 40 años.
Ralph Britt, J. de Calypso, NC: y Donnell
Kornegay de Scott´s Hill, NC. recibieron
premios por producción de maíz y frijol
soya.
Productores de Carolina del Norte ven
cambios en la ubicación de la Conferencia
Anual de Productores de Cerdo 2010
Condiciones climáticas inusualmente frías y húmedas no lograron mellar la
asistencia o el espíritu de la Conferencia Anual de Productores de Cerdo
de Carolina del Norte en febrero. Este año, el evento de dos días se llevó a
cabo en conjunción con la Exposición Agrícola del Sur, la más grande en las
Carolinas y Virginia, llenando los terrenos de de la Feria Estatal de NC con
equipo, expertos e ideas de más de 500 fabricantes. Ambos días, líderes de
la industria, inversionistas y economistas de la agroindustria se reunieron en
el edificio Martin para discutir el estado actual de la industria con muchas
esperanzas de recuperación en el futuro cercano. Como siempre, seminarios
con crédito para los Operadores a Cargo estuvieron disponibles para los
productores de cerdo y empleados de la industria.
La Fiesta Anual del Tocino, el único evento de recaudación de fondos de
los miembros para el Comité de Acción Política de la NCPC, se llevó a cabo
en el Hotel Marriot de Raleigh. Además de la tradicional rifa revertida por un
gran premio de $5,000 y la maravillosa comida, este año el evento ofreció
entretenimiento –un duelo de piano que hizo que la audiencia riera a más no
poder. La Fiesta del Tocino del 2010 fue un éxito, recaudando más de $30,000
para el PAC del Consejo de Productores de Cerdo de Carolina del Norte.
Concluyendo el evento se realizó la ceremonia anual de entrega de
premios durante la reunión 2010 que estuvo abierta a todos los miembros.
Ambos fueron realizados en el Hotel Marriot de Raleigh. Si usted se perdió el
estos eventos este año, marque su calendario para la Conferencia Anual del
Consejo de Producción de Cerdos a celebrarse en el 2011.
¡Conductores de Murphy-Brown
prepararon sus monturas para el
Rodeo de Camiones del 2010!
Choferes transportadores de Ganado y
alimento de la División Este de MurphyBrown se prepararon para el Séptimo
Rodeo Anual de Camiones que se llevó
a cabo el 27 de marzo en Kenansville,
Carolina del Norte. Cada competidor
llegó listo para probar sus habilidades de
manejo y mantenimiento y competir por
su derecho a presumir por un año.
La competencia de tres partes no es
cosa fácil. Los conductores debieron
completar una ruta con obstáculos y
fueron juzgados por sus habilidades de
ir en reversa, de maniobrar en esquinas
muy cerradas y detenerse en un palmo de
terreno. Son incluso juzgados en cómo
entran y salen del vehículo. La prueba
escrita examina su conocimiento de las
leyes y regulaciones del DOT y la prueba
previa al viaje demuestra el conocimiento
del vehículo de cada conductor. De una
posible acumulación de 400 puntos, el
conductor ganador tuvo un marcador
de 318 puntos. Los cuatro mejores
conductores de este evento irán al Rodeo
Estatal de Carolina del Norte en mayo.
El primer lugar en el rodeo de
camiones de Murphy-Brown este año
perteneció a Larry Nance de la División
de Bladenboro con una calificación de
318. Larry también se llevó el trofeo el
año pasado, un logro para un hombre que
nunca deja que los obstáculos físicos se
atraviesen en su camino. En segundo lugar
arribó Cecil Pittman de la División Rose
Hill con una puntuación de 317. Tim Titch
de la División Laurinburg obtuvo el tercer
lugar con 274 puntos.
El rodeo de camiones de MurphyBrown está diseñado para ser un evento
familiar, con juegos para los niños premios
a la entrada donados por los proveedores
Murphy-Brown LLC
Our families feed your families!
OUR MISSION:
To lead the industry by producing
a predictable amount of low-cost,
high-quality meat; to operate as
a responsible business creating
sustainable success for our
customers, employees, contract
growers and shareholders.
tales como Colony Tires, Cooper Leasing,
Kenworth, Ledwell y Gregory Poole.
Por supuesto, ningún evento familiar
está completo sin alimento. El almuerzo
fue preparado y servido por el equipo de
supervisores de Murphy-Brown de todas
las divisiones de transportes, con Whit
Porter, supervisor de conductores de la
División Warsaw como el cocinero a
cargo.
Esta competencia no solo da a estos
conductores la oportunidad de mostrar sus
habilidades, sino que ayuda a la elevación
del espíritu y cohesión entre un grupo de
individuos cuya experiencia y agilidad
detrás del volante de un tracto-camión es
esencial para el éxito de la compañía. ¡Nos
quitamos el sombrero ante ustedes!
Going for a ride in the “big truck”
CONTACT US
This newsletter is published quarterly
by Murphy-Brown LLC. Its purpose is
to provide information to producers,
employees, and swine industry affiliates.
Comments and suggestions may be sent
to:
Rhonda Campbell, Editor
Murphy-Brown LLC
P.O. Box 856
Warsaw, North Carolina 28398
[email protected]
Phone: 910-293-5324
Fax: 910-293-6957
www.murphy-brownllc.com
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
Wilmington, NC
Permit #42
Murphy-Brown LLC
P.O. Box 856
Warsaw, North Carolina 28398
The annual World Pork Expo
will be held June 9 – 11,
2010 at the Iowa State
Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
Thousands of producers and
industry professionals from all
over the world are expected
to be in attendance.
China becomes last nation to lift
ban on US Pork
Nearly a year after nations banned
U.S. pork over fears about the
H1N1 virus, China has become the
last one to lift its embargo and is
expected to accept shipments by
early next month. This action should
help struggling U.S. pork producers.
The Asian nation completely closed
its market to U.S. pork in late April
2009 in the wake of an outbreak in
humans of novel H1N1 influenza,
which the media misnamed “swine”
flu. The U.S. pork industry shipped
nearly 400,000 metric tons of pork
worth nearly $690 million to China/
Hong Kong in 2008, making it the
No. # destination for U.S. pork. Last
year, U.S. pork exports to China/
Hong Kong were down to under
$427 million.
Certified producers
Nearly 40,000 of America’s 67,000
pork producers are certified in Pork
Quality Assurance Plus, a continuous
improvement educational program
that helps assure consumers that
we are producing safe, high-quality
pork and providing the best possible
care for our animals. All of MurphyBrown’s company and contract
farms have received PQA Plus
certification!
Aumenta apoyo para el Programa
Estratégico de Inversión
Protegiendo su derecho a hacer negocios
A estas Alturas, muchos productores de Murphy-Brown
han recibido cartas de apoyo al Programa Estratégico de
Inversiones (SIP) del Consejo Nacional de Productores
de Cerdo. Este programa es la fuente principal de fondos
para el Consejo Nacional de Productores de Cerdo. Los
productores de cerdo participan realizando inversión
voluntaria de un porcentaje del precio de cada cerdo de mercado vendido. Una porción de
esta inversión es distribuída como fondos irrestrictos a las organizaciones de productores
de cerdo del estado, permitiéndoles responder a las amenazas a nivel local. Los fondos
son usados para fortalecer la misión del NPPC de mejorar y defender las oportunidades de
los productores de cerdo estadounidenses en el país y en el extranjero.
La industria porcícola de EU, y toda la producción de alimentos de origen animal, está
continuamente amenazada por grupos extremistas de activistas por los derechos de los
animales, vegetarianos y ambientalistas que quieren eliminar toda la industria pecuaria.
Estos grupos han logrado hacer obligatoria la eliminación de ciertas prácticas agrícolas en
Florida, Arizona, California, Nueva Jersey, Oregón, Colorado y Michigan.
La industria porcícola también enfrenta retos en los frentes legislativo y regulatorio
de parte de miembros del Congreso y agencias federales que quieren prohibir el uso de
ciertos antibióticos, dando a la Administración de Alimentos y Drogas la autoridad de
ir a su granja a inspeccionar sus récords de producción e incrementar grandemente las
regulaciones ambientales para las granjas.
Como líder nacional en la producción de credos, Murphy-Brown ha apoyado
por mucho tiempo a la NPPC a través de su membresía voluntaria en el programa
SIP. Cada año, la compañía contribuye con más de $1 millón al SIP. Los dueños de
aproximadamente el 65% de los cerdos producidos en los EU contribuyen al programa
SIP.
El programa SIP se basa en una inversión voluntaria anual de $.10/$100 del valor de
su contrato de productor. Para participar, complete la forma que le fue enviada por correo
recientemente y regrésela en el sobre con porte pagado que se incluyó. Si usted es un
productor de contrato con Murphy-Brown y no ha recibido esta información, por favor
contacte al Departamento de Relaciones con Productores en su área.
Ayude a Murphy-Brown a seguir marcando la pauta en dar el ejemplo positivo por la
industria en su totalidad convirtiéndose en un participante del SIP. ¡Es un precio pequeño
a pagar por la protección de su derecho ha hacer negocios!