January 3, 2005
MBA Poultry announces installation of CAS system to improve Animal Welfare.
Since inception, MBA Poultry has held to a strict mission in providing the safest, highest quality of fresh chicken available to consumers. As MBA continues to improve their Smart Chicken® product and processes, they are taking an aggressive approach to ensuring animal welfare throughout their operation. “We are doing more to be on the cutting edge of animal welfare and product quality,” states Mark Haskins, MBA Founder and CEO. “We want to share with our consumers how this has progressed.”
As of January 1, 2005 MBA Poultry became the first and only poultry processor in the United States to adopt a European Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (CAS) System that will provide the most humane sacrifice of our birds in the industry. Mark Haskins traveled throughout Europe this year and performed due diligence on the CAS system to learn that it has been met with significant success in ensuring the animals have no chance of experiencing pain or suffering. There have been numerous studies conducted that lead us to believe that the typical electrical stunning systems used in the U.S. can cause severe welfare problems for millions, and possibly billions, of birds each year. CAS systems use a combination of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen to render the animal unconscious and ensure that they remain insensible prior to being sacrificed for human consumption. Some of the benefits include:
- Reduced animal stress and contamination
- Less stress means fewer broken bones and bruising
- Minimizes handling
- Improved animal welfare and therefore product quality
A leader in product safety, quality and animal welfare, MBA Poultry has invested in a CAS system in response to the consumers desire for animal welfare, environmental responsibility and product quality. MBA will remain at the forefront of the industry to ensure animal welfare is part of our core value system.
Please contact the MBA Poultry offices at (888) 247-2445 for further information or visit our website at www.smartchicken.com. We thank you for your continued support of Smart Chicken® and bringing America a higher quality product in fresh poultry.
March 4, 2005
MBA Poultry announces expansion with new plant construction at Waverly
On Friday, March 4th, MBA Poultry, the producers of Smart Chicken® announced that the company will be building a final processing, packaging and distribution facility in Waverly, Nebraska. The new facility will also include the company’s sales and administrative offices. Initial processing of all MBA Brand Smart Chicken® will continue to be handled at the company’s Tecumseh facility. Mark Haskins, Founder/President/CEO of MBA Poultry, said the second facility will allow the company to meet the growing national demand of the only air-chilled fresh chicken produced in the United States.
Haskins noted, “The birds will still be sacrificed, eviscerated and air-chilled at the Tecumseh plant. Then the chilled whole birds will be transported to the Waverly plant for packaging and distribution purposes.”
Demand exceeds supply
“Consumer demand for Smart Chicken® continues to exceed our expectations, and the Waverly facility will allow us to offer Smart Chicken® to more grocery shoppers around the country,” Haskins said. “We currently process 250,000 birds a week, and we will be able to significantly increase that number, once both facilities are in full operation.” Haskins said Smart Chicken® is currently available to consumers in 41 states, and the product is carried in more than 3,000 stores.
State-of-the-art packaging equipment
The new Waverly facility will be equipped with state-of-the-art fabrication and packaging equipment, allowing the company to increase efficiencies during the final preparation stage. Waverly was chosen, because of its close proximity to Interstate 80, the Omaha and Lincoln airports and a lager workforce. The location will also facilitate continued collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Waverly citizens excited
Waverly Mayor Ron Melbye said the announcement is great news for his community. “The city council and citizens throughout Waverly are very excited about MBA Poultry’s plans,” Melbye said. “Smart Chicken® is a great product, and we are thrilled to welcome this Nebraska company to our community.” The new facility at Waverly is expected to be constructed near the Highway 6 exit and can be visibly seen with a 24-7 billboard.
Elevated corridor for company tours
The Waverly site will be a newly constructed facility consisting of 65,000 square feet with 50,000 square feet being utilized for the packaging and distribution portion of processing MBA’s Smart Chicken® products. The other 15,000 square feet will be utilized for the corporate offices and associates’ welfare. The new facility will be designed with an enclosed elevated corridor throughout the plant, so company tours can be conducted without interrupting production.
Haskins couldn’t specifically define how many associates would be hired at the Waverly facility. However, he indicated that the number would probably range from 175 to 225 associates. “Since we’re moving the corporate offices to Waverly, that facility will be the center of activity,” stated Haskins.
Haskins expects construction of the new facility to start about June 1. Haskins would like to have the Waverly facility in operation sometime during the first quarter of the 2006 fiscal year. “We’re not closing the Tecumseh plant,” Haskins emphasized. “Tecumseh and Johnson County are critical assets to our company. Tecumseh has been our home and will remain a key contributor to our future success. We have made substantial investments in our Tecumseh plant and in Johnson County and will make continued investments in these facilities and Southeast Nebraska. The Tecumseh plant will handle initial processing of all birds, providing an opportunity to increase the number of birds processed each day. We also intend to expand our growing operations in the Johnson County area. Since we first introduced Smart Chicken®, we have built 20 buildings capable of raising 2.6 million birds, and that number will continue to grow. As we expand our product in the current market and enter new markets, we anticipate the need to expand the MBA workforce in all areas of our company,” Haskins stated.
Added potential for growing houses
This expansion will create an opportunity to grow even more birds in the Johnson County area. As of March 21, additional growing houses will be constructed on the Petersen Farm northeast of Tecumseh. With the additional 10 growing houses, MBA Poultry will be able to increase its number of birds approximately 1.3 to 1.5million birds, for a total of 3.5 to 4.0 million birds grown by MBA Poultry.
Second shift starts Monday
On Monday, March 14, MBA Poultry will begin operating with a second shift of associates for processing Smart Chicken® products. Haskins indicated there will also be some management positions remaining in Tecumseh, as well. He expects to name a Tecumseh plant manager in the near future. Haskins emphasized that Tecumseh will continue to play a major role in the production of Smart Chicken® and in the growth of the company.
According to Haskins, Interstate 80 near Waverly gives MBA Poultry more flexibility that is not available in Johnson County. There will be a continued need for associates at the Tecumseh plant. This expansion to Waverly will allow MBA Poultry at the Tecumseh plant to process 1 million birds on a weekly basis compared to the current 250,000 birds a week.
Researching European packaging methods
Since January, 2004, Haskins has diligently researched the air-chilled poultry processing industry in Europe, Australia and Ireland. “This diligence resulted in the expansion and construction of a new facility in Waverly,” Haskins stated. He plans to make one final trip to Europe in June, as the new packaging and distribution facility will be equipped with the state-of-the-art packaging and distribution equipment that will be computer-operated throughout the entire plant. This new equipment will allow MBA Poultry to keep track of the Smart Chicken® products from the time the bird is removed from the farm until it reaches the marketplace.
Smart Chicken® is the only fresh poultry produced using the air-chilling method, which has been the poultry processing standard in Europe for more than 40 years. During purified air chilling, the body temperature of each bird inhibits bacterial growth, a process that is superior to the traditional U.S. processing method of immersing birds in a communal ice water bath. University of Nebraska studies confirm that the air-chilling system produces a healthier, safer poultry product than the water immersion process used in the rest of the industry, because it reduces the potential for heavy cross-contamination. Smart Chicken® is produced by MBA Poultry of Tecumseh, Nebraska.
“With the culmination of hard work and diligence during the last two decades of my life, and with the increasing of production from less than 2 million birds to 14 million birds, I’m euphoric. I always knew it could be done and that MBA Poultry to have its own unique niche in the marketplace,” said Haskins. “We’ve been blessed, and I feel very positive about the future of MBA Poultry,” Haskins concluded.
January 2, 2003-
MBA Brand Smart Chicken® aligns with grocers across the nation to deliver Food Bank donations.
MBA Poultry, producers of Smart Chicken® the country’s only commercial air-chilled fresh chicken brand, launched their Smart Giving program over the holidays. This was the first year for the program, which is a national holiday promotion to give back to those in need. MBA Poultry, a Tecumseh, Nebraska-based processor, agreed to donate 10% of the Smart Chicken® volume purchased at participating stores across the nation during the month of November, back to a local food bank of the grocer’s choice.
“The inaugural year for Smart Giving was definitely a success,” states Mark Haskins, CEO and President of MBA Poultry. “The local markets were eager to support and promote this program. That effort enabled us to accumulate the sales possible to donate approximately 100,000 pounds of Smart Chicken to food banks across our nation. We have been truly blessed. Passing on that blessing is not only rewarding but an honor – which all our associates can be proud of. We already have markets volunteering to participate in the program next year. We have started a new Smart Giving tradition that we intend to watch grow in the years ahead.”
MBA will be donating approximately 100,000 lbs of Smart Chicken® in December and January from the November sales of the participating supermarkets. Smart Chicken® is marketed to over 2,500 supermarkets in 30 states.
Smart Chicken® is a popular premium fresh chicken that is different because purified cold air is used to chill during processing instead of a communal bath of water. MBA officials say that this European method, called air chilling, significantly reduces cross-contamination and adds a natural flavor back to the meat with no added water. The USDA allows up to 8% added water during processing in all other fresh chicken brands. Haskins believes in sharing the company’s success, “Our product is a premium chicken that offers a wealth of benefits to the American people. Now we can allow the health, safety and flavor benefits to also be realized by those who have not been exposed to the benefits of air-chill technology.”
Nov. 2005
Avian Flu information
Dear Customer,
As a part of our constant efforts to stay abreast of all health issues that may potentially affect our products and our customers, MBA Poultry has prepared this report to address concerns that may arise from news reports of scattered cases of what is being referred to as ‘Avian’ or ‘Bird’ flu.
All information presented in this report is based on established facts and has been gathered from such sources as Dr. Scott Russell, University of Georgia Professor of Poultry Science, the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Association of Avian Pathologists.
For the sake of reader convenience and ease of reference, we have assembled the most commonly asked questions about bird flu, with their accompanying answers listed in easy-to-understand, non-technical terms. We believe the best way to avoid overreaction and inspire confidence is to examine the issues truthfully and concisely. This is the way we conduct every aspect of our business at MBA Poultry.
Sincerely yours,
Mark Haskins
Founder, President & CEO
MBA Smart Chicken
Q: What is Bird Flu?
A: Bird flu or Avian Influenza is a contagious poultry disease that is caused by Type A influenza virus that can cause death in poultry. Bird flu can affect a wide variety of birds. Domestic poultry such as chickens and turkeys are also susceptible. There is currently no evidence of bird flu being in North America. Not in people, in poultry, or in wildlife.
Q: How is bird flu spread?
A: The virus can be spread to susceptible birds through direct contact with the feces and/or secretions of infected birds, contamination of feed and water and contact with contaminated equipment and humans. The virus is concentrated in feces and nasal and eye discharges. Infection may be introduced by migratory wild birds.
Q: What are the signs that infected poultry will show?
A: Infected poultry can show signs such as lack of energy and appetite, swelling and/or discoloration of the head, eyelids, combs, wattles and legs, nasal discharge, coughing and sneezing, diarrhea and sudden death.
Q: Can bird flu be transmitted from chickens to humans?
A: It is rare for the bird flu virus to be transmitted from chickens to humans. Of all the bird flu virus strains, only three strains have been known to pass from chickens to humans. Such transmissions have most commonly occurred with those who work closely with infected birds.
Q: How is the disease transmitted to humans?
A: The virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with infected chickens. Transmission occurs through inhalation of dried fecal matter as well as inhalation of droplets of nasal and respiratory secretions from infected chickens when they sneeze or cough.
Q: What are the symptoms of humans infected with bird flu?
A: The reported symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from typical flu-like symptoms, (cough, fever, muscle aches and sore throat,) to eye infections, pneumonia and other complications.
Q: How likely is it that infected birds will migrate to the United States?
A: U.S. Poultry experts believe there is little chance of the deadly avian flu reaching America since the United States has a natural barrier to the virus's spread. “The migratory patterns are basically north-south. They don't go east-west much,'' said Larry McDougald, professor of poultry science at the University of Georgia. “It is a natural geographic barrier.'' MBA Poultry’s chicken farms are also located outside the southern “broiler belt” of the U.S., where chicken farms are tightly packed in a geographic area and there is a much higher risk of contagion from internal or external disease sources.
Q: What are the odds of a person in America being infected with bird flu?
A: In the United States, on average, over 80 people die per year from lightning. Since bird flu is not yet in this country, the possibility of a U.S. citizen dying from lightning is much higher than contracting bird flu.
Q: Can bird flu be transmitted from human to human?
A: There is no evidence of human-to-human transmissions.
Q: Is it safe to eat poultry and eggs?
A: Yes, poultry and eggs available in the market are safe to eat. Bird flu is transmitted to humans through close contact with infected live poultry. There is no evidence that bird flu can be spread to humans through the consumption of poultry and eggs.
Q: Are there guidelines to cooking poultry and is it safe to consume raw or half-boiled eggs?
A: Consumers are advised to cook all poultry meat thoroughly. Thorough cooking helps to kill any germs present in food. Temperatures reached when meat is completely cooked, readily kill the flu virus. (About 160 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.) The eating of any raw or semi-cooked food, including eggs, comes with an inherent food safety risk.
Q: Is it safe to consume canned poultry products and chicken essence?
A: It is safe to consume canned poultry products and chicken essence. All canned products undergo a heat treatment process that effectively destroys any viruses.
Q: Is it safe to handle raw poultry from the grocery store?
A: Yes, it is safe to handle raw poultry. Bird flu is transmitted to humans through close contact with infected live poultry. However, you should always practice good food safety precautions such as separating raw from cooked food to avoid cross contamination, which can also cause food poisoning.
SUMMARY OF PERTINENT POINTS:
1. The highly pathogenic avian flu is not currently present in the U.S.
2. It is very difficult for the avian flu to be transmitted to humans.
3. There is no evidence that the Avian flu can be transfered from human to human.
4. Cooked poultry and poultry products are of no danger whatsoever as the virus is killed during cooking.
SINGLE minimum internal TEMPERATURE established for cooked poultry
WASHINGTON, April 5, 2006 – The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today advised consumers that cooking raw poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F will eliminate pathogens and viruses.
The single minimum internal temperature requirement of 165°F was recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF).
“The Committee was asked to determine a single minimum temperature for poultry at which consumers can be confident that pathogens and viruses will be destroyed,” said Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond. “The recommendation is based on the best scientific data available and will serve as a foundation for our programs designed to reduce foodborne illness and protect public health.”
Scientific research indicates that foodborne pathogens and viruses, such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and the avian influenza virus, are destroyed when poultry is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. FSIS recommends the use of a food thermometer to monitor internal temperature. In addition, consumers should follow important tips for handling raw poultry. These tips can be summarized in three words—clean, separate and chill. Clean means to wash hands and surfaces often; separate means to keep raw meat and poultry apart from cooked foods; chill means to refrigerate or freeze foods promptly.
FSIS will use the NACMCF recommendation to further guide consumers in the preparation of poultry products to ensure microbiological safety. While the NACMCF has established 165°F as the minimum temperature at which bacteria and viruses will be destroyed, consumers, for reasons of personal preference, may choose to cook poultry to higher temperatures.
Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (888) 674-6854. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. “Ask Karen” is the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day to answer your questions at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/Ask_Karen.
The NACMCF was established in 1988 to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on public health issues relative to the safety and wholesomeness of the U.S. food supply. The Committee is comprised of 30 voting members with scientific expertise in the fields of epidemiology, food technology, microbiology, risk assessment, infectious disease, biostatistics and other related sciences.