2019 Spring BLOCKtalk

Keeping Ontario’s Meat and Poultry Industry Informed Spring 2019

Vol. 25, Issue 1

$10.00

N esbitt’s Meat Market:

26 featuring Paul Kennedy

ALSO INSIDE:

2019 Corporate Supporters pg. 13

BFO Regional Marketing Update pg. 22

Ontario Finest Meat Competition™ 2019 pg. 35

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Index BLOCKtalk - Spring 2019

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Vol. 25, Issue 1

28

MD Packaging – Culture is Everything

40

2020 World Butchers’ Challenge

Homegrown Ontario is Back!

President’s Message......................................................... 4 Welcome to the Association.............................................. 5 Member Achievements..................................................... 6 Fast Forward..................................................................... 8 Enhancing Food Plant Traceability.................................. 10 Supporter Program 2019................................................. 13 All About Sanitizers......................................................... 14 Access Government Grants............................................ 16 The Need for Public Trust................................................ 18 Homegrown Ontario........................................................ 21 BFO Regional Marketing Update.................................... 22 Growing Local Food Identity........................................... 24 Nesbitt’s Meat Market..................................................... 26 MD Packaging................................................................. 28 Equipment Breakdown Coverage................................... 30 Receive up to $100,000 in Loans.................................... 32 Reducing the Risk........................................................... 34 Ontario Finest Meat Competition™ 2019........................ 35 Machine Safety Blitz........................................................ 36 Baked Meatball Casserole.............................................. 37 Update to the SRM Policy............................................... 38 How the Internet of Things can Help............................... 39 Tech for Food at IFPT...................................................... 40 Advertiser Index.............................................................. 42 www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca

On Cover: From left to right: Chrysten Newell, Eelkje Visser, Tyler Burke, Paul Kennedy, Mariah Aubertin, Bonnie Paton.

Missing from photo: Adam Hayward.

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A

new year means new beginnings! I hope you’ve had a chance to re-group after the busy holiday season and reflect on the year ahead.

Your OIMP staff and Board have been working diligently to make changes, source new revenue and improve your experience as a member. Identifying the challenges members face in day to day operations is key to improving the service we provide. It is so important that you voice your opinion and the needs your plant faces. Daily challenges, like that boiling knife sanitizer causing condensation in your cutting rooms, can be overcome.

You do have options!

The new provincial government seems to be taking notice at how much the meat industry contributes to the province and has contacted us on numerous occasions over the last couple of months. Staff and Board have been armed and ready to express the needs of our industry and how “action now” is what we need. Do you have a burdensome regulation that the government needs to know about? Give us a call. OIMP is your voice.

Industry Day is only a few weeks away. Staff is putting a phenomenal program together for you. Don’t miss out. It’s a great day to connect, learn from each other; to have your say. I always walk away with at least one new connection and a ton of ideas.

With OIMP, it’s always nice to know, you have a friend.

Let’s stay connected.

Carol Goriup, President

A

s 2018 marks the end of core funding from OMAFRA, it also symbolizes a fresh start and a lot of change. Consultations are under way in the development of a new strategic plan, looking at ways we can better serve you and sustain our organization without government supports. There is new leadership, both at the staff and board level, and 2019 marks the first time Associate members will be represented on the board.

We will be exploring many different types of programming in the next 12 months including monthly state-of-the-union conference calls updating you on the work we are doing, working groups focused on regulation, labour and marketing, and three pilot projects: 1) aimed at helping members increase their access to wholesale markets, 2) shared HR services to help with recruitment and retention of part-time, full-time and temporary staff, and 3) exploring group applications for foreign worker programs and opportunities to solve our chronic workforce challenges. We will be hosting regional meetings in across Ontario to talk about these initiatives and to get your direct feedback on how we can better serve you. I hope to see you at one of these sessions.

We have a government that is Open for Business and has demonstrated their support and action for our sector. Let’s continue to support their efforts with more examples of the regulator burden that stifles our growth.

This is all to support your change. To inform you. To provide you with better resources. To help you with more options. To connect you to new opportunities.

Even with our best efforts, only you will be able to complete the circle and make this change a success. As the saying goes, you can only lead a horse to the water, but you can’t make it drink. I hope you are thirsty because there are many opportunities ahead.

Franco Naccarato, Executive Director

MEMBERSHIP (800) 263-3797 | info@oimp.ca | www.oimp.ca Affiliate Members - 6 Associate Members - 52

Business Retail Members - 44 Retail Associate Members - 16

Business Members - 136

Total Members - 254

OIMP LIFETIME MEMBERS • Laurie Nicol (2018) • Joe Abate (2017) • Brian Quinn (2016) • Graham Dalziel (2015) • Tony Facciolo (2011) • Pat Johnson (2005)

• Gerry Houtzager (2003) • Leo Rocheleau (2001) • Jim Vidoczy (2000) • Nancy Ackert (1997) • Dr. Ron Usborne (1996) • Ron Deeth (1995)

OIMP LONG TIME MEMBERS Thank you to our long time members who have been helping move the industry forward for over 25 years.

• Ontario Pork, Guelph (1980) • Gord’s Abattoir, Leamington (1982) • L’Orignal Packing, L’Orignal (1986) • MMIS/MONDO, Aurora (1986) • Nitta Casings, Markham (1986) • Walnut Hill Farms, Gads Hill (1986) • VG Meats, Simcoe (1987) • Rothsay, Dundas (1988) • Stemmler Meat & Cheese, Heidelberg (1988) • Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Burlington (1989) • Jetnet Norstar, Toronto (1989) • Schinkels’ Gourmet Meats, Chatham (1989)

• Springer’s Meats, Hamilton (1989) • Barron Poultry, Amherstburg (1991) • Brenner Packers, Windsor (1991) • Norwich Packers, Norwich (1991) • Weston Abattoir, Maidstone (1991) • Handtmann Canada, Waterloo (1992) • Hay’s Custom Cutting, Campbellford (1992) • Hoffman Meats & European Deli, Stayner (1992) • Newmarket Meat Packers, Newmarket (1992) • WIBERG Corporation, Oakville (1992) • Schinkel’s Legacy (1993)

MEAT INDUSTRY ACHIEVEMENT (MIA) AWARD RECIPIENTS • Hayter’s Farm, Dashwood (2016) • Schinkel’s Legacy, Chatham (2014) • Conestoga Meat Packers, Breslau (2013) • In Memory of Dave Tiller (2012) • Halenda’s Fine Foods, Oshawa (2011)

• Springer’s Meats, Hamilton (2010) • VG Meats, Simcoe (2009) • Stemmler’s Meat & Cheese, Heidelberg (2008) • Leo Rocheleau, Maidstone (2007)

ASSOCIATE MEMBER RECOGNITION AWARD (AMRA) RECIPIENTS VC999, Saint-Germain-deGrantham (2018) Handtmann Canada, Waterloo (2017)

Malabar Super Spice, Burlington (2016)

OIMP Vision

To be the unified voice for Ontario’s meat and poultry industry.

OIMP Mission

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To connect, support, and advocate for our members.

www.oimp.ca

OIMP

Welcome to the Association

ADMINISTRATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Franco Naccarato franco@oimp.ca

Building an informed and engaged membership representing a diverse Ontario meat and poultry industry.

Beefway Melynda Henschel 2034 Highway 21 N, Kincardine (519) 396-2257 beefway.ca

International Meats & Deli Julie Doma 11269 Guelph Line, Campbellville (905) 854-5230 Northern Quality Meats Chris Gordon 290 Deplonty Rd, Bruce Mines (705) 782-4224 penokeanhillsfarms.com

Ontario Harvest Farms Neil Vandendool 5766 Fourth Line, Rockwood (519) 546-3689 ontarioharvest.ca

DPEC Food Solutions Inc. John Marques 15-6705 Tomken Rd, Mississauga (905) 565-1500 dpecfoodsolutions.ca

Duke Foodservice Enterprises Inc. Bruce Tharby 46 Palmer Rd, Grimsby (647) 968-8108

&

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Daphne Nuys-Hall technical@oimp.ca INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Derek Boudreau d.boudreau@oimp.ca MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Heather Nahatchewitz heather@oimp.ca MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Jessy Courtemanche member@oimp.ca

BOARD LISTING

PRESIDENT | Carol Goriup Florence Meats, Oakville PAST PRESIDENT Cory Van Groningen VG Meats, Simcoe VICE PRESIDENT Christine Hobson Halenda’s Fine Foods, Oshawa SECRETARY/TREASURER Marc Oliver Sargent Farms, Milton DIRECTOR | Peter Baarda J&G Quality Meats, Burlington DIRECTOR | Adam Hayward Nesbitt’s Meat Market, Lindsay DIRECTOR | Gerhard Metzger Metzger Meats, Hensall DIRECTOR | Maurizio Racco fudi, Brampton DIRECTOR | Kevin Schinkel Schinkel’s Legacy, Chatham DIRECTOR | Kevin Stemmler Stemmler Meats & Cheese, Heidelberg

Clip it… clip it good.

BLOCKtalk is the official publication of the OIMP, distributed to over 2000 OIMP members, commodity groups, and others throughout the industry, providing excellent advertising opportunities for suppliers of the meat and poultry industry to promote their newest, most innovative, supplies, equipment, and technology.

BLOCKtalk encourages Associate Members and supporters of the industry to submit articles which would be beneficial to our members.

ADVERTISING DEADLINES 2019 Summer May 3 Fall August 9 Winter November 8

LEARN MORE at

polyclip.com

The information published in BLOCKtalk is compiled from a variety of sources, which we believe to be reliable; however, OIMP does not guarantee, and assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the information.

www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca

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MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS

Share the Love Christmas Food Bank Campaign Three very generous OIMP members accepted our request for a donation of Ontario meat and poultry as part of our annual Share the Love Christmas Facebook campaign in support of Ontario’s food banks. We reimbursed these members $250 each but they all went above and beyond providing over $2000 of product.

Steve and Jeff Miedema of Townsend Butchers, Simcoe, were first to step Heather Nahatchewitz, up and donate over 100 pounds of OIMP, and Joan Clarkson, ground beef to the Helping Hand Helping Hand Food Bank Food Bank, Tillsonburg.

Finest Sausage & Meat, Kitchener went all out filling a trunk with over $1000 of sausages, deli meats, and more for the Cambridge Self Help Food Bank.

Shannon Desborough and his team at Finest Sausage & Meat, Trillium Drive

And last but not least, Annie and Mike Oegema from The Turkey Shoppe, St. Thomas, generously donated 100 pounds of ground turkey to the Caring Cupboard in St. Thomas.

Karen from St. Thomas Elgin Food Bank, The Caring Cupboard

WHAT’S ON YOUR GRILL THIS SUMMER?

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www.oimp.ca

Klever Equipped Inc. specializes in smokehouses, fermenting, chilling, drying, clean rooms and pollution control equipment. We offer a wide range of services, support and expert advice to improve the production process.

Get it Right, Go Klever!

www.goklever.com info@goklever.com

Fast Forward

Deanna E. Zenger, Project Manager, FPSC

for·ward adverb …onward so as to make progress; toward a successful conclusion….

too small…can’t afford the new technologies…don’t have the manpower. You may not have size, but you are smart, and nimble, and can react faster than larger organizations.

The days of big fish eating little fish are transitioning to fast fish outperforming slow fish.

change Across all industries, disruptive change is the new normal.

Technology, globalization, workforce revolution, evolving verb customer behaviors and a host of other factors are creating a ...to make or become different, or to do, use, or get highly dynamic business environment in which companies must one thing in place of another thing: of another thing... constantly adapt.

W

hy are we as an industry, or perhaps even a society, fearful of the word CHANGE? This article is the first in a series for BLOCKtalk about change. Instead of the word change, I chose a different word I felt was more positive, FORWARD or in the case of where our industry is poised to go…

FAST FORWARD. If research by the World Economic Forum is any indication, we are on track to blast into the future whether we are ready or not.

For an organization of global professionals who generally forecast in terms of a decade, their most recent publication only goes out five years. Five years, a blink of an eye and business will be forever changed. Oops..I said it again...CHANGE. I often hear small to medium sized processors say that they cannot keep up with all the new changes happening. They are

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BLOCKtalk - Spring 2019

SAY HELLO to continuous change or CHANGE READINESS. Ever hear of the term “change management”, well, you can throw it out the window! In the workplace, as soon as you announce you are going to “change” a process or product a hesitancy develops.

Who amongst us hasn’t experienced that?

Based on the track record of change management initiatives, only 30% of those initiatives achieved results. That means 70% of the time it didn’t work, and it created an unpredictable atmosphere.

Words matter. So, let’s get rid of “change management” and replace it with “continuous change” or “change readiness”.

Rather than focus on the process of introducing change into an organization on a project-by-project basis, owners and managers should focus instead on a forward-thinking CULTURE OF CHANGE or change readiness.

Change in the world of food production and manufacturing means moving forward. Incorporating continuous change or change readiness reflects an organization’s understanding and dedication to, the idea that change is new the rule, not the exception. That all business organizations must be moving forward constantly, in order to succeed.

Welcome to the new normal.

In our next article for BLOCKtalk, we will focus on the WORKPLACE revolution that companies face today is different from the one in the past. The workforce revolution today will be destructive, and we will talk about riding that wave as a small to medium sized business.

Food Processing Skills Canada (FPSC) 201-3030 Conroy Road Ottawa, ON K1G 6C2 (613) 237-7988 succeedingatwork@fpsc-ctac.com www.fpsc-ctac.com

www.oimp.ca

What 2017 exhibitors had to say: “The 2017 edition has been our best year in the show with several direct sales concluded at the Expo.”

“I enjoyed lots of traffic through my booth and many people showed interest. I am actually going to my first meeting tomorrow, with a potential client I met at this year's event.”

www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca

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Enhancing Food Plant Traceability and Productivity Andy Cumpton, Application Specialist, Carlisle Technology

A

lthough traceability has been part of the food industry for a long time, it has become a cornerstone over the last several years. Many questions swirl around implementing or improving traceability. How can I achieve better traceability?

What sort of ROI will I get by updating my plant’s traceability? A look into traceability will answer these questions.

Simply put, traceability is the by-product of a proper plant-floor data-collection system and a detailed inventory management system. When product is properly tracked from the time it enters a plant (receiving) until the time it leaves the plant (shipping) traceability is achieved. A plant will have complete insight into where the product came from, what product manipulations were made (work in progress/WIP), and where that product was sent.

Recalls or mock recalls become a couple of button clicks instead of weeks of digging through old records.

This article is a guide to help navigate through the replacement of an outdated system and the implementation of a new traceability system.

Problems with Outdated Plant Traceability Systems Far too often plant traceability systems become like old cars. Their owners want to get the most out of their investment, so they drive those systems until they fall apart. Here are a few common business risks that outdated plant traceability systems can present: Business risk due to software OS being end of life – Depending on the age of the existing plant traceability system, the software operating system might be very old. Outdated and unsupported operating systems create a serious business risk for obvious reasons like security, IT support, efficiency, and database storage.

Loss of production due to outdated and end of life hardware – Plant floor hardware is the life-blood to any data-collection system. Hardware is regularly subjected to high pressure water, organic matter, corrosive cleaning materials, and physical abuse.

In such harsh environments, hardware will break down regularly.

Old outdated hardware can become a liability to a production environment. When a piece of hardware dies it can shut down a production line for an extended period.

Risking operations by relying on unsupported software – No two food production plants operate the same. That means that most plant software systems have been customized and tailored to fit each plant’s needs. Supporting outdated customized software can be a nightmare. When a plant is running their entire business on old, unsupported, custom software they are asking for trouble.

Energize the Plant with a New Productivity and Traceability System With all the problems that can be caused by an outdated traceability system it’s easy to see the need to replace the outdated system. Replacing an old system can do a lot to energize a plant’s environment.

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Remove the work arounds and headaches – Replacing that old traceability system with something that is more configurable and user-friendly will eliminate undue stress on employee efficiency and it should remove most, if not all, of those old work arounds.

Tap into new technology – Chances are technology has come a long way since the old plant traceability system was implemented.

Modernizations in data-collection devices, hardware communication (i.e. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.), user accessibility, and analytics all have the potential to maximize the ROI on a traceability system.

Cultivate new opportunities and business – In order to expand into a market place with larger customers, food plants must demonstrate the effectiveness of their traceability system through mock recalls and other traceability audits. A modern traceability system will make navigating through those audits simple.

Overcoming the Pitfalls of Implementing a New Traceability System Once a plant decides that it is time to replace their existing traceability system the real work begins. Excitement is always buzzing as the outdated system is put on the chopping block and a new system is selected to replace it. Inevitably the reality of replacing an entire plant traceability system will begin to take effect. By proactively anticipating the common challenges of the upcoming implementation, many of those pitfalls can be avoided.

Adapt to process change – With the new system a decision will need to be made regarding existing processes. Which processes are worth preserving? Is the plant ready to change some of their processes? Much of the pain associated with process change can be avoided by having a plant environment that is adaptable and able to change.

Continued on page 12

www.oimp.ca

CASE STUDY

The Challenge: Prestage Foods was using an older plant floor data collection and warehouse management system that was heavily customized to Prestage’s processes.

While that system had served the plant’s needs, it was outdated, no longer supported, and did not have a path for upgrading.

Transition to Carlisle Technology’s Symphony Plant Productivity and Traceability Suite How a food processing facility was able to transition from an outdated Plant Floor Data Collection and Warehouse Management System to Carlisle Technology’s Symphony Plant Productivity and Traceability Suite without changing process flow or disrupting production.

“From the beginning of our relationship with Carlisle, our charge was straightforward: ‘We are not interested in changing our production process flow to accommodate software. We need a production system that will flex to meet our needs.’ And that is precisely what Carlisle delivered. Replacing the production system in a live plant is not for the faint of heart - it requires a lot of explanation, listening and patience from all parties. The team at Carlisle developed a plan, worked seamlessly with our project champions, and tackled the project with tenacity. The final result was a product that will benefit both Prestage and Carlisle for years to come.”

Frank Powell Senior Systems Administrator Prestage Farms, Inc. / Prestage Foods, Inc.

Read the entire case study: www.carlisletechnology.com/case-studies 800.806.2000 info@carlisletechnology.com www.carlisletechnology.com

The Solution: There are several different pieces to the solution. The first piece provided was a complete Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for their plant. The MES solution gives Prestage Foods total insight into the daily production totals, as well as control of the jobs that are being filled on the plant floor.

Carlisle Technology also deployed Symphony’s Warehouse Management System. This provides full visibility into inventory and allows office users to track orders from the initial entry of the order all the way through shipping.

The Results: Carlisle and Prestage Foods successfully migrated Prestage Foods from their old plant floor data collection system onto Carlisle’s current Symphony Software platform. Not only was the old system replaced completely, but Symphony was able to accommodate all the required modifications so as to not alter the plant’s daily process flow. Prestage Foods is now on a platform that is fully supported 24/7 and has an upgrade path moving forward so that they won’t be stuck with outdated software in the future.

Continued from page 10 – ENHANCING

FOOD PLANT TRACEABILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY

Employee buy-in and training - An in-house project champion is the key to any successful implementation. Human nature is to resist change. A project champion will help rally employee buy-in and increase employee morale. Engage the solution provider to train the champion and then utilize the champion to train the plant staff. This method enables the champion to train plant staff at their own pace.

Architect the right solution – No two processing facilities operate the same way. Therefore, every solution implementation is as unique. Have a solution expert assess the current process flow, plant layout, and general structure of the plant. No matter which plant traceability solution is selected it will need to be configured, modified, and enhanced to fit the unique requirements of each plant.

Timeline issues - Timeline issues can become an unnecessary burden on any project if implementation timelines are not realistic. The successful implementation of a plant traceability system will rely heavily on the amount of time and effort that the plant’s project champion or internal project team can dedicate. Set realistic timelines and goals that encourage a successful “go-live.”

Create project goals – Understand the pain points of the plant and make sure the new plant traceability system is a solution to those pain points. Have clear project goals from the very beginning.

As the project is underway make sure there are clear project deliverables and dates.

Keys to Successful Implementation A lot can factor into a successful implementation such as company culture, employee turnover, project complexity, cost, and project management to name a few.

Form a Partnership – Create a partnership with the solution provider. Having a partnership will create effective lines of communication between both sides. In addition, once the project is completed the plant will rely on that partner for hardware support, software updates/ maintenance, and additional projects.

Select the right solution vendor - A plant traceability system is at the center of your plant operations. Choosing the competent, experienced, and reliable solution vendor will drastically reduce the implementation risks.

Carlisle Technology (800) 806-2000 sales@carlisletechnology.com carlisletechnology.com

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12 Anz_b2b_297x210_CO_e.indd BLOCKtalk - Spring 2019 1

www.oimp.ca

2/5/2019 4:53:35 PM

SUPPORTER PROGRAM DIAMOND

PLATINUM

GOLD

The casing company

SILVER

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Our association is dependent upon the ongoing financial commitment of its members. These corporate supporters, by providing monetary contributions beyond membership dues, allow us to focus resources on the continued success of the www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca sector. For more information on how you can become part of the OIMP Supporter Program contact Derek Boudreau atBLOCKtalk - Spring 2019 d.boudreau@oimp.ca or (519) 635-9281.

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All About Sanitizers Adam Brock, Food Safety Alliance

T

he application of a liquid sanitizing chemical is usually the last step in a cleaning regime of equipment in a food or beverage plant. These chemicals are meant to provide assurance that the equipment surfaces, especially those that are food/beverage contact ones are as free as possible of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms.

A wide variety of chemicals is used to achieve this. Common ones along with their uses, advantages and disadvantages are further delineated.

CHLORINE - Perhaps the oldest chemical sanitizer, chlorine was and is widely used. Generally, sodium hypochlorite (liquid bleach) is the chemical of choice for applying chlorine. While it is relatively inexpensive, easy to prepare and monitor it has several disadvantages such as its corrosive nature on metals. It also forms environmentally unfriendly compounds such as halomethanes in the plant effluent.

Chlorine works best at a pH of between 5 and 7 making it a difficult choice in many situations, especially if the water is somewhat alkaline. Typically, it is used at levels between 100 and 200 ppm. It is not recommended as a sanitizer.

CHLORINE DIOXIDE - Despite its name, chlorine dioxide is not like chlorine. It works in a wide pH range, does not produce unfriendly organic by-products and is used at

E. coli

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BLOCKtalk - Spring 2019

typically low concentrations in the 5 ppm range. Chlorine dioxide can be very useful as a fogging agent in closed environments like freezer cabinets. However, it has a very pungent odour and is somewhat unsafe for workers in some applications. In the past it was only produced on site but now it can be obtained as stable liquid and diluted further for sanitizing.

QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS - Quats are complex chemicals which are considered as non-reactive or a non-oxidant sanitizer. This means their mode of action on microorganisms is different than others. Instead of destroying the microbial cells, quats attach to the cell walls and prevent nutrient uptake thus the cells soon die. Because of this action, quats maintain a residual which can be advantages but in operations using fermentations, this is not desirable. Quats are non-corrosive and function over a wide pH and temperature range. At no rinse application levels of up to 400 ppm they are somewhat ineffective against Gramnegative pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella and spoilage organisms like Pseudomonas. They are effective against Listeria though. Because of their residual activity and their ability to foam, they are used in foot traffic situations such as door keepers. Quats are also useful in sanitizing drains.

Such applications as these are not restricted by regulations so typical levels like 1000 ppm are used. These compounds are also employed in plant fogging situations to sanitize walls and other environs.

PEROXIDES - Newer chemicals such as peroxyacetic acid (PAA) are fast becoming the sanitizer of choice in many food and beverage plants. PAA is relatively very stable and is used at concentrations in the 200 ppm range. It is non-corrosive on most surfaces found in food plants, however, galvanized metal and brass or copper are problematic. It acts on a wide variety of microorganisms and has negligible environmental impact since it eventually breaks down into CO2, O2 and water. PAA does have a pungent odour in concentrated form so careful handling is a must. PAA is recommended as the main equipment sanitizer to utilize.

The preceding summaries are of the most commonly used chemical sanitizers but there are others, of course. In such a short article as this, it is not possible to detail all of them. It is also not feasible to delve more deeply into the ones covered.

Your chemical company representative should be able to assist further.

Food Safety Alliance (FSA) 1020 Hargrieve Road London, ON N6E 1P5 (519) 601-4444 abrock@thefsa.ca thefsa.ca www.oimp.ca

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BLOCKtalk - Spring 2019

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Access Government Grants for Hiring Youth Talent in 2019 Jeff Shepherd, Marketing Coordinator, Mentor Works Ltd.

S

pring is an ideal time to reflect on workforce development plans. As you forecast your business’ growth trajectory for the coming year, it’s important to understand how workers fit into this picture – will you need to hire more employees? Do workers need training to make them more efficient or to learn how to use a new piece of machinery? Planning and investing in your workforce can provide significant benefits that lead to yearround success.

Hiring workers of varying ages, experience levels, and areas of expertise can help build a more diverse, efficient workforce. Meat processors who embrace a youth-driven workforce can benefit not only from the education and skills that these young workers bring, but also from hiring grants and wage subsidies aimed at helping more students and recent graduates enter the workforce.

Hiring grants and wage subsidies can return thousands of dollars per hire. Employers can re-invest these savings into training programs or hiring even more employees.

The government funding landscape is saturated with hiring grants and wage subsidies to the point where it can be challenging to keep up-to-date with all of them. Because of this, it’s easiest to

understand hiring funds through the types of employees they’ll help your company hire. Meat processors should consider their requirements for three types of youth hires during 2019; this includes student interns, recent post-secondary graduates, and Master’s/PhD Graduates.

Government Funding Options for Meat Processor Hiring in 2019 To remain competitive over the coming year, meat processors need to consider recruiting youth employees. While some companies only focus on recruiting experienced workers, there are several benefits to recruiting recent graduates, such as bringing more energy and enthusiasm, a focus on skills development, and a higher drive for innovation than their more experienced counterparts.

Aside from these “intangibles”, there are some concrete financial benefits to hiring youth. Three funding-eligible hiring options available to meat processors this year include: 4-Month Internships: Hiring students (that will return to college or university after the internship) for 16-week work assignments

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www.oimp.ca

can provide up to $5,000-7,000 per intern. To qualify, employers must have a net increase in interns over the previous government fiscal year (April 1 – March 31), so if your company hired two interns last year and plans to hire three this year, it could qualify to receive funding for the one incremental hire.

Post-Secondary Graduates: Hiring a college or university graduate that completed their schooling (minimum two-year degree or diploma from a STEM or Business program) within the last three years can provide up to $15,000 in hiring grants. Recent graduates that are hired for a role with environmental impacts have the greatest probability of receiving funding.

Master’s/PhD Graduates: Hiring graduates that have completed a Master’s or PhD program within the past three years also has lucrative benefits. Employers can receive up to $20,000 per Master’s candidate, or up to $35,000 per PhD candidate to support a research and development project.

Three Questions: Align Hiring Grants to Your Strategic Priorities Many companies consulted make the mistake of taking a “funding-first” approach when it comes to their hiring plans.

Instead of attempting to reach a certain dollar-value of financial return from the government, it’s recommended developing your hiring plans first, then seeing where funding can come in to offset a portion of these hiring costs. To take this “hiring-first” approach, ask yourself the following three questions:

• How many youth (15-30 years old) are you intending to hire in the next six months?

• Are you interested in hiring post-secondary graduates, students, or both?

• Are you conducting research projects that post-secondary students could contribute to?

The Process of Accessing Hiring Grants Aside from what incentives are available, the most common question we receive is how to access these hiring grants. It’s critical to understand these programs do not provide retroactive funding for employees already on payroll. Because of this, you’ll need to identify a candidate and apply for funding first, then (once your application is processed) hire the candidate. Timelines vary by program but are typically about 10-15 business days.

Jeff Shepherd is the Marketing Coordinator at Mentor Works Ltd., specializing in the development of strategic government funding plans. Each year, Mentor Works helps hundreds of businesses across Canada discover and leverage funding to optimize their growth plans.

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BLOCKtalk - Spring 2019

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The Need for Public Trust Kelly Daynard, Executive Director, Farm & Food Care Ontario

T

“I used to wonder why somebody didn’t do something. Then I realized that I am somebody.”

oday’s farmers and food industry professionals, like members of the OIMP, are facing a new pressure that prior generations couldn’t have imagined. A century ago, more than half of all Canadians worked on farms and thus, were close to their food. Today, that demographic makes up only about two percent of the country.

We share many of the same struggles as our ancestors: battling pests, uncertain weather conditions, and fluctuating commodity prices. But a growing chasm between farmers and the people who consume our products has led to a new threat: the erosion of public trust in food grown and produced in Canada. It is a disconnect that allows fear to take root, and decisions based in fear can challenge the way we run our farms and businesses.

Those decisions, often based on emotion and hearsay rather than science and reason, gradually chip away at the confidence Canadians should have when it comes to the quality and safety of our practices and products.

With so few connected to food production, it’s understandable that the relationship has eroded between farmers and consumers and that disconnect continues to increase. According to data from the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), 93 per cent of

– Unknown Canadian consumers say they know little or nothing about how food is produced. Such disconnect creates very fertile ground for misinformation and the perpetuation of food mythology (some of it intentionally created and agenda driven) that ultimately leads to unnecessary increased cost and stress, and in some cases already jeopardizing entire lines of Canadian farming.

It doesn’t appear to be a lack of trust in the “farmer” or a food industry professional as an individual that’s at issue. Surveys show that reputation of a “farmer” is still one of a person who is highly trustworthy and respected. However, consumers generally have a pastoral or antiquated vision of what farming looks like – picturing the small, mixed farms that our ancestors operated. In the eyes of many consumers, “big” and “technology” and “production” aren’t words to be admired when it comes to agriculture and food production, rather these are words to be feared. And while they readily embrace technology in most other aspects of their lives (like their automobiles and smart phones), consumers don’t understand (and thus don’t trust) modern technologies used in our industries.

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email wbcteamcanada@oimp.ca for details

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www.oimp.ca

Concurrent with the reputation and overall “brand” of agricultural coming under increasing public scrutiny, the public is increasingly being exposed to strategic marketing produced by stakeholders that caters to their fears, and ultimately compound the problem. Too often, these campaigns are in direct conflict with farming and agriculture brands. As the industry loses control of its brand, it’s then left to become redefined by well-funded special interest/activist groups or large food companies with strong agendas.

Farm & Food Care Ontario works hard to provide farmers with the tools they need to tell their stories. A resource library at www.FarmFoodCareON.org contains many tip sheets on how to run a tour, do a media interview, engage in social media discussions and more. We also offer Speak Up team training sessions for those wanting to practice telling their stories.

Hundreds of people working in agriculture in Ontario have taken that training over the last decade and it’s gratifying to see them now working to tell their stories.

Despite these concerns, there are many reasons for optimism.

CCFI research shows that while Canadians may not understand modern farming, they do want to learn more – 60 per cent of Canadians surveyed express an interest in having credible sources of information about the food they buy.

Need a resource that answers questions in a succinct manner?

Consider ordering copies of The Real Dirt on Farming (www.RealDirtonFarming.ca) to have on hand at your retail counters to hand out to consumers with questions. It’s meant to answer key questions about food and farming in an easy to understand fashion – with lots of sources for those who want more detail.

Consumer education is an area where members of the OIMP have a key role to play. Many of you have significant engagements with Ontario consumers – and have the opportunity to allay their concerns about food production by answering their questions about food production.

Ontario consumers need to fall in love with food and farming all over again. And we need to re-connect with them collectively as an industry. We need to tell our stories, introduce them to our families and remind them that we are all working to produce healthy, affordable, safe and ethical food in a sustainable manner 365 days per year. We need a public that will defend the agricultural sector and claim us as their own; a public that will research dubious food claims and know where to go for credible information.

We have a great story to tell – and it’s up to all of us to tell it. It’ll take everyone working in the industry to make a difference.

Farm & Food Care Ontario 100 Stone Road West, Suite 202 Guelph, ON N1G 5L3 (519) 837-1326 info@farmfoodcare.org FarmFoodCareON.org @FarmFoodCareON

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www.oimp.ca

IS BACK! After a hiatus, Homegrown Ontario™ is back! For awhile now its been sitting in the corner, waiting for someone to unwrap it and let it out. The challenge remains, what do we do with this brand? Something that means so much, yet so little. It means we support our local farmers, our partners, our neighbours and friends, yet in its infancy this message does not translate clearly to the consumer. At the time of its inception, there was no way to promote local proteins to the consumer. At the time, Foodland was reserved for fruits and vegetables. There was a gap, and no one was stepping up to fill that need.

In an era where the consumer was clamoring to buy local, it made sense for our commodity partners to come together and to create a brand that made it easy to differentiate themselves and to help consumers find the local product they so desired. That's why that little red barn was born, a simple yet elegant mark to make it easy for consumers to find Homegrown products. Many of you supported the program and still do. As government funds ended abruptly and Foodland decided it was going to promote all locally grown products, the future of Homegrown was put on hold. At the time no plan was in place to sustain itself and there were no resources to carry it forward on our own. So, for the past while, it remained in hiatus.

Today we are bringing that brand out to start the conversation again. To remind you that supporting local food is good for your community, for your economy and for your business. It is a point of difference when you can tell the consumer your story and your connection to our farming partners. Homegrown is very much the essence of our business. Even though we do carry and sell other products, telling our story is why consumers come back. Consumers want to know more about how the food was raised, about benefits of different types of products, and that they are getting value for their money. More consumers want to feel good about their purchases and that they are doing something good for the planet. That story resonates so much more when you are talking about the farm down the street, or around the corner, or from another part of the province, then it will anywhere else.

In this edition of BLOCKtalk and in future editions, look for the Homegrown section for information and inspiration about local foods.

With our commodity partners and other like-minded organizations, you will hear about success stories, get marketing ideas, and learn new information about our agriculture roots. Let’s talk about the future #Homegrown @oimpa @Ontmeatpoultry #ForwardTogether and see where it leads us.

www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca

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BFO Regional Marketing Initiative Update

BFO’s Marketing and Promotions (M&P) Committee and staff focused on creating resources to support the objectives of the Regional Marketing Initiative (RMI) and consumer engagement efforts in 2018. In 2019, BFO is in a good position to move ahead with creating a strong presence for Ontario beef with consumers. The completed consumer research project by Hill + Knowlton has begun to help shape the development of a refreshed consumer Ontario beef brand, website and consumer-relevant content.

Beef, Wondering About Antibiotic Use and Resistance in Cattle, and our new resource, Wondering About Beef in Your Diet. The resources are currently available in two formats — online PDF and hard copy.

While the resources have been well received, we know through our research Research results have been compiled and with H+K and additional research through have been put to work through the the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity and development of messaging, website and social media content, and provided credible the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s research on food literacy that the data to support BFO funding applications. information has greater potential for impact if the information could be shared in a Ontario Beef Brand and Website digital format, particularly with millennials.

Refresh A summary of 2018 activities is provided for At the end of 2018, staff secured the services Therefore, we have begun the creation of a your review. consumer-appealing, animated educational of Rees + Stager in Kitchener to develop a refreshed consumer brand, as well as a new Ontario beef video series transforming our existing “Wondering About” resources into Collaborative Partnership Program updated consumer website, both to be a digital literacy campaign targeting the To stimulate industry alignment and launched in 2019. The existing Make it millennial generation. Three videos encourage collaboration with industry Ontario Beef brand and website was (Wondering About Animal Care, partners and organizations to enhance the established in 2010. Since then, consumer Wondering About What Beef Cattle Eat, overall impact of the RMI, BFO developed a habits have changed, technology has and Wondering About Beef in Your Diet) Collaborative Partnership Program (CPP). improved, and BFO’s investment in will be released in 2019.

Through this program, BFO considered a 50 consumer engagement and consumer per cent cost-share investment with Ontario research has increased significantly. The key beef farmers, processors, retailers, Environmental Benefits of Beef messages and supporting facts developed distributors, industry associations and BFO received funding approval through the through our consumer research work with supply chain partners in projects that Canadian Agriculture Partnership in late H+K will serve as the foundation for all demonstrated alignment with the three 2018 to begin a research project that will new web and social content and help strategic objectives of BFO’s RMI. As of provide credible and engaging evidence to facilitate a more effective approach for December 31, 2018, ten applications were support our claims of environmentalism on engaging with consumers. approved by the M&P Committee since the beef farms and the ecosystem goods and inception of the CPP, totaling $150,697 in services provided by beef farmers.

Wondering About Motion Videos committed funds. To date, $51,160 in actual BFO is committed to increasing the funds have been reimbursed for six demand for Ontario beef and we believe to A literature review will gather information completed projects by the following from other fields or regions that helps do this we need to generate a stronger applicants: illustrate and quantify the environmental relationship with consumers. value of Ontario beef production and their • Artisan Farms Direct Several years ago, BFO, in partnership with associated grasslands. The areas that will be • Enright Cattle Company (2) covered include soil health, carbon storage, the Alberta Beef Producers, began the • Flanagan Foodservice GHG mitigation, nutrient run-off development of an educational series of • Penokean Hills management, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, science-based information for consumers • Norwich Packers and pollinator health. on important issues like animal care, environmental impact and beef animal The gathered evidence and information will Consumer Research nutrition. Over the years, our library of be used to develop a marketing plan and BFO’s Marketing and Promotions resources has expanded to cover various Committee worked with Hill + Knowlton topics, including: Wondering About Animal messaging for the purposes of promoting Ontario beef to consumers and empowering Strategies (H+K) to complete BFO’s Care, Wondering About What Beef Cattle producers to tell their own stories about consumer research project, which Eat, Wondering About Greenhouse Gas concluded in August with one final focus Emissions, Wondering About Hormones in how they provide ecosystem goods and services in their communities.

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group. The project from beginning to end included key informant interviews with 15 industry partners, two consumer surveys each with 2,000 respondents and two focus groups held in Toronto.

www.oimp.ca

With credible data, the Ontario beef industry will be better equipped to convincingly communicate the environmental value of beef production and debunk myths about the industry’s environmental costs. This information will also be valuable in discussions with government as we highlight the diverse benefits – economic, environmental and social – the Ontario beef industry brings to the province and country.

Recipe and Video Development

To build BFO’s recipe library, and more specifically video content, BFO worked with Real Food Creative in Kitchener to develop eight new beef recipes and recipe videos for our new website, YouTube and social media content. The focus for the development of the recipes was on four areas: protein snacks on-the-go, meals for a gathering, 30-minute meals and recipes that are ethnically diverse. The following eight recipes and recipe videos were completed in 2018 and will be launched in 2019.

• • • • • • • •

Lemon & Garlic Beef Zoodles Steak & Eggs Breakfast Tart Beer-Braised Beef Shank Pappardelle Jamaican Short Ribs Stew One-Bite Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Dipping Sauce Korean Beef Bibimbap Beef Steam (Bao) Buns Thai Curry Beef Soup

Partnership with OIMP

BFO’s partnership with OIMP continued in 2018. BFO attended their Industry Day in April and The Meating Place event in October. During the fall event, BFO staff participated with a tradeshow booth to provide resources and connect with OIMP members. John Baker, RMI Project Manager, also joined a meet-and-greet lightning round networking event on behalf of BFO and participated in a speaker panel to highlight BFO initiatives like the Collaborative Partnership Program and our Regional Marketing Initiative with OIMP members.

Registered Dietician Farm Tours

Together, BFO, Canada Beef and Farm & Food Care Ontario hosted two tours for 61 Registered Dietitians (RDs) in the fall of 2018. In September, Registered Dietitians from SickKids, Toronto Public Health and other Toronto locations visited the beef feedlot of the Schaus Land & Cattle Company near Alliston and were hosted

by Paul Martin. In October, a tour for RDs working in Loblaw stores visited Gilbrea Farms near Hillsburgh. Guests were toured through the seed stock cow-calf farm by farmers Bob and Kate Wilson. In an evaluation, over 95 per cent of participants found the tours very valuable. Participants also expressed that opportunities like the farm tour program assist them in their careers by better preparing them to answer questions from clients about food or farming.

Social Media Engagement

2018 was a year of growth and engagement on BFO’s consumer-facing social media channels. In addition to the existing Twitter account, an Instagram account was also added to the mix. Staff developed a strategy and content calendar to maximize and track engagement and growth across all channels.

Those interested in following Ontario beef on Twitter and/or Instagram can do so by looking for the handle @OntBeef.

With the re-brand and the launch of the new consumer website, there will be a number of videos, recipes and other digital assets released as well, which should go a long way to continuing the upward trend of the BFO consumer social media channels in 2019.

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®

By Megan Wollenberg Ontario’s food identity is a rich mosaic of locally grown foods, hardworking farmers, and innovative artisans. We know local food is an economic driver for communities across Ontario, but did you know it’s also a primary way for travelers to enrich their experience in our province too?

At the Culinary Tourism Alliance, we believe that there is a unique Ontario ‘taste of place.’

It’s created and enriched by our artisan food producers, processors and restaurants. It’s an intricate mix of cultures, heritage and that which comes from our land and lakes.

In a 2017 report released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), they wrote that “88.2% of destinations consider food a strategic element in defining its image and brand.” In Ontario, this starts with our farmers and artisans.

Let’s take a minute to look at how Ontario’s ranchers, butchers and meat processors contribute to this story – with specific focus on Artisan Farms, VG Meats and YU Ranch. Each is a unique example of farms and processors that we work with whom are dedicated to building Ontario’s local food identity.

These three producers are introduced to chefs through our Feast On® certified restaurants – restaurants that are vouched for by our auditing program for their commitment to sourcing and celebrating Ontario food and drink. It’s a symbiotic relationship – one that continues to grow. Last year alone, our certified restaurants reported over $25,140,000 in Ontario food purchases, an increase of almost $5 million dollars over the previous year. This is due in part to direct introductions of chefs to producers.

Besides the growing economic impact of these connections, partnerships like these also bring potential for unique dining experiences for tourists and Ontarians alike.

Savvy restauranteurs know to use these stories to attract new diners and build a loyal following.

VG Meats is a local, family-owned farm that has been serving quality product to the province since 1970. VG Meats is run by four hard-working brothers, the Van Groningen brothers, dedicated to a production, processing and packaging chain that occurs entirely here in Ontario. This is a story that serves as a unique economic driver – building a sense of food identity and place for consumers, while supporting the local economy.

Artisan Farms is another farm and processor focused on ‘connecting farm to market.’ Artisan Farm’s story is one of establishing leadership by benchmarking and verifying sustainable farming methods and ethical animal handling practices. The Nolan family wants Canadian farmers to succeed in continuing to produce quality beef, lamb, pork and poultry.

Finally, pushing the envelope with agro-ecological and conservation practices, is YU Ranch. YU Ranch is an industry leader in Ontario when it comes to preserving the ecology of the land through sustainable practices. Bryan and Cathy Gilvesy are Texas Longhorn cattle ranchers out of Norfolk County. The story they bring to the industry and to consumers is one of biodiverse ranching and lean product; it’s one of preserving the Carolinian ecosystem where YU calls home.

Continued on page 41

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www.oimp.ca

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BLOCKtalk - Spring 2019

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BUSINESS MEMBER PROFILE

Nesbitt’s Meat Market: featuring Paul Kennedy Heather Nahatchewitz, OIMP Marketing and Communications Director

I

first met Paul Kennedy at the Ontario’s Finest Butcher elimination round in Mississauga.

A retail meat cutter for Nesbitt’s Meat Market in Lindsay, Paul was quiet and unassuming, but it quickly became apparent he was a contender.

The next day Paul was announced as one of the top three butchers and would move on the final round in Blue Mountain that fall. Although unsuccessful in taking home top prize, Paul impressed the crowd with his butchery skills and creative talent.

Upon learning Paul has been working for Nesbitt’s for 15 years, my first interview question had to be, “Just how old are you anyway??”. (He’s 27.)

If you do the math, Paul started working for Adam Hayward, owner of Nesbitt’s, at age 12. First cleaning up around the mall where the store is located, then the shop, then moving to ‘patty boy’ (not his favourite task), before Adam took him on as an apprentice.

Much of Paul’s skill can be attributed to working alongside Adam over the years but he also attended Seaway Valley Meat Cutting School, Cornwall, and was the youngest butcher in the class with perhaps more skill already than most.

Much like Paul, Adam worked his way up and learned the trade from his boss, who was also the original owner and namesake, Jim Nesbitt.

Jim opened the doors in 1977 at the same location, and Adam took it over in 2000.

Nesbitt’s employs 14 people, the newest on staff being an in-house chef working with the various meat products to develop fresh and readymade meals and sides like coleslaw, salads, applesauce, etc. (I suggested 26

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the chef start working on fresh sausage recipes for the upcoming Ontario Finest Meat Competition™!)

A typical day for Paul is filling the fresh meat counter, breaking down hinds and sides, some custom orders, serving customers. “I like that every day is different,” says Paul.

“Adam makes work fun,” he continues. “It’s a great environment to work in. We’re not family but we’re family, if that makes any sense.” As part of the culture, the team comes together for a Christmas meal, this year at the new Pie Eyed Monk Brewery, also a customer of Nesbitt’s.

“We do some wholesale around town for various restaurants and try to connect with and support the community as much as possible.”

Although largely a retirement community, Nesbitt’s also targets young families who are also informed consumers with a growing awareness about where their food is sourced, what it is fed and how it’s raised.

Nesbitt’s aims to not only provide a quality product but educate consumers as well by utilizing their website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

I asked Paul about Nesbitt’s business philosophy. “The customer is always right,” he responded. “And we cater to special requests. If they want one piece per package, then that’s what we do. No problem.”

So how did this young, small-town butcher end up in the final round of Ontario’s Finest Butcher competition?

“Adam asked me if I wanted to enter a couple years in a row. No pressure. In 2018, I think I surprised him when I finally agreed.”

www.oimp.ca

In preparation, Paul practiced with the pork primal cuts he knew to be in the elimination round. He watched the YouTube videos from past competitions. He developed a plan.

Arriving in Mississauga for the eliminations, he was admittedly anxious. “My mind was racing. I tried to focus on my plan, what order I would go in. The cameras made me nervous.”

The next day, Paul got the call at work to let him know he’d made the top three. “I got off the phone and told Adam, everyone was really happy.”

For the final round, Paul arrived late Friday night. He joined Adam to listen to the Saturday morning speakers, trying to keep his mind off the competition. When the time came, Paul donned his jacket and went to his table. Upon looking around he noted, “There were a lot more people there then I expected. It was nerve-wracking.”

As the finals were ‘black-box’ with a hunting season them, Paul couldn’t plan like with the pork. “I thought maybe venison due to the theme. I had no idea what to do with the duck, but I kept the head on for the wow factor. Wild boar was definitely not expected.”

“It was a very fast thirty minutes and I would have liked to finetune some things, but I was pretty happy overall. The others are amazing cutters, great people.”

And the big question…Are you returning in 2019? “I am 100% coming back,” says Paul. “It’s a great way to get out there and connect with people I don’t normally get to. I would recommend the experience to anyone considering it.”

www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca

I asked what advice Paul would give to a young person entering the trade and he explained how there’s a satisfaction in sharing knowledge, and that it’s rewarding to connect with people through “the common language of food”. Convinced that with the farm to table movement butchery will make a comeback, Paul is a great example of what the craft could and should be now and years to come.

Nesbitt’s Meat Market 18 Cambridge Street South Lindsay, ON K9V 3B6 (705) 324-7574 @NesbittsMeatMkt @NesbittsMeatMarket nesbittsmeatmkt

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ASSOCIATE MEMBER PROFILE

MD Packaging – Culture is Everything Heather Nahatchewitz, OIMP Marketing and Communications Director

T

he MD in MD Packaging is for Michael Dempster who started the business in 1989, growing the company to become one of Canada’s foremost distributors of product inspection and packaging automation solutions.

Early in 2017, Michael decided to pursue a succession plan in order to provide employees and customers with a long-term growth strategy and sold the business to two of his long-standing Agents – Jaime Alboim and Brett Payne. Jaime assumed the role of CEO and Brett the role of COO. In August of the same year, MD Packaging relocated from Markham to its new home in Uxbridge. This is where I caught up with Jaime to talk about their business, located in a completely modernized warehouse you must see for yourself to truly appreciate.

You enter the 7400 sq. ft. head office facility through a long hallway opening to a gigantic clean, bright space complete with LED TV’s hanging from the ceiling. The offices are in two podlike, self-contained, windowed units fondly called “the sheds” by team members. A walk around back and you will find a showroom with various pieces of demo equipment and an area set-up for CSA certifications and customer Factory Acceptance Testing. Towards the other corner of the building, you’ll find a drum set, basketball net, air hockey table and a dart area. There’s Netflix on all the TVs, and a full kitchen completely stocked with groceries for MD’s team members.

We sank back into two big comfy couches as I looked around in amazement. This is certainly not something you see in most office settings. I’m not writing this to make all those cubicle dwellers out there (myself included) envious. There is a distinct purpose behind the physical atmosphere leading to the very core of Jaime’s philosophy on culture.

Jaime’s past experiences helped lead him to create something unique and forward-thinking in their industry. Jaime’s first role out of university lasted six years before he left as he didn’t like the culture, and the typical boss/ employee structure. His next role was with a

big multinational company which was also riddled with multiple levels of hierarchy and a stale company culture. In 2010 he became an Agent for Michael, operating as a self-employed entity.

Although technically now the “CEO”, Jaime doesn’t believe in titles. He doesn’t have an office and sits at an open desk. His core philosophy? “If it’s good for me, it’s good for everyone else. The perks I have are the same perks everyone else has.”

So what kind of perks are we talking here? Longer lunches, birthdays off, that sort of thing? Think bigger.

For starters, employees are set up from the start with the ability to work from home and it’s their option to do that. With positions being role-based not hourly-based, it doesn’t matter where they do it, they just need get it done. It’s not uncommon for Jaime to come in evenings and weekends and see a few people there working, sometimes with kids, if they feel there’s something they need to get done. They’re not asked to or obligated to, but they are invested.

The culture is the most important thing to Jaime and work/life balance is part of that. He describes the atmosphere as fun. It’s not a stressful place. “We know what needs to be done and we get it done.”

“You have to let go of the micro-management,” adds Jaime. “Trust your people, pay them exceptionally well to do an exceptional job, and everybody wins.”

Jaime has given the day-to-day control to managers so that he can look at the bigger picture. Having said that he notes that everyone pitches in. If the floor needs to be swept, he picks up a broom. If the fridge is empty, he’ll go to the store. “I lead by example,” says Jaime, “and there’s a lot more productivity to show for it.”

“We are a small business and it’s important to support other small businesses. We want members to know there are people focusing on SMEs and not just the big guys.” ~ Jaime Alboim

Not surprisingly there is an extremely low turnover at MD with some people having been there from the very start, 28-30 years.

“We protect our people,” says Jaime.

They’ve also tripled the size of the business in a year and half, going from 12 to 23 employees and heading for 30-40.

I asked Jaime about hiring and how he knows if they’re going to fit in? “It’s a gut feeling,” says Jaime. “If they are looking for or need more structure then they probably won’t be a good fit. Our culture is inclusive, and we rely on everyone working toward a common goal. We don’t like working in silos so formal structures aren’t our thing.”

Jaime leans towards those with an artistic nature. He doesn’t care about education, and focuses on people who can speak intelligently, are kind, friendly, and have empathy. They need to be a cultural fit. “Skills can be taught,” he says.

Jaime went on to add that his business partner, Brett and he have a simple philosophy. “If we find a person, we will find them a role. In fact, there’s a new team member starting shortly, and we don’t know exactly what she’s going to do but we know we need her! We’ll throw a few things her way, see what sticks and go from there. It’s a bit counterintuitive but it works and as a result, we have created an amazing place to be every day.”

The downside Jaime admits, “We won’t know whether this philosophy will work for another 10-15 years. Are we still successful and growing? Have we been able to maintain this culture over time?”

So, what about the business? MD Packaging is very heavy in to two areas. One, product inspection (X-ray, metal detection, checkweighing, etc.) and two, secondary packaging (tray forming equipment, case erectors, case packers, material handling, secondary handling, robotics).

Jaime estimates 250-300 pieces of equipment are sold annually, almost one every business day. It can come from Europe, Canada, or the US. If it needs to be certified for standards it comes to Uxbridge first, then shipped to the end-user. MD Packaging also provides the conceptual design work and can facilitate turnkey projects, start to finish and everything in between.

Equally important to the equipment is the extensive inventory in spare parts, and the technical managers on staff committed to reducing costly downtime by shortening response times.

One of the short-term goals is to expand the service network.

“Growth has been tremendous, but we need to make sure we have a back-end to support it. We are investing more in our technical department than ever before and we don’t expect that to change. We have become our customers surrogate maintenance department which is crucial to build trust and create value.”

“If we don’t offer value as a distributor then what are we doing?

How do we add value? It’s our people first, the systems we offer, the facility, the demo equipment etc. It’s easy to do business with us and our end-users love working with a company that is so passionate about what we do. We aren’t perfect but we will work harder than any other group to get it done.”

And that passion starts at the top with Jaime and Brett. “We want people to earn a good living and have a good life. People who work here deserve to be treated very very well. They know they are working hard to grow this business for us, and we don’t take that for granted. We work hard to make sure people know they’re appreciated. Our people and the culture is our #1 priority.”

“If every company just focused a bit more on that, not only would productivity and efficiencies go through the roof, but people would just generally be happier.”

MD Packaging 141 Reach Street, Unit 5A Uxbridge, ON L9P 1L3 (416) 291-9229 info@mdpackaging.com @MDPackaging md-packaging-inc MDPackaging Automation

Understanding Equipment Breakdown Coverage

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o matter what type of business you own, you rely on equipment to some degree to deliver products and/ or services to your customers. Whether it’s the air conditioning unit or your computer network, an equipment breakdown could negatively impact your operation – and ultimately your bottom line.

Equipment breakdown insurance helps keep your out-of-pocket expense to a minimum when your equipment bites the dust. This optional coverage can be added to your commercial property insurance policy.

Types of Equipment Covered If an accident damages your business equipment or it simply breaks down, equipment breakdown insurance can help cover the cost to replace or repair it. This coverage applies to any equipment you use to keep your business running including: • Mechanical and electrical equipment • Computers and communication equipment • Air conditioning and refrigeration systems • Boilers and pressure equipment • Security and alarm systems If you operate a food business, coverage may also help replace food spoiled because of an equipment breakdown.

Covered Incidents There are many reasons your business equipment could

become inoperable and force you to have to repair or replace it. Depending on the policy you select, covered incident may include: • Operator error • Power surges • Short circuits • Mechanical breakdowns To figure out the appropriate amounts and limits of equipment breakdown insurance that is right for your business, you should factor in more than just the cost of replacing the equipment. Also consider whether the breakdown could cause damage to your facility or cause you to shut your business down for several hours or several days.

Talk to your insurance broker about the various scenarios that could result if your equipment breaks down to ensure that you select a policy that protects your business no matter what situation occurs.

Donnell Insurance Brokers 3077 Mainway Drive Burlington, ON L7M 1A1 (905) 319-2252 info@donnellins.com donnellins.com @donnellins

(905) 319-2252 | (877) 338-2252 | peterd@donnellins.com 30

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Bernd Mense.

Master Butcher. Burger Guru.

“I’m Bernd Mense and I’m part of the Reiser team of Meat Heads who work with customers to improve both their processes and their products.

I can help you every step of the way – from formulation to production to packaging. With decades of experience, I can show you how to produce a more tender, better eating – and ultimately, more marketable – burger.

Are you ready to make a better burger?

Let me show you how.”

Watch Bernd’s video

www.reiserexperts.com Reiser Canada Burlington, ON • (905) 631-6611 Reiser Canton, MA • (781) 821-1290 2019

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Receive up to $100,000 in Small Business Loans from BDC Bonny Koabel CPA, CGA, AKR Consulting

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or business owners, one of the greatest challenges is securing funds for everything from growth to running day-to-day operations. Obtaining a line of credit or loan from a bank at a low interest rate can prove to be a real challenge, especially if you do not have the personal equity to guarantee the financing.

Business owners are left with only a few alternatives to bank financing which includes financing on high interest credits cards or taking out second mortgages on your property. There is another low interest source of financing that all business owners should explore, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).

The BDC is a government owned corporation whose focus is to assist small and medium Canadian businesses grow through financing, growth and transition capital, venture capital and advisory services. Business owners will be happy to know BDC offers a variety of lending options. Unlike the bank where the basis of receiving financing is the amount of personal or business equity the business owner has, BDC’s biggest lending criteria is based on having a good personal credit rating.

One of the BDC feature products is the Small Business Loan of up to $100,000.

What can I use the $100,000 loan for?

In order to apply for the loan, you must be using the money to: • buy equipment • attend a tradeshow • purchase extra software or hardware How do I qualify for the loan?

In order to apply for the $100,000, you and your company must meet the following criteria: • The business must be in a revenue generating position for at least the last 24 months (if your company is a start-up in the product development stage only, not generating profit, you will not be able to apply for this loan) • Your company must be Canadian owned and operating in Canada • Your personal Credit Score must be 700 or higher How do I apply for the Loan?

In order to apply for the loan on line go to: https://www.bdc.ca/en/financing/pages/default.aspx

Call us and find out how you can start saving money AKR CONSULTING CANADA INC. 151 Courtneypark Drive West, Suite #100 Mississauga, ON L5W 0A5 T: (905) 678-6368 | F: (905) 677-1700 info@akrconsulting.com www.akrconsulting.com

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PRODUCERS OF NATURAL TORO BRAND CASINGS AND CUSTOM SPICE BLENDS. WE CARRY A LARGE SELECTION OF ARTIFICIAL CASINGS, NETTING, SPICES AND HERBS.

CANADA COMPOUND www.canadacompound.com

905-856-5005

www.oimp.ca

Once the application is submitted online it will take up to 7 business days to approve. If you are approved, you will then be able to access your funds in 2-5 business days.

Improving your Credit Rating If your personal Credit Rating is below 700, there are several strategies you can use to improve your Credit Rating in as little as 6 months: 1. Pay bills on time There are several benefits to paying your bills on time including avoid interest and penalties, and increasing your credit history, and saving money in the long run.

2. Avoid credit card debt Credit rating bureaus examine all of a person or company’s debts in determining their credit score. Your credit rating will be negatively impacted if you have too many credit cards. It will be most affected if you are using one credit card to pay off another credit card.

Secondly, if you open more than one credit account at the same time this will impact your credit score.

Lastly, if there are too many credit inquiries with the credit bureaus over a short period of time this will also affect you credit score.

3. Minimize your credit card use Banks and other lender institutions do not view credit card debt positively. As a result, you should use credit cards only if absolutely necessary and pay the balance back as quickly as possible. Also, use as little of the credit card limit as possible. 10% is the preferable utilization rate on credit cards by banks and lending institutions.

www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca

4. Keep business credit and personal credit separated Since your business credit is separate from your personal credit, it is recommended that you keep your business and personal finances separate.

Try to use your business loans, your business line of credit and business credit cards to finance all of your business activities.

Do your best not to use your personal lines of credit or credit cards to finance business activities as it may affect your personal credit score.

5. Regularly check your credit report Regularly checking your credit report has many benefits including verification your credit report is up to date, that all the information is correct and that you are not a victim of fraud.

Personal credit reports are available in Canada through Equifax Canada and TransUnion. Business credit bureau reports are available through Equifax, TransUnion and Dun & Bradstreet. To learn how to obtain your credit reports please see their company websites. Since these companies all create their own credit ratings, it is recommended that you review your credit history from all credit companies to ensure accuracy.

Bonny Koabel CPA, CGA is President of AKR Consulting Canada, a Mississauga firm specializing in Government Grants, Subsidies, Tax Credits, Refunds and Rebates since 2003.

AKR Consulting Canada Inc. 151 Courtneypark Drive West, Suite 100 Mississauga ON L5W 0A5 (905) 678-6368 info@akrconsulting.com akrconsulting.com

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TECH TALK

Reducing the Risk Salmonella Control Options Daphne Nuys-Hall, OIMP Technical Director

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ince 2015, there have been three national outbreak investigations of Salmonella with cases of human illness linked to frozen raw breaded chicken products. These investigations have resulted in 12 recalls of frozen breaded chicken products, with the most recent occurring January 25, 2019.

Products such as chicken nuggets, chicken strips, chicken burgers, popcorn chicken and chicken fries may appear to be cooked however they are not and need to be handled carefully and cooked properly to an internal temperature of at least 74°C (165°F) before they are safe to eat. Despite extensive efforts to increase consumer awareness that frozen raw breaded chicken products need to be fully cooked, these products continue to be identified as a source of Salmonella infection.

Therefore, as a method of controlling ongoing Salmonella outbreaks and preventing future ones, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will be requiring that plant operators implement measures at the manufacturing/processing level to reduce Salmonella to below detectable amounts in frozen raw breaded chicken products that are packaged for retail sale by April 2019. These frozen raw breaded chicken products (excludes quail, duck, and turkey) include products that are manufactured and are: • non-intact (ground, chopped or formed) raw (e.g. nuggets, popcorn, fingers) • breaded • par-fried • frozen • appear “ready to eat” • packaged for retail sale Frozen raw breaded “stuffed” chicken products are not affected at this time.

Provided below is a summary of the four options that CFIA has provided to operators who produce these types of products. More details on each of the options can be found in the CFIA Manual of Procedures, Annex S: Salmonella Control Options in Frozen Raw Breaded Chicken Products on the CFIA website.

Option 1 - Include as part of the manufacture of the frozen raw breaded chicken products a cook process that has been validated to achieve a 7-log reduction in Salmonella, which will result in a ready-to-eat product.

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The resulting product may be exempt from Listeria monocytogenes requirements provided: • the label indicates clearly that it requires cooking by the consumer; and • the label contains cooking instructions; and • ready-to-eat production requires validation or other steps to finalize its implementation or • packaging inventory remains If at the time of implementation, a validated 7-log reduction can be achieved, products will be subject to the Control measures for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods.

Option 2 - Implement a Salmonella testing program for the raw chicken mixture to demonstrate it has no detectable Salmonella.

Option 3 - Implement a Salmonella hold-and-test program for finished frozen raw breaded chicken products.

Option 4 - Include as part of the manufacture of the frozen raw breaded chicken products, a process or combination of processes that has been validated to achieve a 2-log reduction in Salmonella and implement a Salmonella sampling program for the raw chicken mixture.

Although this is not a mandatory requirement in provincially licensed meat plants, it is important to note that these products are subject to federal inspection at the retail level and CFIA will continue to test these products.

We strongly encourage any operator who manufactures these types of products to consider implementing one of these options to mitigate the risk of your customers potentially becoming ill. For those not manufacturing these types of products but perhaps one that is similar, e.g. breaded par-fried pork schnitzel, or for those who may have a product that could be mistaken as ready to eat but is not, we also encourage you to take a look at your processes and evaluate for any hazards that could potentially be a risk and what controls you could put in place to reduce that risk.

OIMP is here if you require any assistance. Call or email Daphne today for forms and templates, at (519) 763-4558 x222 or technical@oimp.ca.

www.oimp.ca

Ontario

FINEST MEAT Competition

TM

Ontario Finest Meat Competition is back!

Can your product stand up to the competition?

Your best products will be evaluated against your peers by an elite group of non-partial judges including media, chefs, foodies, and buyers.

Important Dates: June 21 4:30pm Deadline for entry July 11-12 Product entries ready for shipping (no charge to you) July 16-17 Judging October 26 Awards presented at the Red Carpet Gala, Niagara Falls Watch for the entry forms, complete rules and category listing in the coming months. Questions can be directed to Daphne at technical@oimp.ca or by calling (519) 763-4558 x222.

PULLED/ SHREDDED MEATS

SPECIALTY GAME MEAT

FRESH SAUSAGE

The product can be made from meat from any species and can contain added sauces and/or marinades typical for this type of product.

Product must be cooked and ready to eat. Entries will be heated for presentation to judges.

Specialty game meat products must contain a minimum of 2/3 meat derived from any game meat (e.g. wild boar, elk, bison, etc.). Product may be manufactured in a casing, ground and formed, or made from one whole piece of meat and must be ready-to-eat. The category is open to all types of processed meat products except for snack sticks and jerky.

Raw, uncooked, fresh sausages must be whole and shall not be cut. The product can be made from meat from any species and may or may not contain specialty non-meat ingredients (e.g. jalapenos, cheese, parsley, basil) and/or flavourings (e.g. maple, brown sugar). Entries will be cooked for presentation to judges.

www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca

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SAFETY FIRST

Machine Safety Blitz

6 Questions to Test Your Readiness

M

inistry of Labour inspectors will be taking a close look at how well workplaces are protecting machine operators and maintenance staff during its current machine guarding blitz, February 1 to March 29. “Machine guarding hazards remain a top focus for inspectors because of the potential for catastrophic injuries and fatalities,” says Rob Vomiero, WSPS Technical Specialist, Machine and Robot Safety.

Inspectors will check to see that employers are complying with legal requirements and identifying and controlling machine guarding hazards. To help you prepare for the blitz, Rob has put together six questions to ask yourself now. If you answer “no” to any, your workplace should act.

Learning from past blitzes During a similar blitz last year, inspectors visited 694 workplaces and issued 3,777 orders and requirements, including 107 stop work orders - an average of 5.4 orders per workplace.

Inspectors checked specifically for: • safeguarding - did pinch points and other hazardous locations on equipment have safeguards in place? Had employers conducted a pre-start health and safety review (PSR) where required?

By recycling food and animal by-products we promote sustainability and provide responsible value-added solutions Our suite of services includes: ▪ Animal By-Product recovery for butcher shops, abattoirs, grocery stores ▪ Oil & Grease recovery for restaurants and food processors ▪ Grease Trap & Interceptor cleaning

• locking and blocking - were workers following lockout procedures to prevent machines from starting during maintenance and repair, and were machines blocked to prevent unintended movement?

Six questions to ask Answering the following questions can help you pinpoint where you may be coming up short, says Rob. 1. Are you fully familiar with machine guarding requirements set out in Regulation 851 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act? This includes Sections 24-44 (machine guarding), Sections 74-76 (maintenance/lockout), and Section 7 (PSRs).

2. Do you assess equipment during monthly inspections using the MAC principle? Are there Moving hazards? Is there Access to moving hazards? Are there Consequences associated with accessing moving parts? Have you also considered exposure to indirect machine hazards (i.e., burns, chemicals, discharge of hazardous materials, noise, fumes, etc.)?

3. Have you carried out risk assessments and prioritized hazards on each piece of machinery? How do you know whether equipment is already well guarded? “If it passes the AUTO test,” says Rob. “In other words, you can’t reach Around, Under, Through or Over the safeguard(s) to access the hazards.”

4. Have your safeguarding solutions been developed in accordance with CSA standard Z432-16-Safeguarding of Machinery, and/or other applicable standards?

5. Do you understand what triggers a PSR of new or modified equipment according to Section 7? For example: If a new or modified apparatus involves safeguarding devices that signal a stop, like safety interlock switches, it will trigger the need for a PSR by a qualified engineer, and all measures for compliance to applicable legislation and standards must be implemented before start-up.

6. Have you documented everything? Inspections, risk assessments, PSRs, training, etc.

Our quality standards and HACCP registered system assure you of only the finest products.

Rothsay P.O. Box 65647 Dundas, Ontario Canada L9H 6Y6

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Toll Free: 1.800.263.0302 Fax: 905.628.8577 Web: www.rothsay.ca Email: ontariosales@rothsay.ca

Workplace Safety & Prevention Services 5110 Creekbank Road Mississauga, ON L4W 0A1 (877) 494-9777 customercare@wsps.ca www.wsps.ca www.oimp.ca

Baked Meatball Casserole

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erve this flavourful and easy meatball casserole with a side of garlic bread or hot cooked pasta and a greenhouse salad.

Foodland Ontario 1 Stone Road West Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2 (877) 424-1300 foodland@ontario.ca @FoodlandOnt @FoodlandOntario @foodlandontario Foodland Ontario Foodland Ontario

Makes 4 servings. e: 30 minutes

Preparation Time: 15 minutes • Baking Tim

cloves of the garlic, egg, In large bowl, using fork, stir together 2 d basil and 1/4 tsp milk, breadcrumbs, 1 tsp (5 mL) of the drie f; combine just until bee (1 mL) each of the salt and pepper. Add in single layer in 11blended. Shape into 12 meatballs. Arrange (220°C) oven for 10 x 7-inch (2 L) baking dish. Bake in 425°F minutes. atoes, carrot, onion Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together tom ic, dried basil, salt and and red pepper flakes. Add remaining garl nkle with cheese. spri pepper. Pour mixture over meatballs and cooked through and Bake for 20 minutes or until meatballs are cheese has melted. Top with fresh basil. shaping the Tip: Get the kids in the kitchen to help with ing the basil leaves. meatballs, shredding the cheese and tear

www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cloves Ontario Garlic, pressed • 1 Ontario Egg • 1/4 cup (50 mL) Ontario Milk • 1/4 cup (50 mL)) dry breadcrumbs • 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) dried basil leaves • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper Ground Beef • 1 lb (500 g) extra lean or lean Ontario sata) • 1 bottle (680 mL) strained tomatoes (pas • 1 Ontario Carrot, shredded • 1 small Ontario Onion, finely chopped es • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) crushed red pepper flak lla Cheese zare Moz rio Onta d • 1 cup (250 mL) shredde ves Lea il Bas rio • 1/4 cup (50 mL) torn fresh Onta Nutritional Information: 1 Serving BOHYDRATE: 19 grams, PROTEIN: 36 grams, FAT: 17 grams, CAR : 710 mg CALORIES: 375, FIBRE: 2 grams, SODIUM

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Update to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ Specified Risk Material (SRM) Policy

S

tarting April 1, 2019 there will be changes to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ (OMAFRA) Specified Risk Material (SRM) Policy.

As a condition of licensing under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 (FSQA), provincial meat plants slaughtering and/or processing cattle are required to adhere to OMAFRA’s Specified Risk Material (SRM) Policy.

OMAFRA’s SRM policy plays an important role in a national system which protects the Canadian cattle heard from Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), and Canadian consumers from Bovine Variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease. As its policy, OMAFRA adopts the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) document titled “Inspection of Specified Risk Materials (SRM) Controls in Non-federally Registered Cattle Abattoirs”.

Effective April 1, 2019, the operating requirements of OMAFRA’s SRM policy will be located in the Meat Plant Guideline (MPG) C9.09.03.01 Specified Risk Material (SRM) Procedures.

OMAFRA’s SRM policy is being updated to reflect the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) requirements for SRM controls.

Here are the key updates you need to know about:

• The first two non-Over Thirty-Month (non-OTM) heads of any species stunned following an OTM head will be considered contaminated with SRM and must be disposed of as SRM. The contamination is caused by the captive bolt, so procedures to prevent this from occurring will be permitted and should be discussed with your Regional Veterinarian (RV).

• All bovine deadstock must be marked with blue ink on the forehead (unless all inedible material is buried/composted on the plant premises).

• Bovitrace documents may be used as reliable documents to indicate the birth date of an animal.

• Under Thirty-Month (UTM) spinal cords do not need to be removed unless the backbone will be used in the production of mechanically separated meat.

In addition, the updated SRM policy also clarifies the following: • UTM tonsils and spinal cords do not need to be disposed of as SRM. • All SRM records must be available on the plant premises for 10 years, except age verification documents which must be kept for 2 years.

• Daily SRM weights and tracking SRM weights to specific carcasses is not required; however, operators must be able to reconcile the amount of SRM produced with the date of SRM removal.

• Plants are not required to post a dentition poster; however, posters are available from OMAFRA. For questions on your responsibilities under OMAFRA’s updated SRM policy, please contact your Regional Veterinarian.

Resources For information on the CFIA’s Specified Risk Materials (SRM) Controls in Non-federally Registered Cattle Abattoirs: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/animals/terrestrialanimals/diseases/reportable/bse/srm/abattoirs-meatprocessors/non-federally-registered-cattle-abattoirs/ eng/1520967402782/1520967513334

• The two heads that are being disposed of as SRM following OTM heads do not require the captive bolt stun hole to be plugged (even if the cheek meat and tongue are being salvaged).

• Hides must not be contaminated with SRM (e.g., if dragged across the floor when the floor is contaminated with SRM).

• When splitting OTM carcasses, water must be controlled and diverted away from the carcass being split, other carcasses, edible offal, and clean inedible material (alternatively, water could be turned off).

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How the Internet of Things can Help with the Meat Cool-Down Process Kyle Arbuckle, member of the blueRover team

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here are many challenges with manually documenting and reporting on the cool-down process in meat facilities.

How can you maximize production? How can you ensure quality? How can you document the process to comply with legislative documentation? All these tasks in the cool-down process can be improved by using the internet of things (IoT).

IoT sensors help by constantly monitoring product temperature with a wireless probe inserted into the product, reporting temperature to a dashboard frequently. This can enable the following three benefits: Maximizing Production Having product in the cooling phase longer than necessary, can shrink daily production by not allowing the maximum number of products to run through the process daily. In cool-down processes without blast chillers, maximizing production requires real-time alerting on the cool-down process. Using constant, real-time, probe-based temperature monitoring, team members can be alerted in real-time when the cool-down phase has ended.

Product can be turned over and production maximized, across multiple simultaneous cool-down stations.

Ensuring Quality Using consistent, dependable product temperature monitoring can ensure quality be pre-warning on non-optimal temperatures

prior to an issue. For example, if the cooling process is not ontrack to reach legislative requirements, teams can be notified, and corrective action can be taken early.

Automated Documentation Properly manually documenting the cool-down process to meet legislative requirements is a tedious task. Using constant product temperature monitoring can produce the reports required to document the process including: batch number, product, time started and completed, as well as minimum temperature at the time the product is cooled. Completing this digitally has many benefits including paperless, data-access, records, historical data access and quality assurance.

Using the Internet of Things can enable real-time temperature monitoring and digital documentation of the cool-down process.

This can help you in your protein operation by maximizing your production with real-time alerts, ensuring quality by using realtime monitoring, minimizing the cost, and ensuring compliance in your cool-down documentation by recording it digitally. blueRover Inc. 140 Turnbull Ct. Cambridge, ON N1T 1C6 (855) 682-1874 bluerover.ca

Quality meat, Quality Connections.

We’re more than just your average meat supplier. Our strong network of local partners means whether you’re a producer, purchaser or chef, we can connect you to the services and products you need.

Wholesale PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION | WAREHOUSING

CONSIGNMENT SALES | Third Party logistics artisanfarms.com | info@artisanfarms.com

Connecting Farm To Market

Tech for Food at IFPT

C

onestoga College’s Institute of Food Processing Technology (IFPT) has been growing rapidly in Applied Research activities and projects. Through it, the IFPT offers food (meat) and beverage processors the opportunity to address technical challenges that they cannot solve on their own.

The applied research program at IFPT has capabilities in several areas such as new product development, optimization of processes and formulations, development of new/effective packaging systems, food safety and shelf life, and process automation. Their labs are well equipped for food and packaging testing, as is the test kitchen and pilot plant scale retort. At this one-of-a-kind facility, Conestoga offers expertise and innovation in the areas of food safety, food science, packaging technology, and food process engineering.

Between 2017 and 2018, the IFPT was awarded eleven grants for funded research and has worked in collaboration with sixteen industry partners. Funding applications for industrial research projects will be called soon! Please contact Luis Garcia at lgarcia@conestogac.on.ca for more information.

ontario independent meat processors

INDUSTRY DAY 2019

Institute of Food Processing Technology Conestoga College 850 Fountain Street South Cambridge, ON N3H 0A8 (519) 748-5220 ifpt@conestogac.on.ca conestogac.on.ca/ifpt/

oimp.ca/industryday

Unique in its class – our series of fully automatic slicers with Integrated weighing technology.

VSI TW

“ We purchased a couple of A 500 series slicers that has improved our production tremendously. From the robust nature of the machine which increases reliability and speed to how well it hits target weights with less giveaway.

Not to mention the relatively compact size for fitting into tight locations. It has proven to be a very valuable addition to our lineup.”

Kevin Stemmler, Co-Owner, Stemmler’s Meats

• • • • • •

Industrial Full Automatic Slicer Compact Design 80 Slices Per Minute Hygienic Design IP 65 Protection Integrated Weighing Technology (optional) Stacking/Shingling & Portion Weighing

A 550/ A650 • • • • • •

Industrial High Speed Fully Automatic Slicer Mobility, Efficiency and Precision 250 Slices Per Minute Hygienic Design IP 65 Protection Integrated Weighing Technology (optional) Stacking/Shingling & Portion Weighing

Bizerba Canada Inc.

Website: www.bizerba.ca Email: sales@bizerba.ca Phone: 905-670-9498 Toll Free: 1-888-240-3722 40

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Continued from page 24 – GROWING

LOCAL FOOD IDENTITY

When it comes to carving out a competitive niche within the local market, it’s these ‘stories’ that local-forward chefs are sharing on their menus and online. They’re the stories of homegrown food, ethical stewardship of the land and artisan family-run businesses.

Consumers seeking out local ingredients are looking for unique culinary experiences that connect them to place, and it’s these specializations that bring local meat products to the menu - and later to consumer’s social media feeds.

In 2017, 36% of food spend occurred away from home. According to Restaurants Canada’s foodservice forecast, foodservice sales are projected to grow by an average 3.9% per year, leading up to 2021. Yes, fast food restaurants do well in our current market, but full-service restaurants focused on artisan product and sit-down dining, also continue to do well thanks to tourism and consumer demand. This partnered with social media sharing, and food photo trends, further directs consumers to unique dining experiences. These are all good signs for Ontario farmers and the restauranteurs who support them.

Creating a strong, lasting food identity for the province requires robust relationships with all those involved in the Ontario food system. We believe success is having Ontario chefs choose Ontario first – with pride. That’s why we’ve invested in our Feast On® program to support not just restauranteurs, but also producers processing artisanal product. Over 250 restaurants have been certified since 2014, with more coming on board every day.

The connections we foster amongst producers, processors and the hospitality industry support innovative contributions and growth within Ontario’s economy for those specialized in local products; these connections help define to consumers Ontario’s ‘taste of place.’

About the Culinary Tourism Alliance The Culinary Tourism Alliance (CTA) is a not-for-profit organization working to develop Ontario’s food identity and promote food tourism as a provincial economic driver. Our success lies in building strong relationships between our province’s food producers, processors and of course, restaurants. Feast On® restaurant certification program bridges the relationships between Ontario producers, restaurants and consumers.

Culinary Tourism Alliance 550 Bayview Ave, Suite 402 Toronto, ON M4W 3X8 (416) 644-3601 ontarioculinary.com @OntarioCulinary @OntarioCulinary ontarioculinary

Food Handler Training Workshop June 5-6, 2019

Guelph

Register Today oimp.ca | (519) 763-4558 Can’t make the date? Call us for special group arrangements. www.ontariomeatandpoultry.ca

Food Handler Training

for the meat processing industr y

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Advertiser Index Abate Packers abatepackers.com

pg. 6

Fudi fudi.ca

pg. 25

ABB new.abb.com/food-beverage

pg. 12

Handtmann Canada handtmann.ca

pg. 43

AKR Consulting akrconsulting.com

pg. 32

Klever Equipped Inc. Goklever.com

pg. 7

Artisan Farms Direct artisanfarms.com

pg. 39

Malabar Super Spice malabarsuperspice.com

pg. 20

Bizerba Canada bizerba.ca

pg. 40

MD Packaging Inc. mdpackaging.com

pg. 20

Canada Compound canadacompound.com

pg. 32

Meat Depot, The themeatdepot.ca

pg. 16

Carlisle Technology carlisletechnology.com

pg. 11

Multivac Canada ca.multivac.com

pg. 15

Donnell Insurance Brokers Ltd. donnellins.com

pg. 30

Pemberton & Associates pemcom.com

pg. 19

DPEC Food Solutions dpecfoodsolutions.ca

pg. 9

Duropac duropac.com

pg. 17

Erb Transport erbgroup.com

Poly-Clip System polyclip.com

pg. 5

Reiser Canada reiser.com

pg. 31

pg. 8

Rothsay rothsay.ca

pg. 36

Finest Sausage & Meat finestsausageandmeat.com

pg. 33

VC999 vc999.com

pg. 2 & 44

Food Safety Alliance thefsa.ca

pg. 14

MEMBERS, ARE YOU RECEIVING OIMP ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS? Word on the BLOCK, our bi-weekly email delivered Monday morning, highlights the latest news within the industry including upcoming training events and funding opportunities.

Technical eBulletins are distributed as needed with information including regulatory changes, MOL blitzes, animal rights activist events, and business opportunities.

As this important industry information is often time-sensitive, please make sure your spam safe list includes news@oimp.ca, technical@oimp.ca, and member@oimp.ca.

If there are other people within your company that should be receiving information contact Jessy at (519) 763-4558 or member@oimp.ca to have them added to our lists.

42

BLOCKtalk - Spring 2019

www.oimp.ca

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