—Lancaster- Farming. Saturday, March 31, 1973
18
USDA Invites Comments
On Open Dating for Meat
The U.S. Department oi
Agriculture has proposed a
change in Federal food labeling
regulations to permit the “open
dating” of meat and poultry
products.
At the same time, USDA in
vited consumers to submit before
May 21 their views on the
proposal to determine which kind
of open dating technique is best
understood by the public and
would therefore preclude con-,
fusion.
Officials of USDA’s Animal
and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHlS)—which ad
ministers the Federal meat and
poultry inspection program
explained that the term “open
dating” means different things to
different people. Generally
speaking, open dating refers to
the practice of putting a calendar
date on the package of a product -
rather than a code number - to
indicate the freshness of the
product.
Such dates sometimes
represent the date a product was
processed... the date when fresh
meat was cut up into retail cuts ..
. the “pull” date, meaning the
last day a product should be left
on the retail store shelf to ensure
its continued freshness... or, the
last date a consumer can
reasonably expect to use the
product in her home with full
assurance of its quality or
wholesomeness.
APHIS official sexplained that -
because of these variations in the
meaning of open dating - the
practice of using a calendar date
on a product label has not
heretofore been permitted under
Federal meat and poultry in
spection regulations. Instead,
meat processors were authorized
' to use a coded number which was
understood by retail store per
sonnel.
Consumer leaders have in-
creasingly advocated open
dating. In response to these
pressures, some meat processors
have unilaterally begun including
an “open date” on their products.
APHIS officials have become
concerned that the use of idf
ferent variations of “open dates”
will lead to further consumer
confusion, as well as to poten
tially misleading or false labeling
in violation of Federal
regulations.
The change in regulations
proposed today would require
that - if an “open date” is used on
a meat or poultry product label -
a calendar date must be used in
conjunction with a qualifying
statement that clearly indicates
the meaning of that date - i.e.,
“date processed” or “do not sell
Funk Reelected to Market Board
Frederick Funk, manager of
Punk’s Farm Market, Miller
sville Rl, was re-elected to the
board of directors of the Penn
sylvania Certified Farm Market
Assn, at the group’s recent an
nual meeting in Hershey.
Dr. Thomas Brewer,
agriculture economist at Penn
State University, told associating
members that consumers like to
shop at farm roadside markets
because most supermarkets are
too busy to furnish friendliness or"
listen to consumer complaints.
“In this world of electric data
machines, and punch cards, is it
any wonder people like to shop in
the relaxed atmosphere of a
roadside farm market?” Brewer
asked.
Prices farmers receive for
their products brought criticism
from Henry E. Wilcox, director of
Bureau of Markets, Pa. Dept of
after
In addition, USDA is asking
consumers to indicate what kind
of qualifying statement would be
most meaningful and subject to
the least misunderstanding or
miscalculation.
Anyone desiring to submit his
views, should send duplicate
copies of all written data, com
ments, 'or arguments to the
Hearing Clerk, USDA,
Washington, D.C. 20250, before
May 21.
Requests to make oral
presentations Should be ad
dressed to Scientific and
Technical Serviced, Meat and
Poultry Inspection Program,
APHIS, USDA, Washington, D.C.
20250.
Written submissions and
transcripts of oral views will be
made available for public in
spection in the hearing clerk’s
office.
Formal notice of the proposed
change and invitation to com
ment was published in the
Federal Register March 21.
; f
rr
- Mk
Agriculture.
He said farmers get eight cents
a pound for apples that retail for
HALES 0 HUNTER CO.
Franklin & High St.
Most companies, when talking about their
products, are quite truthful in what they say.
Their advertising copy is honest, maybe a bit
dramatical, but basicly honest. The trick is that
the reader doesn't assume more than what is
actually being said. Then too, he should fully
understand what is being said. It's easy to use
words like more, better, faster, cheaper, but
these are words of comparison. Be sure you
know what is being compared.
When we say out new liquid supplement
releases ammonia slower, we mean slower
than other jiquid supplements, not slower than
natural protein. When we say more nitrogen is
retained by the animals being fed, we mean
more than is retained when other liquids are
fed, not when natural protein is fed. When we
say our new liquid produced cheaper gains, we
are comparing to other liquids and natural
protein supplements. When we say our nevy
liquid is safer, we compare to other liquid
supplements.
You see, we don't mind making comparisons
because we've done the research to know
what our products can and can not do. So the
next time you read ads with words of com
parison, ask yourself "compared to what?".
KINDA MAKES A BODY WONDER,
DON'T IT?
® ELMER M. SHREINER
Trading at Good’s Feed Mill
Specializing In DAIRY & HOG FEEDS
New Providence, Pa.
Phone 786-2500
SINCE. 1870
'U
CZL
#•*'■*s3'.*=--—
Architect's rendering of the planned Penn Hill Office of Fanners National Bank of Quarryv
Attention,W&kefidd area residents:
“banking tliewayyoud do It—pra<
Absolutely free checking is coming to
the Wakefield area.
So is the highest bank interest in
America, payable on savings accounts.
And the most attentive service hereabouts.
It’ll all be available this fall, when
Farmers National Bank of Quarryville
opens its “Penn Hill Office”—a beautiful
Ph. 717-838-1338
FEED LETTER
rT7
30 cents a pound and 14 cents a
quart for milk, (hat retails for
more than double that.
Palmyra, Pa. 17078,
j±-' J -*
Vv'
and wonderfully conveni
at the intersection of Rts
Within days, we’ll turn
of dirt and begin construe
should please, not only oi
customers from that area
who’ve wished we were c
Spread the word: Conn
“banking the way you’d c
Wakefield. We’re looking
o
/ '
o