Will there be enough wings for Superbowl?

News outlets across the country are raising panic with tales that the Super Bowl staple is facing a shortage, facing high prices, and facing just about any other problem they can pack into a frightening article.

NewsWest9.com says in the first paragraph that supply could "threaten to limit snack choices" in Texas, but in the next paragraph states:

So far, it appears as if West Texans will be able to fill up on hot wings for the Super Bowl.

And they later add:

NewsWest 9 also spoke with an executive at Wingstop who said the company had a deal already in place with Pilgrim's Pride before a lot of these cutbacks, so they don't anticipate any changes for the Super Bowl. Other local restaurants have reported moderate increases, but nothing as bad as the spike in prices in New York State.

In fact Wingstop issued a statement saying that they estimate selling more than 3.5 million chicken wings. "Wingstop is to Super Bowl what chocolates are to Valentine's Day," said James Flynn, Wingstop CEO. And if you are truly frightened that they won't have your order of wings, you can pre-order early here.

So what is going on in New York- the likely source of the countrywide wing panic? The news video at the top features Sam Musolino of Sammy's Pizza in Niagara Falls. While the WIBV.com report points out that Sam has enough wings, it is the prices that are a major problem, so he has called for a national boycott:

"Pass it on to everybody that if nobody could serve chicken wings for that day."

So what is the truth? Well, the National Chicken Council has a bone to pick with the media. Richard Lobb, director of communications for the National Chicken Council told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette:

Fears that chicken wing supplies will run out are unfounded. And blaming a shortage on Pilgrim's Pride's bankruptcy alone is a "wild exaggeration," he said. "Eat all you want. There are plenty more."

And regarding prices, the Council has this posted on their website:

By some accounts, prices are higher than a year ago. The U.S. Department of Agriculture cites an average retail price of $1.93 per pound for ready-to-cook chicken wings featured in grocery circulars, up from $1.52 a year ago. Prices always go up during the run-up to the football spectacular, but this year’s higher prices may be related to industry-wide production cutbacks due to high feed costs and general economic stress.

So grab your favorite dipping sauce and stop worrying about chicken wings- because if there is one thing we have seen in the food industry, it is that fear and speculations of doom and shortages will make prices rise higher than if we just let things be.

Further Reading:

A no-fry buffalo wing recipe from Simply Recipes.

WBSTV.com on the buffalo wing panic.

New Jersey apparently had enough wings to go around. The Courier Post Online is reporting on the 17th annual Wing Bowl.

May contain nuts. And salmonella.

Hundreds of people have already become sick and three people may have died as the result of widely distributed tainted peanut butter. Everything from snack foods to pet food is being taken off the shelf, and the FDA is encouraging consumers to check their pantries to ensure that they will not be affected by the outbreak.

While King Nut started this round of recalls, other companies have lined up to issue their own. As of today 125 different foods are on the recall list. MSNBC has a breakdown of what is being recalled, and the FDA has set up a page where you can search by UPC, brand name, or description.

If you have purchased bulk peanut butter from a distributor, The Examiner has some lot numbers for you to check on:

The peanut butter being recalled is sold by the company in bulk to distributors to the food service industry. Peanut Corporation of America notified it’s customers by telephone and in writing, according to a company press release.

Lot numbers of the recalled product are 8193, 8194, 8197, 8233, 8234, 8235, 8241, 8255, 8256, 8275, 8276, 8282, 8283, 8284, 8296, 8316, 8330, 8331, 8336, 8345, 8354. Packages range in size from five to 50 pounds.

Further Reading:

Hershey and ConAgra not part of peanut investigation via Reuters
Girl Scout Cookies are not affected by recall via KAIT 8 News
The peanut recall expands via the Wall Street Journal
Worried consumers toss peanut products via MSNBC
Peanut Butter sales are holding according to Kentucky.com

The Final COOL Rule

(A brief refreshed on what COOL is from And Now U Know)

On January 15th, the USDA published the final rule that cements the Country of Origin Labeling Law permanently into the food industry. Changes in the law from the interim final rule include an allowance for visual animal inspections from producers, who can then sign an affidavit stating that if they do not see any foreign markings on the animal, can declare the animal to be of US origin. There is also an updated list of what country name abbreviations are acceptable. If you would like to see an entire list of the changes, the AMS has a handy PDF file here.

Some critics are still confusing the COOL Law with food safety, despite the USDA stating time and time again that food safety has nothing to do with COOL. The Seattle PI even brought in a food safety expert to bash the rule:

"Given the recent scandals about the safety of imported food, it is unacceptable that the rule was approved with an overly broad definition for which foods are 'processed,'" says Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food and Water Watch, a national consumer organization.

In case you need a refresher course, here is the United Fresh Produce Association SVP of Public Policy in an interview with the NSF discussing COOL:

Just as it is important to understand what COOL is, it is important to know what it is not. COOL is NOT a food safety law. Produce can be grown safely in countries around the world, or it can be grown without regard to good agricultural and handling practices. That is not dependent upon a sticker or a label, but upon the commitment of the persons handling that product throughout the distribution chain.

Reaction to COOL, even for those who actually understand the purpose of the law, has been mixed at best. Canada has decided to hold their WTO complaint in light of the changes to the final rule. Their Agricultural Minister Gerry Ritz told reporters:

The new standard "recognizes the reality of the integrated North American livestock industry," by allowing for combined US-Canada labeling, he said of the changes made public earlier this week.

But Nataional Farmers Union President Tom Buis is against the changes to the final rule for those very reasons, stating:

The final rule still contains a loophole that would allow meat packers to use a multiple-countries, or NAFTA, label rather than labeling U.S. products as products of the United States,” he said. “This is misleading to consumers. The intent was to provide country-of-origin labeling, not trade-agreement origin of labeling. If a product is exclusively born, raised and processed in the United States it should be labeled as such.

Drovers.com has more on the industry reactions to the new law in their article.

Regardless of what side of the fence you stand on, the rule goes into effect on March 16th, and fines for not complying are $1,000.00 per infraction. You can read the final rule at the AMS website here.