National Emu Week Coordinator Announced
"There will be a lot of activities going on during National Emu Week," stated Reavis.
(EMAILWIRE.COM, February 21, 2008 ) San Angelo, TX - For the eighth year in a row, Joylene Reavis, president of the Wisconsin Emu Association (WIEA), has been appointed National Chairperson for 2007 National Emu Week (NEW.). Sponsored by the American Emu Association (AEA), NEW is a nine-day promotional event starting on the first Saturday and running through the second Sunday in May. NEW will be celebrated from May 3 through May 11, this year. Mrs. Reavis will be working with State Coordinators across the country as they prepare for the nine-day event.
"There will be a lot of activities going on during National Emu Week,"
stated Reavis. "Many of the farmers will be sponsoring contests, guest speaking, having open house, or giving farm tours to schoolchildren, nursing home residents and the general public." Reavis went on to say that contests sponsored ranged from cooking with emu meat to egg decorating contests.
Emus are members of the ratite family, which includes ostrich, kiwi, cassowary and rhea. Native to Australia, emu are raised in the United States for their Heart HealthyT red meat. Important food co-products from this bird include leather, feathers and the fat, which is turned into an omega rich oil used in health and beauty products.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, emu are being raised on over 5,000 farms across the country. Many of these farms sell their finished, consumer ready products online or at local farmers markets.
Consumers unable to locate a local source can request help online from the AEA at http://www.aea-emu.org/WebForms/Inquiry-Retail.htm.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN EMU ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1989, the AEA is a nonprofit organization of breeders, producers and marketers of emu meat, oil and other emu co-products. AEA's mission is to establish value of emu products through research, market development and industry positioning. A Board of Directors elected by its members governs all AEA activities. Through the voluntary efforts of its members, the AEA has worked to develop a consistent numbering system and nomenclature for cuts of meat, gained mandatory USDA inspection of emu meat at processing, gained acceptance for the emu into the National Poultry Improvement Plan, has established international trade rules for emu oil and created an Oil Certification Program to ensure the consumer a safe product. The AEA publishes the EMUpdate, a bimonthly newsletter, several industry flyers and sales aids along with the National Convention handouts.
