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Consumers: Look For
Egg Safety Label
DEANNA CXJNFER
Carbon Co. Correspondent
TANNERSVILLE (Monroe
Co.) After speaking at the
PennAg keynote session early last
week, Pennsylvania Secretary of
Agriculture Samuel E. Hayes
conducted an educational event
and press conference at Mr. Z’s
Market, Tannersville.
Hayes highlighted the fact that
Pennsylvania enjoys the edge in
egg safety. Hayes also offered
food safety tips to the consumers.
Also in attendance were Mark
Oney, manager of Mr. Z’s, and
Jeff Brown, general superinten
dent. Mr. Z’s Market is owned by
Weis Markets Inc.
Paul D. Sauder, member of the
PennAg Industries Poultry Coun
cil, which developed the Pennsyl
vania Egg Quality Assurance
Program (PEQAP) in 1994, said,
“We want shoppers to look for
the ‘PEQAP’ seal to take advan
tage of our state’s premier egg
safety program and to purchase
eggs at the markets that offer
PEQAP.”
According to Sauder, all of the
eggs sold under the Weis Market
label are processed according to
PEQAP guidelines, and Weis has
been a “strong supporter” of the
program since it began in 1994.
“We launched PEQAP in 1994
as the nation’s first egg safety
program and as a private/public
partnership,” said Hayes. “It is a
prototype for the world. Agricul
ture and health officials from all
over the globe contact us to help
them implement similar pro
grams in their nations.”
PEQAP is a voluntary industry
program intended to minimize
Salmonella enteritidis (SE) con
tamination of chicken (shell)
eggs. About 22.5 million layer
chickens, or 85 percent of the
state’s flock, now are monitored
under the program.
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To display the PEQAP label on
their shell eggs, producers must
meet stringent requirements for
egg testing, chick monitoring and
testing, manure sampling and
culturing, farm biosecurity, em
ployee and package sanitation,
record keeping, and refrigeration
and other criteria.
PEQAP requirements are a
more stringent farm-to-fork sys
tem that the new federal rules
implemented Sept. 4. Those rules
require a safe handling advisory
label on egg cartons along with
egg storage and display at 45 de
grees Fahrenheit, or lower, at re
tail establishments.
In its rule, the USDA noted
that SE “continues to be a signifi
cant health concern,” although
there has been a 40 percent de
cline in the number of cases re
ported to the Centers for Disease
Control since 1996.
People eating contaminated
eggs that aren’t properly prepar
ed can suffer flu-like symptoms
usually within 12 to 72 hours
after consumption. The illness
usually lasts four to seven days
and can be most serious or
even fatal for infants, the eld
erly, and those with impaired im
mune systems.
Sauder said, “Pennsylvanians
eat about three billion eggs a year
- or an~average of 245 per per
son. Eggs are economical and are
a source of important nutrients in
a balanced diet. We want con
sumers to know that PEQAP
eggs are produced with safety, as
well as high quality and low price
in mind.”
Pennsylvania is the nation’s
fourth largest egg producer (after
Ohio, California, and Iowa), pro
ducing about 5.8 billion eggs an
nually for in-state consumption
and export.
Consumers can practice egg
safety with these steps: buy eggs
280 Newport Road
P.O. Box 483
Leola, PA 17540
Sponsors Assist In Production Of KILE
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) The Keystone Interna
tional Livestock Exposition
(KILE) is in its 45th year at
Harrisburg.
The exposition is recognized
nationally as a showcase for the
nation’s top beef cattle, swine,
sheep, and horses. It will con
ducted at the Farm Show Com
plex in Harrisburg Oct. 2-8.
To date, 70 major sponsors
have committed funds to support
KILE. A sponsorship program
was put together a few years ago
to assist in funding the show as
well as to promote the show.
With the revamped KILE pro
gram, many opportunities exist
for agricultural companies and
individuals to get involved.
Nutrena is sponsoring the
“Challenge of the Breeds” show
on Saturday evening in the large
arena. This event will pit nine in-
with the PEQAP symbol, keep
eggs refrigerated, refrigerate
cooked eggs and egg-containing
foods, thoroughly cook eggs, and
wash hands thoroughly after
handling raw foods, including
eggs.
The state’s department of agri
culture, in conjunction with
PennAg Industries Association
and leaders of the egg and poul
try industry, developed PEQAP.
It also is supported by Penn State
University, the University of
Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania
Animal Health Commission, the
Pennsylvania Department of
Health, and the federal Food and
Drug Administration, Center for
Food Safety and Applied Nutri
tion.
For more information, contact
Jim Shirk at the PennAg Indus
tries Association Poultry Council
at (717) 651-5920 or Paul Sauder,
Sauder’s Quality Eggs, at (800)
233-0413.
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ternationally recognized horse
breeds: Appaloosa, Arabian,
Half-Arabian, Percheron, Paint,
Quarter Horse, Morgan, Palomi
no, and Pinto against each other
in an evening of fun and mastery.
A total of 12 horses chosen by
their respective breed associa
tions will be entered in the com
petition. The “Keystone Sover
eign Champion” will then receive
$l,OOO.
Sponsoring the Kiddie Pedal
Pull is Evergreen Tractor Sales at
Myerstown. Dennis Grumbine,
owner, reports that he chose the
Kiddie’s Pedal Pull to sponsor
because of the close tie-in with
the equipment business. The
Pedal Pull will be conducted on
Saturday, Oct. 6 at 3 p.m. The
event is open to children between
the ages of 3-8.
Kessler’s has chosen to sponsor
our daily “Kessler’s Barnyard,”
as it is called, where kids of all
Entertainment Scheduled
For KILE
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) The year 2001 has been
designated “Year of the Sheep,”
so sheep exhibitors will receive
special attention as part of the ef
fort to increase public awareness
of the hog industry and the high
caliber of sheep shown annually
at the Keystone International
Livestock Expo (KILE).
KILE is in its 45th year at
Harrisburg. The exposition is rec
ognized nationally as a showcase
for the nation’s top beef cattle,
swine, sheep and horses. It will be
conducted at the Farm Show
Complex in Harrisburg Oct. 2-8.
At the 2001 Show, the acts,
booked primarily for Friday, Sat
urday, Sunday, and Monday, will
amble around the Farm Show
Complex putting on their show.
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 29,2001-A27
ages can touch and pet barnyard
animals. Kessler’s is located in
Lemoyne.
Lebanon Valley Farmers/
Fulton Bank is sponsoring the
Agri-Kid Olympics. Farm-related
competitive events will be con
ducted for children including
wheelbarrow races, hay toss and
sack races. Kids will even learn
how to auctioneer.
Pennsylvania Livestock Associ
ation is sponsoring the Keystone
Stockman’s Contest. It will be
Monday, Oct. 9 and is open to
any 4-H or FFA member in the
U.S. and Canada. Last year, 502
youth participated in this contest.
Sponsorships at KILE are
available in six monetary denom
inations from $5O to $l,OOO plus.
Sponsors receive show pins, ring
announcements, plaques, display
ads, pictures, and banners de
pending on the level of participa
tion.
Two acts have been hired to
stroll the show. They are J.J.
Buggies, the Goodwill ambassa
dor clown, and “Blaze,” the
world famous balloon blowing
goat.
J.J. Buggies wants to put a
smile on every face. Be not only
strolls but will perform on a small
stage his combination of magic,
fun, games, and the traditional
clown skills.
Blaze the Balloon Blowing
Goat has amazed audiences
across, not only America, but also
in Australia. The act consists of a
witty clown named Dr. Bappy
Laclair and his friend, “Blaze.”
The act keeps all ages baffled and
amused. You’ll love the combina
tion of a colorful, witty, clever
clown making fantastic balloon
art from balloons inflated by a
talking, balloon blowing goat.
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