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MISSION
The Alliance established as its primary mission: To implement farm-to-table HACCP systems to ensure safer meat and poultry products.
GOALS
To achieve its mission, the Alliance established several goals, including:
ORGANIZATION
The Alliance organizational structure and activities have been designed to accomplish its mission and goals. The following committees were established:
TRAINING/CURRICULUM
HACCP Curriculum
The Alliance Board of Directors approved in March 1995 two HACCP course curricula:
Introductory HACCP: A three-day course designed to review the philosophy and principles of HACCP, and discuss how to implement HACCP in meat and poultry plants. It meets the training requirements of the proposed USDA, FSIS HACCP regulation.
Executive HACCP Seminar: A half-day course designed to discuss the philosophy and principles of HACCP, the importance and value of HACCP to the meat and poultry industry, and the responsibility of senior management to HACCP.
The Board has agreed on the following training/curriculum priorities for the next six months:
Train the Trainers
A task force of the Training Committee is developing recommendations on "training trainers." A focus group will meet May 4-5 to develop curriculum for training trainers that will be submitted to the board for approval. A pilot course to evaluate the curriculum is anticipated for July.
Preharvest HACCP
Developing HACCP programs for on-farm, feedlot and other preharvest operations is more complicated and less understood than in-plant and post-harvest HACCP systems. The development of preharvest HACCP systems is a priority of the Alliance.
The Alliance is forming a task force (with the National Cattlemen's Association) to address Preharvest HACCP for the beef industry. The Alliance is also working with the National Pork Producers Council to determine the areas of need in preharvest HACCP for the pork industry.
The Alliance intends to work with the newly formed FSIS Animal Production Food Safety Program headed by Dr. Bonnie Buntain. The first National Forum on Animal Production Food Safety is May 23-25 in College Park, Maryland, and the Alliance intends to participate.
Alliance Training Accreditation
The Certification/HACCP Expert Committee has developed guidelines for an Alliance Accreditation Program that will be presented to the Board of Directors on the May 8, 1995 board meeting. The program establishes criteria for training entities to meet to receive Alliance accreditation. The Alliance will provide seals which can be used on certificates for course completion, which may be given by training entity.
CERTIFICATION
The Alliance board of directors initially agreed to consider a Certification Program that would establish criteria and requirements for individuals to be "HACCP-certified."
The Alliance Executive Committee, however, voted in March 1995 to postpone the development of an Alliance Certification Program given that the proposed government regulation that mandates HACCP in the meat and poultry industry does not require certification. Certification will be addressed at a later date if needed.
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY
HACCP Regulation Review
An Alliance ad hoc committee was formed to provide a technical and scientific review and analysis of the proposed Pathogen Reduction/HACCP Regulation by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The committee is expected to complete its final report and distribute it to Alliance members by the end of April. This input will be provided to Alliance members for their use.
Alliance members were also asked to respond to questions from the House Agriculture Committee's Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Subcommittee Chairman Steve Gunderson regarding food safety reform legislation. The responses from the Alliance members were compiled and provided to the chairman as an Alliance response (copy enclosed).
Symposia Sponsors
The Alliance co-sponsored the following scientific symposia:
VERIFICATION
The Verification Committee is considering establishing a program to review and evaluate in-plant HACCP plans to verify they are working properly and meeting FSIS regulations.
MEMBERSHIP
The Alliance has grown steadily since its inception in March 1994. As of April 25, 1995, the Alliance has more than 80 members, including 21 industry organizations, 11 professional societies, 31 universities, 5 international members, and 11 affiliated service representatives. The Alliance is still accepting new members.
The board voted on the following board structure, that will take effect in September 1995:
Producer Groups: 4 directors (beef, pork, poultry, and other species representatives)
Slaughter/Processing: 4 directors (beef, pork, poultry, and other species representatives)
Food Service: 2 directors
Retail: 2 directors
Professional Societies: 5 directors
International: 2 directors
Other Professional: 1 director
Service Groups: 1 director
MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS
The Alliance's marketing and communications program has focused on educating and informing its members and industry colleagues about HACCP and its use in the meat and poultry industry. The marketing and communications effort has focused on trade media and industry forums for providing HACCP information.
Materials Development
Materials have been developed, including the Alliance Alert newsletter, Alliance brochure (draft), and an Alliance media kit (draft). The media kit includes reprints of articles, HACCP backgrounder, HACCP Q&A, and list of Alliance members.
The following news releases have been distributed:
March 25, 1994: Meat and Poultry Industry To Establish National HACCP Alliance
October 21, 1994: International HACCP Alliance To Meet in December
December 9, 1994: Training, Certification, Verification Top Priorities for HACCP Alliance
March 10, 1995: HACCP Alliance Team To Provide Technical Review of Proposed HACCP Regulation
Two issues of Alliance Alert have been published (September 1994 and January 1995). The third issue of Alliance Alert will be published soon after the May board meeting, and a fourth issue is planned for September/October.
Trade Media
Articles bylined by Alliance director H. Russell Cross have appeared in BEEF and the Angus Journal, as well as member publications' The Cattleman and the Texas Cattle Feeders Association annual report. The Alliance has also been reported on in various newspapers.
An Alliance media kit has been distributed to editors who belong to the American Agricultural Editors' Association.
Articles about HACCP are planned for Food Quality magazine and Alliance member publications.
Industry Presentations*
Information about the International Meat and Poultry HACCP Alliance and its activities has been presented at the following meetings:
*None of these presentations were paid for by the Alliance.
NOMINATIONS
The Nominations Committee will accept nominations for the Board of Director positions and will prepare a ballot for the election. The timeframe and process will be discussed at the Board of Directors meeting in Kansas City on May 8, 1995.
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