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How to Ease the Labor Crunch

1/5/2023

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Here’s a sobering statistic: Even if every single unemployed person in the country takes a job, there would still be more than 5 million unfilled positions according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The foodservice industry, a bit of a jobs powerhouse with a corps of nearly 15 million workers, has historically high turnover rates, a situation further complicated by the tight, post-pandemic jobs market. ​Click here to read the full article. 
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Large commercial broiler facilities hit by HPAI in Tennessee

1/5/2023

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Highly pathogenic avian influenza continued its destruction of U.S. commercial and backyard flocks in the final days of 2022. The latest tally from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service had five outbreaks confirmed last week in four states: Kansas, Michigan, Tennessee and Washington.
The largest recent outbreaks involve two commercial broiler breeder producers in Tennessee’s Weakley County, and affected a total of 62,600 birds between them. Confirmed HPAI detections in 2022 include 306 commercial and 411 backyard flocks in 47 states, affecting 57.82 million birds, the federal agency said Wednesday in its last update.  
According to APHIS, commercial and backyard flocks in just three states — Hawaii, Louisiana and West Virginia — have been spared amidst the deadliest HPAI outbreak in U.S. history. The last major HPAI outbreak in the U.S. occurred in 2015, when 50.5 million chickens and turkeys perished. 
The ongoing scourge of HPAI is a global issue, with Japan and the Czech Republic among the nations reporting massive culling efforts in recent weeks. Outbreaks were also reported in Mexico and Canada during the month of December. 
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Commodity concerns continue amid Ukraine war

1/4/2023

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​William W. Wilson, an expert in risk management and trading at North Dakota State University, predicted increased volatility in the U.S. grain market throughout 2023.
Part of the reason commodity prices rose so sharply, Wilson explained, is transportation rates are much higher for alternative grain shipping routes out of Ukraine, according to a report in Feed & Grain. Rail routes that traditionally went to Odessa now route through Romania, Poland and Moldova, which adds as much as $125/metric tonne to costs.
“Unblocking exports by sea will significantly strengthen the stability of the economy and alleviate the acuteness of the food crisis, but only under the condition of stable export of six million tonnes of grain per month at least until March 2023,” Wilson said.
Rising grain prices due to both the war in Ukraine and disappointing harvests in the US, Europe and Asia, are compounding challenges producers already face from global supply chain disruptions and labor and energy costs.
Wilson, who studies grain marketing as well as logistics and supply chain systems, offered his comments during the closing general session of the National Grain and Feed Association’s 2022 Country Elevator Conference in December 2022. 
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Avian flu partly to blame for spiking egg prices

1/3/2023

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Inflation has hit all parts of the economy, with the evidence in your grocery bill. For one item, however, there’s one factor that’s having a big effect. Avian flu is hitting farms hard, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating nearly 58 million commercial and backyard birds were affected in the past year across the country. Click here to read the full article.  
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Sesame Allergen Update

12/29/2022

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The Food & Drug Administration will begin treating sesame as a major allergen with the arrival of the new year, and along with that designation comes new rules for declaring sesame as an ingredient.
In an article posted on its website, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service noted that sesame will not need to be declared on the labels of products under FSIS jurisdiction. However, the agency said, "the voluntary use of allergen 'contains' statements are permitted on meat, poultry and egg products."
A voluntary allergen “contains” statement may be added using a generic label approval, and so, adding "contains sesame" or similar on a label would not require that the label be submitted to FSIS for sketch approval.
FSIS has been allowing the voluntary inclusion of sesame and sesame derived components in “contains” statements prior to January 1.
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Beef cutout surges as extreme weather takes toll: DLR

12/28/2022

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​The choice beef cutout has spiked in the past few days, partly due to significant disruptions at feedlots brought about by recent extreme winter weather. The supply of cattle with more than 120 days on feed on Dec. 1 already was the lowest inventory of market-ready cattle on that date since 2018, estimated to be 76,000 head smaller than the previous year, analysts at the Daily Livestsock Report said in an analysis published today.
"Add to this the stress of winter weather and availability suddenly plummets," the analysts wrote. Extreme cold negatively impacts cattle in feedlots as livestock burns more energy to stay alive. 
The recent storm significantly affected the movement of cattle from feedlots to processing plants, plants’ ability to bring workers in, and the movement of beef from processing plants from the middle of the country to metropolitan areas, the DLR said. Fed cattle slaughter was 15% lower for the week of Dec. 19 than two weeks prior.
But with supply needed for the meat case and to run further processing plants, the rib primal value on Tuesday was $548/cwt, the highest for the year, at a time when prices of bone-in and boneless ribeyes typically decline, after Christmas orders have been filled.
"Why are people paying that kind of price? Because they are short and when you need to fill orders in a market where supply is thin you end up paying whatever it takes to outbid the other guy," the analysts said. "So here we are with likely less supply of market-ready cattle for January in feedlots, more weather stressed cattle and more beef booked for delivery. Spot buyers/traders woke up to this reality during the Christmas week storms and may feel the effects of tight supplies well into January."
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HPAI’s rampage continues in US, Canada and Mexico

12/27/2022

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Highly pathogenic avian influenza’s assault on the poultry industry continues, with new outbreaks reported in the U.S. and across the Mexican and Canadian borders. The USDA’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service on Thursday confirmed outbreaks in Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and South Dakota during the past two days. That includes a commercial turkey operation with 31,800 birds in Hanson County, S.D., and 239,700 egg-laying hens in Colorado’s Weld County.
The 2022 tally currently stands at confirmed infections in 708 commercial and backyard flocks in 47 states, impacting 57.69 million birds, according to the agency.
The Huron Perth Public Health agency in Ontario recently reported HPAI was identified in live poultry delivered to a commercial processing plant. “The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, along with the Huron Perth Public Health, the Ministry of Health and Public Health Ontario are working together with the plant operator to respond to the situation,” HPPH stated.
Operations at the plant — identified by the London Free Press as operated by Sofina Foods — resumed on Monday, officials said. HPAI is also striking across the southern border, with the virus confirmed in 17 commercial poultry flocks in Mexico, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health.
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Weather, pest issues push vegetable prices higher in 2022

12/22/2022

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Weather conditions and pest pressures in California, Florida and Mexico combined to create elevated vegetable fob prices in 2022, and a USDA report says higher prices may persist until at least early January. Click here to read the full article. 
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The Top Menu Trends of 2022 Took Some Surprising Twists and Turns

12/22/2022

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After two years of pandemic-restricted service, chefs and restaurateurs were eager to ramp up menu innovation in 2022. Then the industry was hit with a triple whammy.
The supply chain was still erratic, kitchens were understaffed and inflation was starting to take a bite out of creativity. Click here to read the full article. 
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Restaurant sales and traffic growth soften again in November, likely signaling tougher times ahead

12/22/2022

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Inflation began its decline in late summer, the short-term increase in gas prices has since subsided, and the impact of those economic trends can be seen in consumer spending at restaurants. Click here to read the full article. 
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Some supply chain relief expected in 2023

12/22/2022

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Inflation clouded everything this year, for consumers and operators alike. On the operator side, some commodity prices were at their highest levels in decades, forcing average menu price increases up by over 8% just to maintain margins. Click here to read the full article.
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Let's Build a Better Breakfast Together

12/21/2022

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Breakfast has the power to turn everything around - from an energy and a profitability standpoint. Explore the resources, products and recipes that can help you grab your share of breakfast traffic. Click here to read the full article. 
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HPAI’s record toll nears 58 million birds in US; adds to global food inflation

12/19/2022

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Recent storms give drought-weary California cause for hope, but will they continue?

12/19/2022

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Winter storms that doused California with much-needed rain and snow over the last week have managed to ease some dire drought conditions, but experts warned that the state still has a long way to go to truly reverse its historic dry streak. Click here to read the full article. 
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Latest Iowa bird flu cases push December total near 700,000

12/19/2022

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Four new cases of bird flu at Iowa turkey farms in the past few days will push the number of birds slaughtered nationwide this month to limit the spread of the virus up to nearly 700,000.The latest cases announced by the Iowa Department of Agriculture only add to the toll of this year's ongoing outbreak that has prompted officials to kill more than 53 million birds in 47 states. Anytime the virus is found, the entire flock is killed to help control the disease.
Click here to read the full article. 
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‘Experiences,’ local flavors seen as key food trends in 2023

12/19/2022

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Click here to read the full article. 
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Holidays to boost dairy sales, but outlook unclear

12/19/2022

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Even though the price of butter jumped more than 26% in October compared to a year ago, analysts say they expect consumers will spend the extra money on the item when they do their holiday baking and cooking, boosting sales. Click here to read the full article. 
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USDA: Florida orange crop down 36% after twin hurricanes

12/14/2022

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Production of oranges in Florida this season is forecast to be down 36% from earlier estimates, in part a reflection of twin hurricanes that battered growing regions, according to U.S. Agriculture Department figures released Friday. Click here to read the full article. 
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Potato growers working to stretch supplies

12/14/2022

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The biggest challenge for U.S. potato grower-shippers in 2023 might be stretching their volume to last through the season. USDA estimates harvested acreage for 2022 at 902,200 acres. That’s down from 935,700 in 2021, which itself was a tight year. “Growers are doing their best to manage expectations and hold onto their pile of spuds to make them last,” said Ross Johnson, vice president of retail for the Eagle, Idaho-based Idaho Potato Commission. Click here to read the full article. 
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The 2022 Uber Eats Cravings Report

12/14/2022

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As 2022 comes to an end, we’re rounding out the year with our fourth annual Uber Eats Cravings Report: a snapshot of the most popular, unusual and unique delivery requests. And there has been no shortage of cravings  over the past 12 months. From non-alcoholic beverages, to the soon-to-be extinct Choco Taco, to the viral sensation Negroni Sbagliato (with Prosecco of course), we along with Uber-owned companies Drizly and Postmates, were focused on helping you get anything right to your door. Click here to read the full article. 
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Amid Rising Hunger, MN Sees Renewed Calls for Universal Lunches

12/14/2022

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On the heels of last week's news that Minnesota's budget surplus has grown larger, there are renewed calls to approve free school meals for all students, regardless of income.

Districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program receive federal funds to offer free and reduced-price meals to eligible students. A universal program asks the state to provide the remaining funds to cover all students. Click here to read the full article. 
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No labor cavalry coming to Fed's rescue, as data moves the other way

12/12/2022

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The movement of people into and out of the U.S. labor force, a complex flow typically involving more than 12 million people monthly, has shifted against the U.S. Federal Reserve's hope that a rising supply of workers will help cool inflation. Click here to read the full article. 
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HPAI returns to Iowa, Alabama

12/7/2022

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Iowa officials are confirming a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock in Buena Vista County. The outbreak impacting 40,700 birds comes a month after Iowa’s last outbreak involving commercial layer chickens in Wright County. 
Among the hardest hit states, Iowa’s poultry industry has lost more than 15.5 million birds to HPAI this year. There’s also been a spate of HPAI infections among commercial turkey producers in South Dakota.
All told, HPAI has been confirmed in 670 commercial and backyard flocks in 47 states in 2022, affecting 52.87 million birds, according to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS.) The agency on Tuesday added Alabama to the list of states with HPAI confirmed at a backyard producer. The infection in Lawrence County affected 460 birds. The virus previously was confirmed in wild birds in the state, specifically in black vultures in November and an American wigeon in February. Meanwhile, HPAI is prompting APHIS to restrict the importing of poultry, eggs and other avian products from countries including Ecuador and 11 prefectures in Japan.
 
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Five Hot Topics as US Food Industry Enters 2023

12/7/2022

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Just Food’s US columnist Victor Martino sets out the main issues facing food industry executives as they prepare for the new year. 

Inflation moderates but continues. Food-at-home (products bought at retail stores) inflation isn’t going away anytime soon. The good news is the rate of growth has moderated slightly over the last couple of months. The bad news is it’s still far too high. Click here to read the full article. 

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State of the Plate: Smoke is on Fire!

12/5/2022

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Smoke-filled rooms may be a relic of the political past, but smoke-filled menus are totally on trend today, as operators of all types take advantage of the flavor enhancement and promotional panache afforded by the technique. Click here to read the full article. 
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