I just got back from the USDA press conference.

According to the USDA, Koskinen and the food industry, there will be absolutely no problems with the food supply because of Y2K. But they all have contingency plans anyway. hmmm.

Koskinen says, "Prepare as you would for a holiday weekend."

The USDA released their 4th quarterly report today, at least the executive summary:

http://www.usda.gov/aphis/FSWG/report-4thqtr.html

When I read it, I do not get the same warm fuzzies.

"Eighty percent of the companies have completed over 90 percent of remediation and testing of their corporate information systems, and 75 percent have initiated work on embedded systems. About 80 percent of organizations are at some stage of contingency planning; however, some are not planning to take this step at all. Gartner Group expressed some concerns with the adequacy of contingency planning efforts."

That does not say that there will be no problems, does it?!

www.y2kkitchen.com

-- Sally Strackbein (sally@y2kkitchen.com), November 18, 1999

Answers

Got milk?

-- Uncle Bob (UNCLB0B@Tminus43&counting.down), November 18, 1999.

Sally - I love your cookbook but I cannot find Hormel roast beef for the life of me. My family won't eat spam or ham, but I'm sure they'd eat the roast beef. Anyone know if it is only sold in certain parts of the country or something?

-- Amy Leone (leoneamy@aol.com), November 18, 1999.

Amy:

The only place I've ever seen the Hormel roast beef is in K-Mart. I was told that all K-Marts carry it.

-- Sally Strackbein (sally@y2kkitchen.com), November 18, 1999.

Okay, I'll look there. I tried three different grocery stores. Thanks for answering so quick!

-- Amy Leone (leoneamy@aol.com), November 18, 1999.

Sounds like: I need new brakes on my car. The brakes won't work at all on Jan. 1. I don't have the slightest idea how to put brakes on. I have been gathering the parts (which may or not be specifically for my type of car), reading books, and will finish the job on Dec 31. I won't have time to test the brakes, but will immediately have to start driving the car on Jan. 1. Not to worry, I have contingency plans. These plans will cover me, but maybe not you, if you are in my path. I have medical insurance, car insurance, and have made out my will. As of now, I consider myself, Y2Brake Ready.

-- brakeman (bill@tinfoil.com), November 18, 1999.

I am planning on putting 90% of my new brakes on 80% of my wheels. I'm going to look at those darn tricky hard to get at bits like bleed nipples on 75% of my wheels.

No problem, eh?

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

I think I'll stay home with my cans and woodstove.

-- Sally Strackbein (sally@y2kkitchen.com), November 18, 1999.

Thanks for the report Sally. Keep up the good work.

The JIT system of inventory management is a real source of concern in the food industry.

-- snooze button (alarmclock_2000@yahoo.com), November 18, 1999.

Sally Strackbein will be among the panelists on two programs at George Washington University on Friday, November 19 and Tuesday, November 23. The Y2K & Food Concerns Panel is Friday from 7 - 9:30 PM. The Family and Community Preparedness Panel is on Tuesday, from 7:10 to 10 PM. If you live in the Washington, DC area or if you have friends or family who do, please let them know about these free programs. All the details are below:

GW UNIVERSITY NOVEMBER Y2K CONFERENCE SERIES AGENDA "The Y2K and Embedded Systems Crisis: Continuing Pre-Rollover Concerns and Imperatives"

The George Washington University

Washington, DC

Remaining Programs: November 19 and 23, 1999

Sponsored by The George Washington University Y2K Group of the Research Program for Social and Organizational Learning (RPSOL), Department of Management Science, School of Business and Public Management, The George Washington University

This Conference Series is free and open to the public and the media. While no registration is required, please RSVP if possible for planning purposes to waz@gwu.edu Thank you.

Please feel free to forward this to your associates.

**********************************************************************

Friday, November 19

103 Funger Hall, 23rd & G Streets, NW

4:10 - 4:30 PM Introductory Remarks

____________________________________________________________________

4:30  6 PM Panel: "Update on Y2K-Related Health Care System and Health Care Concerns"

Presenters: Paul Albergo, Managing Editor, Health Care Policy Report, Bureau of National Affairs

Margaret Anderson, Director of Policy, Center for Y2K and Society

______________________________________________________________________

6  7:00 PM Video Presentation: "Y2K Health and Quality of Life Issues  What More Needs to be Done?" Video of panel discussion from July Y2K Conference at GWU.

______________________________________________________________________

[Optional Dinner Break from 6:00 to 7:00 PM during video presentation]

______________________________________________________________________

7 - 10 PM Panel: "Y2K and Food Concerns"

Moderator: Stuart Umpleby, Professor of Management Science and Director, RPSOL, GWU Panelists: Sally Strackbein, Y2K Kitchen (http://www.y2kkitchen.com) and Vice President, The Northern Virginia Year 2000 Community Action Group (NOVA Y2K)

Jay Golter, Acting President, The Northern Virginia Year 2000 Community Action Group (NOVA Y2K)

Mark Frautschi, Senior Analyst, Center for Y2K & Society

Tuesday, November 23

Two concurrent sessions

Session A: 103 Funger Hall, 23rd & G Streets, NW

Session B: 108 Funger Hall, 23rd & G Streets, NW

______________________________________________________________________

Session A (103 Funger Hall)

7:10 - 10 PM Panel: "Family and Community Preparedness, Including Attention to Preparedness Concerns for Poor and Underserved Populations"

Moderator: Philip Bogdonoff, Center for Y2K and Society

Panelists: Jay Golter, Acting President, Northern Virginia Year 2000 Community Action Group (NOVA Y2K) (Invited)

David Gershon, Director, Global Action Plan (Invited)

Sally Strackbein, Y2K Kitchen (http://www.y2kkitchen.com) and Vice President, The Northern Virginia Year 2000 Community Action Group (NOVA Y2K)

Ray Strackbein, Information Systems Consultant, Reston, VA

Representative: National Congress for Community Economic Development (Invited) Faith Community Representative (TBA)

______________________________________________________________________

Session B (108 Funger Hall)

7:30 -10 PM Panel: "National and Global Initiatives Aimed at Minimizing Impacts: Exploration of Alternatives in the Light of Political and Organizational Constraints"

Moderator: Paula Gordon, Director of Special Projects, RPSOL, GWU

Panelists: Dr. Lawrence de Bivort, Director, Global Y2K Consortium

Norman Dean, Director, Center for Y2K and Society

Stuart Umpleby, Professor of Management Science and Director, RPSOL, GWU

Dr. Robert Alloway, Director, National Leadership Task Force on Y2K (Invited)

Margaret Anderson, Director for Policy, Center for Y2K and Society

Jim Moody, CEO and President, InterAction

*********************************************************************

Watch the Announcements page at http://www.gwu.edu/~y2k/keypeople/gordon for further updates.

**********************************************************************

-- Paula Gordon (pgordon@erols.com), November 18, 1999.

Ok let me see.. after reading this report it seems that over 50% of the food industry will be 75% ready. Wow.. I see.. thats 39% will be ready. But Gartner Group feels encouraged. I don't do you?

Oh BTW did ya'll know that feed for livestock is kept in storage bins that require electricity to get it out? And that grain elevators have blowers that keep it from rotting and/or overheating?

I think another trip to Sam's club is in order.

-- Stacia (ClassyCwgl@aol.com), November 18, 1999.

"75 percent have initiated work on embedded systems."

I like that word "initiated". I don't like what it means here.

-- Mike Lang (webflier@erols.com), November 18, 1999.