More Than 132,000 Pounds of Ground Beef Products Recalled
On Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Cargill Meat Solutions would be recalling over 132,000 pounds of ground beef products.
The recall news comes after an investigation found that these products were made from the chuck portion of carcasses that may be contaminated with E. coli. According to the FSIS, 17 people have been sickened in the outbreak and one person has died.
Details of the Outbreak
The recalled products were packaged on June 21 and have an "EST. 86R" label inside the USDA inspection mark. Because the recalled products were sold at major stores nationwide, it’s important to check your products to make sure they’re not on the recall list.
Specifically, the following products have been recalled:
- 3-lb. chubs* of “OUR CERTIFIED 73/27 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a USE OR FREEZE BY JUL/11/18 and case code 00228749057646.
- 3-lb. chubs of “OUR CERTIFIED 73/27 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a USE OR FREEZE BY JUL/11/18 and case code 00228749002653.
- 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL 73/27 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 00228749089098.
- 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL 73/27 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749002751.
- 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL 81/19 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749003536.
- 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 00228749003568.
- 10-lb. chubs of “EXCEL CHUCK GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749402773.
- 20-lb. chubs of “EXCEL 81/19 FINE GRIND GROUND BEEF COMBO” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749073935.
- 10-lb. chubs of “Sterling Silver CHUCK GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 00228749702416.
- 10-lb. chubs of “CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF CHUCK GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 and case code 90028749802405.
- 10-lb. chubs of “CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF CHUCK GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a Use/Frz. By Jul 11 with case code 00228749802413.
- 10-lb. chubs of “Fire River Farms CLASSIC GROUND BEEF 81/19 FINE GRIND” with a USE/FREEZE BY: 07/11/2018 with case code 90734730297241.
The recall has been classified as a Class I recall, meaning there is a "reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death." This means that if you’ve purchased any of the contaminated products, you should throw them away immediately and not consume them.
What are the symptoms of E.coli?
Symptoms of E.coli can vary, but generally begin three to four days after ingesting contaminated food or drink. Common symptoms include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. Most people are able to recover within a week, but severe cases can last longer. The CDC recommends contacting your doctor if you have symptoms of an E.coli infection.
For More Information
For more information on this recall, visit the FSIS’ website.
*”Chub” refers to ground beef packaged in a cylindrical, plastic tube.
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Employee theft, fraud and embezzlement can cause serious financial and reputation damage to your company. Implement several safety measures as you prevent employee theft and protect your business.
Review Your Hiring Practices
Start with honest employees, and you could reduce your theft risk. Consider implementing the following pre-employment checks for all employees, particularly those who work with finances, confidential data or inventory.
- Criminal history of theft, fraud or violence.
- Civil history of fraud, collections or restraining orders.
- Driver’s license report of serious or numerous violations.
- Education verification of degrees and certifications from accredited institutions.
- Employment verification of positions, length, performance, reasons for leaving, and eligibility for rehire.
Utilize Internal Controls
Prepare for the possibility of theft with policies and procedures that limit this risk.
- Separate duties – Place different employees in charge of transaction processing and recording.
- Control access – Only authorized employees should have access to accounting systems and physical and financial information and assets.
- Authorize control policies – Develop a secure process for initiating, authorizing, recording, and reviewing financial transactions and inventory.
- Update security – Install security cameras, engrave “do not duplicate” on keys to sensitive information, and change locks and security codes when cleared employees leave.
Perform Impartial Audits
In addition to regular audits, hire impartial parties to conduct random audits. Examine financial, inventory and other records as you encourage employees to resist temptation.
Create a Positive Work Environment
When your work environment supports collaboration, fairness, and recognition and implements clear policies, organizational structure, and communication, your employees will probably remain honest. They will feel goodwill toward the company and may be less likely to commit theft and jeopardize the supportive, friendly and healthy environment.
Educate Your Employees
Partner with your employees to avoid and prevent theft. They should know your company’s internal controls, conduct and ethics policy, and discipline process. Ask new employees to review these documents and sign a form indicating they’ve done so, and review the policies at least annually.
Use an Anonymous Reporting System
Equip employees, clients and vendors with the power to report suspicions or proof of theft, fraud or embezzlement. An anonymous reporting system protects your staff while giving you valuable information that protects your company.
Investigate all Theft Reports
Demonstrate that you take theft seriously when you investigate every theft report you receive. The investigation should be thorough, prompt and transparent.
Purchase Adequate Insurance
Commercial crime insurance protects your business as it covers financial losses and liability. Your insurance agent can help you purchase the right insurance coverage and adequate policy limits.
Protect your company from employee theft when you implement several security measures. They can reduce your theft, fraud and embezzlement risk.
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Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science forecasts five hurricanes and 12 named storms for the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season. Natural disasters like hurricanes can wreak havoc on your company. Update your business insurance as you prepare for natural disasters.
Prepare for Wind and Hail Storms
Heavy storms that feature high winds or hail can damage your property or disrupt operations. Verify that your business insurance includes adequate commercial property and business interruption coverage.
You may also wish to check if your policy includes a separate property deductible that applies solely to wind or hail claims. Some insurance companies add a flat rate or percentage deductible to these policies, especially in areas that are susceptible to wind and hail storms.
Cover Flooding
Rising water can damage your buildings and property and affect business operations. While your mortgage lender or building manager may require you to purchase commercial flood insurance if your business operates in a flood zone, flood insurance is also important if you operate in a location that doesn’t traditionally flood. That’s because you still could experience high water due to heavy rains, storm surges, melting snow, or broken levees.
Talk to your insurance agent about purchasing flood insurance coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Because this valuable coverage includes a 30-day waiting period, be sure to purchase flood insurance before you need it.
Purchase Adequate Coverage
If you purchased your business insurance longer than a year ago, schedule a checkup. Your company’s needs may change over time, and you want to update your business insurance coverage, too. For example, if you added expensive equipment to your operation or moved to a different location, verify that your current policy covers these changes.
Check the property value coverage on your policy also. When you purchased your business insurance policy, you may have chosen the cheaper actual cash value option that pays to replace covered property minus depreciation and wear and tear. However, replacement cost pays current market value rates and offers better protection, so consider this more expensive option now.
Finally, review your policy limits. Ensure you have enough coverage for your property, building contents, inventory, and business interruption needs.
Review your Policy Carefully
Insurance policies often include dry, boring language, but take time to review every word. You must know exactly what natural disasters your commercial policy covers. Also, be sure you understand details about the deductible and how to file a claim. Your insurance agent can answer any questions you have and help you purchase enough coverage for your specific needs.
Your business insurance gives your company valuable protection. Update your coverage today as you prepare for future natural disasters.
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With some farmers struggling to find reliable farm labor, it is important to invest some thought in the hiring process. Here are some tips for finding the right help:
Examine your needs. You might have a general idea in your head of what work needs to be done, but it’s best to be specific. Narrow down broad processes into specific jobs so you can determine how much help you truly need.
Think about desired traits. Do you need someone to fill a temporary need, or are you hoping that person can go on to fill a managerial role? You’ll have to determine whether people skills are more important than manual labor or machinery skills, and list those traits in your job description.
Consider hiring for a trial period. If you’re hesitant about a candidate but need immediate help, consider hiring them for a short-term trial period. This saves you from high employee turnover while buying you time to recognize your needs. It allows both you and the worker to communicate any frustrations and expectations after the trial period before considering whether the working relationship is worth investing in long term.
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If you’ve ever shopped around for insurance, you’ve likely been asked if you want to bundle your policies—in other words, combine your home or renters, auto and life insurance policies with the same carrier. Although you have the option to shop around individually for each policy, it almost always makes sense to have the same carrier cover as many of your policies as possible.
Benefits of Bundling
- The discount—Most policyholders bundle their policies because of the promise of a discount. The amount varies by provider but can generally range between 5-25 percent.
- The option of a single deductible—With bundled policies, your deductible may be cheaper in the event of a claim that affects multiple policies. For example, if your home and auto policies are with two separate carriers, and a hailstorm damages your home and your car, you’re responsible for paying both your home and auto deductibles before receiving payment. But if you bundle your policies, your provider may offer you the option to pay only the higher of the two deductibles.
- Less chance of being dropped—If you’ve made claims or gotten tickets, having your policies bundled with one provider can decrease the chance of them dropping you.
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When it Doesn’t Pay to Bundle
It isn’t always better to bundle your policies with one insurance carrier. Here’s when it may be better to split them up:
- If you have tickets or past claims that make your auto insurance expensive—In this case, it may be cheaper overall to buy each policy from separate providers.
- When premiums increase—Bundling discourages people from price shopping, which makes it easier for providers to increase their rates. Most assume that you won’t go through the effort of shopping around when your policies renew.
- If policies aren’t technically bundled—Some carriers may insure you with an affiliated company. Although you may get a discount with that company, you’ll lose the convenience of paying your premium with one familiar provider.
A Few Tips to Consider
Although discounts are the main reason people bundle their insurance policies, never assume that bundling is the cheapest option. Your needs and circumstances will dictate whether you should combine your policies with one carrier. Consider the following tips:
- Shop for new coverage when your policies renew, and ask for the price of the individual premiums as well as the price of the bundled premium so you can decide whether it is worth it. Just make sure you compare the same coverage when shopping for quotes from each carrier.
- Ask if the provider uses a third-party insurance company. Remember that you may save money but lose the convenience of dealing with one provider and a combined bill.
- Ask an independent insurance agent to get prices from multiple companies so you don’t have to do the legwork. An agent that is loyal to a particular carrier may be able to offer discounts that you can’t get alone.
With multiple factors contributing to the price of your insurance premiums, it is important to shop around in order to get the best rate for your insurance needs. Feel free to contact Scurich Insurance to determine if bundling is right for you and help you take advantage of all available discounts.
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On Aug. 3, 2018, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury (Departments) published final regulations amending the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance for purposes of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These regulations:
- Provide a maximum coverage period of up to 12 months; and
- Amend the notice to provide additional specificity, including a list of benefits that might not be covered.
In addition, the final regulations allow short-term, limited-duration insurance to continue for up to 36 months in total, taking into account renewals or extensions.
As a result of these final regulations, issuers can now offer short-term, limited-duration insurance policies that last up to 12 months. According to the Departments, this will provide consumers with more affordable options for health coverage.
Short-term, limited-duration insurance is a type of health insurance coverage that is designed to fill temporary gaps in coverage when an individual is transitioning from one plan or coverage to another plan or coverage. Specifically, existing regulations defined short-term, limited-duration insurance as “health insurance coverage provided pursuant to a contract with an issuer that has an expiration date specified in the contract (taking into account any extensions that may be elected by the policyholder without the issuer’s consent) that is less than 12 months after the original effective date of the contract.”
Although short-term, limited-duration insurance is not an excepted benefit, it is specifically exempt from the definition of “individual health insurance coverage” and, therefore, is not subject to the ACA’s market reform requirements. However, the Departments have become aware that short-term, limited-duration insurance is being sold as a primary form of health coverage, in some instances.
2016 Final Regulations
On Oct. 31, 2016, the Departments published final regulations revising the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance for purposes of the exclusion from the definition of individual health insurance coverage. Under this revised definition, short-term, limited-duration insurance coverage was required to be less than three months in duration, including any period for which the policy may be renewed. The final regulations eliminated the ability for the coverage period to take into account extensions made by the policyholder “with or without the issuer’s consent.”
In addition, a notice must be prominently displayed in the contract and in any application materials provided in connection with enrollment in short-term, limited-duration insurance coverage with the following language:
THIS IS NOT QUALIFYING HEALTH COVERAGE (“MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE”) THAT SATISFIES THE HEALTH COVERAGE REQUIREMENT OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. IF YOU DON’T HAVE MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE, YOU MAY OWE AN ADDITIONAL PAYMENT WITH YOUR TAXES.
The revised definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance applied for policy years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2017. However, HHS stated that it would not take enforcement action against an issuer with respect to the sale of short-term, limited-duration insurance before April 1, 2017, on the ground that the coverage period is three months or more, provided that the coverage:
- Ends on or before Dec. 31, 2017; and
- Otherwise complies with the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance in effect under the final regulations.
States were also permitted to elect not to take enforcement actions against issuers with respect to this type of coverage sold before April 1, 2017.
2018 Final Regulations
Following the 2016 final regulations, there was concern that shortening the permitted length of short-term, limited-duration insurance would drastically reduce affordable coverage options for consumers. As a result, the Departments issued the 2018 final regulations to lengthen the maximum period of short-term, limited-duration insurance, in an effort to provide more affordable consumer choice for health coverage.
These final regulations were issued as a result of the following recent developments:
- On Oct. 12, 2017, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 13813, which directed the Departments to consider proposing regulations or revising guidance to expand the availability of short-term, limited-duration insurance by allowing it to cover longer periods and be renewed.
- On Dec. 22, 2017, President Trump signed a tax reform bill, called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, into law, which reduces the ACA’s individual mandate penalty to zero, effective beginning in 2019.
In light of these developments, the final regulations amended the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance so that it may offer a maximum coverage period of less than 12 months after the original effective date of the contract, consistent with the original definition (that is, the final rule expanded the potential maximum coverage period by nine months). Under this definition, the expiration date specified in the contract takes into account any extensions that may be elected by the policyholder without the issuer’s consent, provided that it has a duration of no longer than 36 months in total (taking into account renewals or extensions).
In addition, the final rule revised the required notice that must appear in the contract and any application materials, due to concern that short-term, limited-duration insurance policies lasting almost 12 months may be more difficult to distinguish from ACA-compliant coverage (which is typically offered on a 12-month basis). Accordingly, one of two versions of the following notice must be prominently displayed (in at least 14-point type) in the contract and in any application materials provided in connection with enrollment:
This coverage is not required to comply with certain federal market requirements for health insurance, principally those contained in the Affordable Care Act. Be sure to check your policy carefully to make sure you are aware of any exclusions or limitations regarding coverage of pre-existing conditions or health benefits (such as hospitalization, emergency services, maternity care, preventive care, prescription drugs, and mental health and substance use disorder services).
Your policy might also have lifetime and/or annual dollar limits on health benefits. If this coverage expires or you lose eligibility for this coverage, you might have to wait until an open enrollment period to get other health insurance coverage. Also, this coverage is not “minimum essential coverage.” If you don’t have minimum essential coverage for any month in 2018, you may have to make a payment when you file your tax return unless you qualify for an exemption from the requirement that you have health coverage for that month.
Due to the elimination of the individual mandate penalty beginning in 2019, the final two sentences of the notice are only required to be included with respect to policies that have a coverage start date before Jan. 1, 2019.
The notice should be in sentence case (rather than all capital letters), and may contain any additional information, as required by applicable state law.
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