Saturday, September 4, 2010
Programs
Beef and Pork Retail Promotion Kits
IAMP & IPPA Food Bank Donation Program
Food Bank Donation Form
Food Bank Guidelines
Press Release for Pork Power Program
2009 IAMP Fall Tour
Events
Golf Day at The Rail Golf Course - 10AM, Sept. 19Dinner at Chesapeake Seafood House - 7PM Sept. 19
Tour at Turasky’s Meats - 10:30 AM, Sept. 20
IAMP Board Meeting - 1PM, Sept. 20
Turasky’s Meats to Host IAMP Fall Tour
Click here to view the IAMP Fall newsletter for more information (including a map to Turasky's Meats on page 2)It’s not too late to plan your weekend in Springfield with fellow IAMP OPERATOR , SUPPLIER and ASSOCIATE members. Turasky’s Meats will host the Annual IAMP Fall Tour on Sunday, September 20 at 10:30 am at the plant. (note: change of time since the Summer Issue) Background on Turasky’s Meats: Joseph Turasky founded Y-T Packing Company in 1949. Current President Joe Turasky is the second generation and current Vice President Brad Turasky is the third generation. The facility started as a slaughter plant, supplying local grocers with sides of beef. As time went on we began making specialty sausages. As more people became aware of these superior products, Y-T Packing Co. started selling to the general public. Over the years, a retail store was developed and the wholesale business continued to change. Today, restaurants and pizzerias are the main part of the wholesale business. We also cut fresh steak daily for our accounts. We are making more value added products and have won many national awards for all of our products. In 2004 we became a federal plant and quit the kill and custom work. Our focus now is products sold through distributors to retail stores and HRI. GOLF FUN: IAMP will host a golf day on Saturday, September 19 at The Rail Golf Course (www.railgolf. com). Tee Times will start at 10:00 am. You will need to reserve a Tee Time with Dianne at the IAMP Office (815- 443-2492) as there will be a limited number of Tee Times available. For those of you that are not golfers there is plenty to do in Springfield. If you haven’t been to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museam. Brad says, “I encourage everyone to do this if they have not.” (www.alplm.org/home) Note: If you are going to the Abraham Lincoln Museum you will need at least 3 hours to go through it. Otherwise check out Springfield on the web at www.visit-springfieldillinois.com/default.asp for fun in Springfield. |
Dinner on Saturday Night: We have reservations at the Chesapeake Seafood House (www.chesapeakeseafoodhouse.com) at 7:00 pm for Cocktails and Dinner at 7:30 pm. Again, please make reservations with the IAMP office at 815-443-2492 to make sure we have seating for everyone. (The time is also different than the Summer IAMP Update.) After the Tour, Lunch and Dinner on Sunday there will be an IAMP Board Meeting. Listed below are the hotels and locations in Springfield. IAMP had a block of rooms at the Northfield Inn & Suites. At this time the rooms are released, but you may still ask for the group rate using code IAMP. Subject to availability. NORTH SIDE (CLOSE TO Turasky’s, golf & DINNER) DOWNTOWN (GREAT IF PEOPLE WANT TO GO TO BARS, MUSEUM & LITTLE SHOPS) WEST SIDE (BY MALL) EAST SIDE |
IAMP Annual Convention and Trade Show
The Illinois Association of Meat Processors’convention boasts a line up of educational seminars, hands-on processing demonstrations, tours, 55-60 booth trade show and social activities. This annual event is held in Champaign, Illinois on the fourth weekend of February each year.
The current convention site is the Hilton Garden Inn at Champaign, Illinois, conveniently located on blocks from the University of Illinois Campus and its Meats Science Laboratory. The Homewood Suites is a sister hotel to the Hilton and is located at the convention complex and features rooms appropriate for families and the business traveler.
The focus of IAMP is to bring meaningful programs for its members to the convention. Past sessions have included business planning, energy saving tips, processing with and without allergens, Illinois Crowne Beef Program, panel discussions on remodeling, upcoming inspection regulations, venison processing tips, marketing tips and many more. The educational seminars may include timely issues and are relevant for the small to mid-sized meat processing.
With our move to Champaign in 2007, we were able to implement hands-on demonstrations at the U of I Meats Lab facility. Seminars have included the effects of varying levels of ingredients, natural versus collagen casings, benefits of bowl choppers, braunschweiger processing demonstration, processing four flavors of smoked sausages from one meat block batter and processing of barbecue products. Processors, U of I staff and industry professionals team up to highlight basic principles of sausage making to upcoming flavors and trends in the meat processing field.
Generally, the convention begins with a workshop or tour. In 2007 and 2008 the convention was preceded with a tour of meat processing facilities with retail, wholesale and catering divisions and to industries that support the meats industry. However, in 2009 an in-depth meat processing workshop at the University of Illinois is planned. Watch for the details of this event.
One of the highlights of the convention each year is the Product Show. IAMP is proud to have over 200 entries in 22 classes each year. Plaques are presented to the top three winners in each class to display in your plant. The IAMP convention is al hold a convention and trade show on the fourth weekend of February each year. so home to the Innovative Beef Competition sponsored by the Illinois Beef Association and the Innovative Pork Competition sponsored by the Illinois Pork Producer’s Association. The Innovative contests allow members to bring new and exciting products for evaluation. Winners of each competition receive $500 and the runner up receives $250 to be earmarked for advertising and a product launch.
The 55+ booth trade show features vendors from all aspects of meat processing, packaging and business needs. Vendors may include processing and packaging equipment and supplies, spices, seasonings and additives, natural and collagen casings, cleaning equipment and supplies, scales and labeling equipment and supplies, grills and smokers, refrigeration needs, smokehouse controls, rendering and meat wholesalers. Other related vendors may include promotional items, insurance needs, financial solutions, pest management, testing and lab needs, related retail items (fruits, vegetables, cheese and more) and partnering organizations (Illinois Beef Association, Illinois Pork Producers Association and the University of IL-Extension).
The convention continues to be a “family” event with events for the young ones too. Kid’s may participate in a kid’s judging where they chose the best of a meats class which is usually wieners. They may also show off the talents in the snack art competition. Finally, all kids are welcome to have fun at the annual pizza, swim and movie party.
Even though IAMP offers many opportunities to learn and help you with your business, we do have several social events to meet new contacts and “catch up” with old friends. The convention is kicked off with the President’s Welcome Reception. The Operator/Supplier party is always a convention highlight. The party features meats from the product show and the Best of Show Product from the prior year’s convention. The awards for the product show are presented at the conclusion of this “complimentary” event. The annual banquet premiers the fantastic Prime Rib and Pork Loin Buffet and the honoring of the Sleeter Bull Award. Entertainment follows the banquet and has included a casino night, murder mystery, hypnotists, bands or musical entertainment.
The convention also serves as a time to for the IAMP Board of Directors to get feedback from the membership and plan the upcoming year’s activities. Three meetings are held during the convention and include the annual membership meeting and two board meetings.
The IAMP Convention and Trade Show is only open to members of the association, but first time members may receive a complimentary convention registration. Please contact the IAMP Executive Secretary for further details or click on the convention page for details as they are available each year.
Illinois State Fair Meats Competition and Commodities Auction
The Illinois State Fair hosts a Meats Competition with classes for Commercial Hams, Summer Sausage, Processed Dried Beef and Bacon. IAMP members are encouraged to place entries in this contest each year. The Illinois State Fair begins on the second Thursday of August each year and the Meats Competition Judging is held on the second Saturday of August at the State Fairgrounds.
Tom Carr of the University of Illinois Meat Science Lab oversees this event and invites a guest professor from outside of Illinois to judge the contest.
All winners are invited to attend the Commodities Auction on Agriculture Day (Tuesday) during the Illinois State Fair. The Commodities Auction is held in the Livestock Pavilion just prior to the Governor’s Sale of Grand Champions.
The auction proceeds for the meat entries are donated to the University of Illinois Sleeter Bull Fund. Sleeter Bull was a professor at the University of Illinois from 1921-1956 and his appointments were in the Meat Science and Animal Nutrition fields. The scholarship funds are used to award a $400 scholarship to a graduate meat science student and an additional $400 to an undergraduate meat science student at the University of Illinois annually.
During the fair all entries and a meats display are under the grandstand for viewing by fair participants.
