'Remember the Alamo'
With fears of inspection reform preoccupying small processors, AAMP brings its convention to San Antonio
In a year that small processors feel under siege from the federal government, it is probably apropos that the American Association of Meat Processors brings its annual convention and exhibition to San Antonio.
In 1836, a force of Texans courageously defended the Alamo in San Antonio against a Mexican army of superior numbers before being wiped out.
Small processors might consider inspection reform to be their Alamo. It is no secret that small processors fear that USDA's reform plan, which includes microbiological testing and a mandatory Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point program, could be a fatal blow for some.
Small processors have been critical of the plan, and USDA's insistence that a line at $2.5 million in sales divides small processors and large processors. They believe the bar is too high.
So there should be a standing-room-only audience at a four-hour information session on HACCP on July 21.
The convention, which will be held July 19 to 23 at the San Antonio Convention Center, will also feature sessions on nutrition labeling, family business and employee relations.
Industry and university experts will also discuss the growing market of flightless birds. Among the topics will be ostrich, emu and rhea slaughtering techniques; carcass cutting; nutritional values; making processed products; using by-products; marketing the meat; and purveying ratite products in restaurants.
An annual highlight of the convention is the American Cured Meat Championships. AAMP members, who smoke and/or cure meat and poultry products, are eligible for the competition. Categories include ham, bacon, sausage, ring bologna, dried beef, jerky, snack sticks, smoked turkey and luncheon meat, bratwurst, as well as section and formed ham categories. The competition this year will include barbecued brisket.
Each day, processors will be able to visit and meet with more than 100 suppliers. Only one session is scheduled during the time the exhibit floor is open (on July 22). Convention registration is required for admission into the exhibit hall.
San Antonio, itself, offers a wide array of night life, mixed ethnic cultures and historical tourist attractions, including the Alamo. The city's Spanish heritage is evident in the arches and courtyards, as well as in the nooks and crannies of La Villita and El Mercado (Market Square).
Attendees are urged to register in advance by June 19. Those doing so will pay $125 (members) and $175 (non-members). Those registering after June 19 will pay $145 (members) and $195 (non-members). For more information, call AAMP at 717/367-1168.
Convention Schedule
July 18
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Exhibit Set Up
July 19
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Exhibit Set Up
9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Board of Directors Meeting
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Board of Directors Luncheon
1 to 5 p.m.: Convention Registration
1:30 to 5 p.m.: Board of Directors Meeting
1 to 5 p.m.: Pre-convention Workshop: Slaughtering, Processing and Marketing Flightless Birds*
July 20
7 to 8 a.m.: State Officers' Conference
8 to 8:30 a.m.: Convention Committee Meeting
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Convention Registration
8 a.m. to Noon: Exhibit Set Up
8 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Registration for American Cured Meat Championships
9 to 9:45 a.m.: Welcoming session
July 20 cont'd
10 to 11 a.m.: Packaging: Using Color and Style as Marketing Tools
10 to 11 a.m.: Sausage: Boudin, Chorizo, Andouille
10 to 11:45 a.m.: NAFTA, Importing and Exporting
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Gift Boxes
Noon to 12:45 p.m.: Selling Your Products Through Trade Shows
Noon to 12:45 p.m.: Waste Management
12:15 to 12:45 p.m.: Scams that Target Small Businesses
1 to 5 p.m.: Supplier Exhibition
2 to 6 p.m.: Inspection Committee Meeting
3 p.m.: Nominating Committee Meeting
6 to 9 p.m.: La Fiesta Mexicana Welcoming Event
July 21
7 to 8 a.m.: Past Presidents' and Directors' Breakfast
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: American Cured Meat Championships' Judging
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Convention Registration
8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: HACCP
8:30 to 11 a.m.: How to Hire and Train a Sales Team (HFS)
8:15 to 11 a.m.: Regional Catering: Tex-Mex and Cajun Cooking
8:15 to 9:45 a.m.: Smokehouse Operations
10 to 11 a.m.: Nutrition Labeling
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Family Business: The Surviving Spouse
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Barbecue: Regional and Delicious
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Advertising that Sells (HFS)
12:30 to 4 p.m.: Supplier Exhibition; Cash Prize Drawings Throughout the Afternoon
July 22
7:30 to 8:30 a.m.: Awards for the American Cured Meat Championships
8:45 to 10 a.m.: AAMP Business Meeting and Government Update
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Convention Registration
10:15 to 11:15 a.m.: Low-Fat Additives
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Slide Tour of Edes Custom Meats
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: The Food Code
10:15 to 11:15 a.m.: Family Business: Transfer from One Generation to the Next
10:15 to 11:15 a.m.: Low-Cost Skin Packaging
10:15 to 11:45 a.m.: Home Foodservice: Boom or Bust (HFS)
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Employee Relations: Insurance Benefits
12:30 to 4 p.m.: Supplier Exhibition
1:15 to 2 p.m.: Processing Meat vs. Having a Supplier (HFS)
5 to 10 p.m.: Family Evening at Fiesta Texas Theme Park*
July 23
8 to 9:15 a.m.: Prayer Breakfast*
9:45 to 11:15 a.m.: Closing Sessions
* Advance registration or ticket required
HFS-Home foodservice
Exhibitors (as of April 21)
AEW North America 429
Alkar 223-224 & 309-310
Atlas Casing Co. 219
Barliant & Co. 324-325
Berkel Inc. 230-231
Best & Donovan 225
The Biro Manufacturing Co. 102-103
BK Landenburg Corp. 117
Broich Enterprises Inc. 226
Budenheim/Gallard 503
Butcher Boy Corp. 424-425
Chrysler Corp. 431-432, 500-501, 543-544
Cold Storage Construction 418
Colosimo's Inc. 308
Dewied International, 315 & 410
Dun-Rite Equipment Co. 209
Enviro-Pak 202
Excalibur Seasoning Co. 419
Famco 409
Fernqvist Retail Systems 107
FMC Corp. 307
Fortune Products 510
handtmann Inc. 322-323 & 402-403
Harbro Packaging Co. 118
The Haskell Co. 116
Hollymatic Corp. 227-229 & 304-306
IDEXX Laboratories 114
Inject Star of the Americas, 232-233, 300-301
International Casings Group 426
Jif-Pak Manufacturing 411
Kalsec Inc. 423
Koch Supplies 124
Kwik-Kur 222
Lamcor Inc. 428
Lance Industries 316
The Lazar Co. 218
Least Cost Formulations 526
A.C. Legg Inc. 317-318
Leland Southwest 122
M&M Equipment Corp. 512
Maja 120
Mandeville Co. 215
The Meat Handler Co. 308
Multivac Inc. 319-321 & 404-406
NuTec Manufacturing 104-106
Fred Peschl Butcher Equipment 217
Pioneer Food Equipment 119
Plastilite Corp. 108
Presentation Packaging 216
Quality Natural Casing 131
Robert Reiser & Co. 420-421
Rich Plan Corp. 201
James River Corp. 129-130
Ross Industries Inc. 416-417
Schwab Paper Products 109
Silliker Laboratories Group 115
Southern Saw Service 407
Southwestern Public Service 427
Southwest Saw Corp. 408
Stancase Equipment Co. 210-211
Systems Bio-Industries 422
Teepak 303
Tipper Tie 203
Treif USA 314
United Refrigerator Corp. 123
U.S. Clip Corp. 430
Vista International Packaging Inc. 214
Vortron Smokehouses 415
Warren Analytical Laboratory 311
Weigh-Matic Systems 414
F.W. Witt & Co. 212-213
Zesco 121
Fiesta Tejano kicks off AAMP
Members of the American Association of Meat Processors are invited to attend a fiesta Tejano, or Texas party, upon their arrival. The event is set for July 20 at 6 p.m. and will be held in a festively decorated old plaza in La Villita, which is the oldest part of the city on the banks of the San Antonio River.
Entertainment will include mariaches (Mexican troubadours) and bailadoras (dancers). Kids can play a traditional game of breaking pinatas (paper mache animals) stuffed with sweets. And it wouldn't be a Texas party without fajitas, carne asada tacos, frijoles, chorizo, beer and frozen margaritas.
The event is sponsored by Dewied International Inc., Devro Inc. and AAMP region 6 members.