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CANS
USDA Beef and “Mad Cow
Disease”
The recent incidence of
“Mad Cow Disease” or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) discovered in
Washington State has raised questions and concerns about the safety of USDA
purchased ground beef in the National School Lunch Program and beef products
in general.
BSE can only be
transmitted to humans through nervous tissue such as brains and the spinal
cord. USDA requires that all such tissue be removed before any beef is
slaughtered for further processing.
There is no scientific
evidence indicating people can contract the human variant of Mad Cow Disease
(variant Creutzfeld – Jakob Disease “vCJD”) when beef has been slaughtered in
a way that removes brain and spinal cord tissue away from muscle.
There is little reason to
question the safety of the US beef supply. Muscle tissue or cuts of meats are safe. Research shows
that the infectious agent causing BSE is not found in skeletal muscle tissue.
BSE is not contagious. It
is not an airborne disease spread from animal to animal or from cattle to
humans. Research evidence suggests the primary way BSE is contracted in cattle
is through feed containing by-products from ruminants such as cattle, hogs and
sheep. In 1997 the Food and Drug Administration banned the use of ruminant
protein being fed back to other ruminants.
The dairy cow in
Washington was defined as a nonambulatory or "downer" animal which means it
was too sick or injured to walk. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
procurement specifications for beef purchased for the National School Lunch
Program specifically prohibit the use of meat from downers. On December 30,
2003, USDA Secretary Ann Veneman announced that effective immediately USDA
will ban all downer cattle from the human food chain.
In any USDA Food Distribution Program, the
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, by specification, does not allow beef
that is mechanically separated from bone with automatic de-boning systems,
advanced lean (meat) recovery (AMR) systems, or powered knives. This further
minimizes the chance for spinal cord tissue entering into the further
reprocessing of beef in the National School Lunch Program.
It should
also be noted scientific data indicate that milk from BSE cows does not
transmit BSE. National and international public health organizations have
consistently stated that milk and milk products are safe regardless of whether
the country producing them has had cases of BSE.
Schools can
direct questions about USDA products to DOE’s Mark Mattke, food distribution
program specialist, Child & Adult Nutrition Services, 605-773-4769.
Best Practices Awards:
nominations for FY04
Child and Adult Nutrition Services (CANS) is pleased
to announce another year of “Best Practices Awards” in the National School
Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). In order to
encourage and reward outstanding practices in school food service, the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will recognize outstanding practices
in four categories in schools and School Food Authorities (SFA’s)
participating in the NSLP and /or SBP.
Nominations must be submitted on an official
nomination form and received in the CANS office by
5:00 p.m.
April 8, 2004.
Child and Adult Nutrition
Services (CANS) encourages nominations from local communities, school boards,
school food authorities, superintendents, business managers, school food
service directors, and school food service inspectors from the South Dakota
Department of Commerce and Regulations. There is no limit to the number of
nominations CANS may submit to USDA for each category; however, nominations
will be screened by CANS to be sure nominations come from schools and SFAs
that have an “overall” well-administered program.
To view ideas given for each of the four categories,
click on CANS web site at
www.state.sd.us/deca/CSCF/CANS/index.htm . The ideas shown are
not intended as limitations. Nominations of creative or innovative ideas
in all areas are encouraged. The four categories to be considered for
nominating schools and SFAs for outstanding and/or innovative practices
include: 1) Reaching Needy Children in the Summertime, 2) School Breakfast
Program Access, 3) Increasing Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables by
Participants, and 4) The Healthy School Nutrition Environment.
The official nomination form is available at the
above web site. If further information is needed, contact Marlyce Micklos,
child nutrition program specialist, Department of Education,
800 Governors Drive,
Pierre, SD 57501, (605)773-3610.
National School
Breakfast Week: plan now!
Across the nation, National School Breakfast Week (NSBW)
will be celebrated March 8-12, 2004. The national theme will be “Navigate
Your Day with School Breakfast.” Anchors away! It is time to set your course
to provide balanced breakfasts that will send your student customers cruising
along throughout the school day!
NSBW is an excellent time to celebrate with the students
who already participate in your breakfast programs and it is also an opportune
time to recruit more participants.
If your school does not offer the school breakfast, March
is National Nutrition Month and therefore an excellent time to promote eating
breakfast at home.
No matter what the day holds for a child, one thing is
for sure: breakfast will help students navigate whatever challenges lie ahead
for them. It can make the difference between listening to their stomachs
instead of to their teachers; achieving a good grade or mindlessly spacing
out; running around during recess or feeling sick and standing on the
sidelines.
Be watching your mail in January for a packet of
information and activities that can be used to promote National Nutrition
Month; it will be celebrated in March 2004. For more immediate ideas for
breakfast week promotion, the April 2003 of the School Foodservice &
Nutrition magazine has recipes as well as lots of ideas and materials that
can be purchased through the Emporium of the American School Food Service
Association (ASFSA).
On-Site Monitoring:
deadline is Feb. 1
Does your school or agency
have more than one serving site? If so, circle your calendar for February 1st.
Each school food authority (SFA) that has more than one lunch program
serving site is required to perform an on-site review of each serving location
to ensure the accuracy of meal counts and daily procedures each year by
February 1st. At the present time on-site monitoring is not a breakfast
program requirement but is encouraged as a good business practice.
Authorized representative
should refer to NSLP Memo number 52 for the instructions and worksheet to be
used for each serving site visit. If the review discloses any problems with a
site’s meal counting or claiming procedure, the SFA shall ensure that the site
will implement corrective action. If corrective action is needed, the SFA is
required to conduct a follow-up review within 45 days of the first review to
determine that the corrective action resolved the problems. The on-site
monitoring review worksheet needs to be kept on file for the program year.
During a Coordinated Review Effort (CRE) review the worksheets will be
verified for completion.
Professional
Development Opportunities
National
Food Service Management Institute
Procurement Education & Training
Live & Interactive Teleconference
January 21, 2004 2:00pm-3:30pm CST
Pierre Capital Site B
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Marlene
Gunn, School Food Service Purchasing Authority, will present a 90-minute
live and interactive teleconference covering:
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Steps of
the procurement process for Child Nutrition Programs
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Describe
successful methodologies used in procurement training
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Similarities and differences of training needs for a variety of audiences
including child care
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Improvements in a school district that acquired procurement training
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Examples of
available training programs and resources
For
additional information contact Sarah Straight at 605-773-4718 or
sarah.straight@state.sd.us
Child Nutrition
Industry Conference
Newport Beach, CA
January 18-20, 2004
For additional
information go to the American School Food Service Association website (www.asfsa.org)
& click on “meetings & events.”
ASFSA’s Legislative
Action Conference 2004
Washington, DC
February 29-March 3, 2004
Interact with key
partners who share your passion. Learn from experts & colleagues about
current legislative issues in child nutrition. For additional information go
to the American School Food Service Association website (www.asfsa.org) &
click on “meetings & events.”
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