Category Archives: National Government

King Meat Services, Inc. Recalls Beef Products Due To Misbranding

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WASHINGTON — King Meat Services, Inc., a Vernon, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 50,991 pounds of beef products due to misbranding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The beef items were produced on various dates from Nov. 1, 2016 to Dec. 5, 2016. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF Only)]

Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONE – IN SHORT RIB CHOICE OR HIGHER,” with product code 991012.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS RIBEYE LIP – ON 13 LBS DOWN,” with product code 991027.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS RIBEYE LIP – ON 13 LBS UP,” with product code 991028.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS RIBEYE LIP – ON 16 LBS UP,” with product code 991031.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS CHUCK SHORT RIB CHOICE OR HIGHER,” with product code 991164.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS PASTRAMI PLATE,” with product code 991166.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS CHUCK SHORT RIB SELECT OR HIGHER,” with product code 991170.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS CHUCK SHORT RIB,” with product code 991171.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONE – IN SHORT RIB SELECT OR HIGHER,” with product code 991176.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF ANGUS BONELESS BRISKET,” with product code 991181.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONE – IN SHORT RIB NO ROLL,” with product code 991182.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS SHORT RIB NO ROLL,” with product code 991183.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS CHUCK SHORT RIB NO ROLL,” with product code 991184.
Boxes of vacuum-packed packages containing “BEEF BONELESS LIP – ON RIBEYE HEAVY,” with product code 991187.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “Est. 426” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distributors, retail locations and food service locations in California.

The problem was discovered on Dec. 5, 2016, when FSIS inspection personnel observed establishment employees removing the marks of inspection of the original beef suppliers and replacing them with the King Meat Services, Inc. (Est. 426) mark of inspection.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Kaibab National Forest plans pile burns on all districts this week

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WILLIAMS — Fire managers plan to burn piles on each of the three ranger districts of the Kaibab National Forest starting tomorrow and continuing through Friday. The piles are the result of forest restoration efforts, and the goal of burning them is to further reduce fuels that could feed high-intensity wildfire.

North Kaibab Ranger District
North Zone fire managers plan to burn piles scattered within a 100-acre area between Tuesday and Friday just north of Jacob Lake. The piles are small and should consume quickly. Fire managers plan to ignite piles within 25-acre areas each day of the four days scheduled for burning. No significant smoke impacts are anticipated, as prevailing winds should push smoke north/northeast away from Highway 89A. No road or trail closures are expected. However, visitors should use caution and be aware of emergency vehicles in the area.

Tusayan Ranger District
Tusayan Ranger District fire managers plan to burn piles scattered within a 15-acre area Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday about a mile northwest of Grand Canyon Airport. The small piles have cured over the last two years and are expected to consume quickly. Fire managers plan to ignite piles within 5-acre areas early on each of the three mornings to allow plenty of time for good consumption and smoke dissipation during the day. They anticipate little to no smoke impacts to the Town of Tusayan, Grand Canyon Airport and Highway 64. No road or trail closures are expected.

Williams Ranger District
Williams Ranger District fire managers plan to burn piles scattered within a 37-acre area on one day between Tuesday and Friday near Cougar Park, which is about 5 miles south of Williams and just north of Coleman Knoll. Fire managers are monitoring weather conditions to determine which day will be most appropriate for completing ignitions on these piles. Some smoke may settle into the area immediately surrounding the pile burn in Cougar Park and Barney Flat. It may also be visible from County Road 73. No road or trail closures are expected.

Implementation of any particular prescribed fire, including a pile burn, is dependent on weather and fuel conditions including winds, temperature, humidity, moisture of the vegetation and ventilation conditions for dispersal of smoke. All prescribed fires are subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division and to view prescribed burn authorizations for any given day, visit http://www.azdeq.gov/programs/air-quality-programs/smoke-management.

In the interest of safety, visitors are always reminded to use caution when traveling in the vicinity of prescribed fires, as firefighters, fire-related traffic and smoke may all be present.

Notifications of upcoming prescribed fires are provided regularly throughout the season. Members of the public can find this information through the following sources:

TreeHouse Foods Announces Voluntary Product Recall Due to Possible Health Risk

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Oak Brook, IL — TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (NYSE: THS) today announced a voluntary recall of certain macaroni and cheese cup products containing cheddar cheese seasoning which may be contaminated with Salmonella.

This follows notification from our supplier that the milk powder used in the seasoning has the potential for Salmonella contamination.

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Most individuals recover without treatment. In some cases, diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

Product was distributed nationwide through retail stores. The following products are affected by this recall:

Description UPC Best By Date
Big Win Original Macaroni & Cheese Dinner 001182258403 10/25/2017
Cheese Club Express Mac Macaroni & Cheese
Dinner		 004149817167 11/3/2017
11/4/2017
11/18/2017
11/22/2017
10/20/2017
10/21/2017
10/23/2017
10/29/2017
11/1/2017
11/2/2017
11/11/2017
11/16/2017
11/17/2017
11/22/2017
11/23/2017
11/28/2017
Great Value Macaroni & Cheese Original Cups 007874208249 10/22/2017
10/19/2017
10/27/2017
10/28/2017
11/3/2017
11/7/2017
11/18/2017
11/20/2017
11/21/2017

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Kaibab National Forest invites citizen scientists to participate in year-long biodiversity project

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WILLIAMS — Forest managers are excited to announce a citizen science project to identify and document the biodiversity of the Kaibab National Forest that will begin January 1 and continue through all of 2017. During the year-long project, forest visitors will be encouraged to explore the Kaibab National Forest and report their discoveries of plants and animals to help improve forest managers’ understanding of the abundance and distribution of species.

It’s easy and fun! Visitors who capture a photo of any plant or animal with their smartphone can share them with the “Kaibab NF 2017 Citizen Science Project” on the free online platform iNaturalist.org and receive expert feedback on their discoveries. iNaturalist offers apps for both the iPhone and Android, which make uploading observations easy. There are even how-to videos on the iNaturalist website. Kaibab National Forest biologists will also help participants identify or confirm findings.

“See, snap and share! There’s really nothing more to it,” said Natasha Kline, forest biologist for the Kaibab National Forest. “It’s a great way to explore the forest, contribute to our knowledge of biodiversity in the area, and experience the awesome flora and fauna that the Kaibab National Forest has to offer!”

The following rules are in place for the “Kaibab NF 2017 Citizen Science Project”:

  • Observation must be made between January 1 and December 31, 2017.
  • Observation must have photo or audio sound connected to the observation to be valid.
  • Observation must happen within the boundary of Kaibab National Forest.

If someone isn’t clear on the boundaries of the forest, the project will seek out any observation meeting these criteria and add them to the project.

“We are excited to get members of the public involved in making observations out in the field,” said Mark Christiano, geographic information specialist for the Kaibab National Forest. “Throughout the year, we hope to also offer events at which forest employees and members of the public join forces to capture images of specific plants and wildlife for this project. It’s a great way to connect with people and places while enjoying our beautiful northern Arizona landscape.”

To participate, visit the “Kaibab NF 2017 Citizen Science Project” on iNaturalist.org.

Voluntary Class II Recall of Chocolate Hazelnut Butter CLIF® Nut Butter Filled

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Clif Bar & Company is initiating a voluntary Class II recall of one production run of Chocolate Hazelnut Butter CLIF® Nut Butter Filled energy bars due to the presence of small plastic pieces found in a limited number of bars sold in the U.S. Clif Bar has not received any reports of injuries as a result of the plastic; however, the company is initiating the voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution.

Only product meeting the following criteria is affected:

  1. Individual bars of Chocolate Hazelnut Butter CLIF® Nut Butter Filled energy bars with “best by” dates of 10JUN17N4 or 11JUN17N4
  2. 12-count caddies of Chocolate Hazelnut Butter CLIF® Nut Butter Filled energy bars with “best by” dates of 10JUN17N4 or 11JUN17N4; and

UPC Codes:
a. Bar: 7-22252-26800-6
b. 12-count Caddy: 7-22252-36800-3
c. Case: 00722252-56800-7

No other CLIF® Nut Butter Filled energy bar products, pack sizes, configurations, or flavors are affected.

The company is asking consumers to return product to the store where purchased to request an exchange or full refund. Affected product should then be discarded and not consumed.

Consumers with questions may contact 1-866-967-9776, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST, Monday-Friday.

Hale and Hearty Soups, LLC Recalls Ready-To-Eat Chicken Chili Soup Due To Possible Listeria Contamination

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WASHINGTON — Hale and Hearty Soups, LLC, a Brooklyn, N.Y. establishment, is recalling approximately 455 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken chili soup product that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The ready-to-eat chicken chili soup product was produced and packaged on Nov. 9, 2016. The following products are subject to recall:
113-2016-label

6.9-lb. bags containing “CHICKEN CHILI SOUP” with an “Expires:12/09” date.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P-34800” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to food service distributors in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.

The problem was discovered during routine FSIS verification testing. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse health effects due to consumption of the products subject to this recall.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

FSIS and the company are concerned that some of this recalled product may be in food service distribution refrigerators.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

H.J. Heinz Co. Recalls Products Incorrectly Labelled As Pork Gravy Due To Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens

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gravy111-2016-labels-1WASHINGTON— H.J. Heinz Co., a Muscatine, Iowa, establishment, initiated a recall on Nov. 19, 2016, of approximately 5,022 pounds of bistro au jus gravy product that is incorrectly labeled as pork gravy due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The au jus gravy product contains milk and soy, known allergens, which are not declared on the incorrect labeling for pork gravy.

The au jus gravy labeled incorrectly as pork gravy was produced on June 4, 2016. The following products are subject to recall:

558 cases containing 12 – 12-oz. jars (per case) of “HEINZ HOMESTYLE BISTRO AU JUS GRAVY” that is mislabeled with Homestyle Pork Gravy labels with “Best By 12/28/2017 MU6F04” on the jar cap and “Case Best By 12/28/17 MU6F04” on the cases.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “M2041” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to a distributor and to retail locations nationwide.

The problem was discovered by the company on Nov. 17, 2016, after they were notified by a customer that a jar labeled as “Heinz Homestyle Pork Gravy” looked darker than expected. The company determined the mislabeling incident occurred on June 4, 2016, when a box of labels for the company’s “Heinz Homestyle Pork Gravy” product was brought to the processing line and used during the production and packaging of the au jus gravy. When the company initiated the recall, they contacted all of their customers that may have received the mislabeled gravy product (including more than 1,000 retail stores) informing them to remove the products from their store shelves. The company also provided a press release about the incident and initiation of a voluntary recall of incorrectly labelled products to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FSIS was notified of the issue by a FDA representative on Nov. 21, 2016 and, out an abundance of caution, FSIS is issuing its own press release.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

The Popcorn Shoppe Issues Allergy Alert on three products

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The Popcorn Shoppe in Tiffin, Ohio is voluntarily recalling its Olde Tyme Recipe Popcorn Balls, Edwards Orchard Popcorn Balls and Edwards Orchard West Popcorn Balls (4 individually wrapped 5oz. popcorn balls in a clear plastic bag) due to an undeclared milk and soy allergen. This recall has been initiated due to the ingredient label not stating the milk and soy allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk and soy run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. Individuals exhibiting signs or symptoms of food bourne illness or allergies should contact a physician immediately.

Products were available for sale at retail locations in Illinois and Ohio. An Ohio Department of Agriculture inspector discovered the mislabeling issue during a routine visit. There have been no reports of illness to date involving products addressed in this recall.

Customers with a milk and/or soy allergies or sensitivity who have purchased the affected product should dispose of it or return it to The Popcorn Shoppe for a replacement. Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Melissa Molyet at (567) 207-5432 Monday – Friday 9:00 am. – 5:00 pm. EST.ucm529506ucm529507ucm529510

Naval Academy Students Planning CubeSat with HF Uplink

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usna-logo1ARRL News — Students at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, are planning an Amateur Radio CubeSat — dubbed HFSAT — that would carry an HF transponder as a primary payload as well as 2-meter APRS as a secondary mission when power is available. The 1.5 U CubeSat will have a linear uplink at 21.4 MHz and a downlink at 29.42 MHz.

“HFSAT is a small 1.5 U CubeSat that will demonstrate the viability of HF satellite communications as a back-up communication system using existing ubiquitous HF radios that are often a part of every amateur station,” said USNA Instructor Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, who developed APRS. Bruninga said HFSAT would be similar to the 1990s-era RS-12/13 Russian Amateur Radio satellite.

Bob Bruninga WB4APR

Bob Bruninga WB4APR

“HFSAT will continue the long tradition of small amateur satellites designed by students and hams at the US Naval Academy,” Bruninga told ARRL. The uplink will be at 21.4 MHz and downlink at 29.42 MHz, similar to [earlier] Mode K HF satellites. No launch has yet been identified.” Bruninga said HFSAT would be gravity gradient-stabilized by its full-sized, 10-meter, thin-wire, half-wave dipole.

Other unique features of HFSAT include its APRS telemetry command-and-control capability. “For VHF the students have modified a popular Byonics.com MTT4B all-in-one APRS Tiny-Track4 module for telemetry, command, and control to fit on a single 3.4-inch square card inside the CubeSat, that they will use for this and for future CubeSats,” Bruninga said. The students are working with Bill Ress, N6GHZ, on the HF transponder card, which will provide a bandwidth of 30 kHz, employing an inverting transponder to minimize Doppler. Todd Bruner, WB1HAI, will be the HFSAT control operator.

Bruninga said the HF transponder is a follow-on from the USNA’s existing PSAT 10-meter PSK31 transponder, still operational. HFSAT‘s telemetry downlink will be captured via stations in the worldwide ground-station network. The packet link is a secondary mission compared to the HF transponder on this spacecraft.

Once HFSAT is in space, Bruninga recommended using a vertical HF antenna, because it would match well with the antenna patterns and geometry of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. “When low on the horizon, both the satellite and the user antennas are in their main lobes, providing maximum gain at the distant horizons,” Bruninga said. “At the higher elevations, the satellite is 6 dB to 10 dB closer, significantly making up for the reduced antenna pattern geometry.”

He said hams would be able to use “simple, manual” pass-prediction tools, much as they used the old Oscar Locator in the early years of Amateur Radio satellites.

Forest Service Hiring for 2017 Temporary Positions

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ALBUQUERQUE NM — The Forest Service is gearing up for another round of temporary hiring. From November 08 – November 14, 2016, the agency will be accepting applications for over 1,000 temporary spring and summer jobs in New Mexico and Arizona. Positions are available in multiple fields, including fire, recreation, natural resources, timber, engineering, visitor services, and archaeology.

Applications must be submitted on www.USAJOBS.gov from November 08 – November 14, 2016. Interested applicants are encouraged to create a profile on USAJOBS in advance to save time once the hiring process begins.

Forest Service representatives will notify selected applicants by email or phone. Applicants not selected will be notified by e-mail. More information about temporary employment in the Forest Service’s Southwestern Region can be found at: R3 Jobs Outreach.

The Southwestern Region consists of 11 National Forests in Arizona and New Mexico; and national grasslands in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Working in the Southwestern Region is very rewarding and requires talented people working safely as part of a team in a variety of specialized positions; including Archeology, Range, Timber, Recreation, Engineering, Wildlife, Administration and Fire and Aviation Management. To learn more about the U.S. Forest Service in the Southwestern Region National Forests, please visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r3/home.

The Forest Service is an equal opportunity employer. The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.