10 steps to protect your operation against cyberattacks

I just finished writing an article about cybersecurity targeted for a wider processing audience, and even though they didn’t put a strict word count on me, there simply wasn’t enough room for the article to get down into the weeds of prevention, particularly for the small processors.

If you read the article (coming soon to ProvisionerOnline.com, and will be linked here), you should come to realize that no one is immune from cyberattacks these days. The belief that “I’m too small to be noticed or hit hard,” is misguided at best and a crock at worst.

So, exactly how does a small operator protect itself from cyberattack?   

Here are my top 10 thoughts on what you can do:

1) Use real passwords.  A minimum of 12 digits, use numbers, special symbols, caps, etc.  Do NOT share them!  Change them often.

2) Use a network firewall on your incoming Internet connection, not just a router — and don’t rely on the Windows computer firewall as your only line of defense.

3) The QuickBooks computer needs to be on its own network and only limited people can have access to it!  Encrypt your data!

4) If you have WiFi for your customers, keep it on a separate, isolated network.

5) Limit the duties or capabilities assigned to in-house computers.  If you have a smokehouse computer, for example, then just use it for the smokehouse, not for surfing the Internet!

6) Update your computer operating systems!  Security updates are often deployed based on an active threat.

7) Segment your network. Your guest access WiFi, for example, should not be connected to your main network, and your finance/point of sales system should have its own network. Everything should be siloed so that the bad guys can’t take everything down in one or two shots.  Computers used to connect to email, surf the Web for research/social media, etc., should be isolated to a separate network and should be identified in your firewall as high-risk devices.

8) Have an outsourced IT expert review your setup; and when you look at the ROI on this move, imagine having to replace every computer in your shop, the lost time, the lost customers, etc., versus what becomes a minimal cost of having an expert set up and maintain your systems.

9) Look at your options and determine what your level of risk is.  If you are a super-small shop with two computers and a basic Internet connection, it might make the most sense to simply add a firewall box. You can get one with a very good next-generation firewall for less than $300.

10) If an employee leaves your company and they had access to your networks, you need to change the passwords ASAP!

At the end of the day, cybersecurity information can appear overwhelming — there is a lot of information on how to protect your business — but you must educate yourself and your team.  Make sure your team understands that your business systems are not meant to be used for surfing the Web and that passwords cannot be shared.  Finally, at the absolute very least, please run virus/malware protection. Windows ships with built-in security tools, please use them!

— Andrew Lorenz, president, We R Food Safety!, andrew@werfoodsafety.com

MEATOUT, Meat on the Menu proclamations? Who cares, it’s all grandstanding

A couple weeks ago, it began: Yet another war of words, proclamations and stupid political and media grandstanding over whether consumers should eat meat or not. I’m growing seriously weary of these headlines crossing my news and social media feeds.

I’m also getting tired of saying the same things over and over on this, but please, spare yourself the increased blood pressure, and simply ignore the stupidity. On both sides. All sides, should there be more than two.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared March 20, 2021, “MEATOUT DAY” in Colorado. So what?

Colorado State Sen. Jerry Sonnenburg came out strong against the attack on the agriculture industry in response. SO WHAT?

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts then countered his neighboring state’s move by declaring a “Meat on the Menu Day” in Nebraska. SO WHAT?!?!?!?

Did any of these announcements truly move the needle either direction for or against meat production in either of these states, let alone the country? I say, “Not likely.”

For the last 15 years or so, I’ve been telling the readers of The National Provisioner that there simply is too large a silent majority of meat eaters out there who don’t care what the activists have to say or what the activists do to try and convince them to ditch the animal protein. That’s nationwide, in my opinion: from the conservative small-town and rural ag people, to those darned “lib-ruhls” in the urban areas who’ve never been on a farm. Not a single one of this silent majority would trade his or her pork chops for a new pickup or Porterhouse for a Prius, even if you think they would.

Furthermore, how many people listen to the government about what to eat, when or how? How many people cook their meats properly because the government says that’s the safest move? Does anyone even care about the Food Pyramid or whatever the government might be suggesting for daily intake of foods? Coloradans who loved the “MEATOUT” proclamation likely were already eating less meat, and Nebraskans who loved the “Meat on the Menu” proclamation likely had a big steak ready for dinner that day already.

Let’s remember that, although our form of government means we need politicians in order to represent us, they don’t always do that. And when they don’t represent you individually, you need to measure the gravity of the situation properly.

These proclamations were nothing more than grandstanding for the media and political donors — both left-wing and right-wing outlets (depending on which proclamation, of course). Nothing more, nothing less.

Carry on with your processing — whether that’s meat, poultry or other food product — and when the news starts talking about these dumb proclamations, remember that anyone can request proclamations, at least in most states.

Then, remind yourself that the quality and safety of your own product has much more bearing on whether your customers come back than what your governor says about meat or food in general.

— Andy Hanacek, vice president of Communications, andyh@werfoodsafety.com

Beyond Meat’s ambitions have always been beyond reality

Some years ago, I spoke with the owner of the company that makes the Beyond Burger, and I asked him whom the target audience was for his product. Although I cannot remember his exact words, it truly can be summarized really easily in one word. He said, basically, “everyone” is the target audience for the Beyond Burger.

Now, I personally enjoy a big personality, so I just let that response ride, no problem. I can’t fault a person who truly believes in his product and his mission — heck, anybody would have to in order to dedicate their life to such a mission. It was the next statement, though, that stunned me.

Again, the exact words escape me after so many years — and because I was focused on keeping control of my eyes, which were trying desperately to roll — but he followed up by saying he wanted to take over the meat industry. See, there go my eyes, rolling again at that sort of ambition, which is, frankly, Napoleonic.

My background is food safety and security. I am a Midwesterner, which I like to think means I am a little more practical than our less-fortunate coastal cousins. A very important and practical part of food security is being able to obtain food (often, you hear about “food insecurity” in the news). Food security can take on many forms. I can raise and slaughter livestock. I can also grab my compound bow, head out to the stand and pull down a year supply of venison. That’s good ol’ traditional food security that people in heavily urban and suburban locales cannot possibly obtain, let alone understand. Our monstrous, efficient food supply chain makes it possible for many people to experience food security without raising or hunting for animals. The meat industry supplies enough product to meet that demand without blinking an eye.

Could everyone hunt for their meat or raise their meat in their backyard? Certainly not to the extent of the supply needed today — and that further illustrates why Beyond Burger’s desire to take over the meat industry is beyond reality. You see, I can sustain my own demand for animal protein easily enough, but not even I can raise a field of yellow peas, process them and run them through a half-million-dollar extruder the size of a Greyhound bus if I wanted a Beyond Burger. Are they planning to put a pea field in every yard or just make us dependent on the company and its pea producers? Even if I had a bazillion acres at my disposal here in the Midwest, the climate kind of gets in the way of those Napoleonic dreams. And that doesn’t even get me started on the environmental reasons why Beyond wants to take over the meat industry. My eyes are rolling again. This Missouri girl is not falling for it.

Now, I’ll say this: The Beyond Burger is not bad. They are better after a couple of stiff drinks and some mood lighting. Also, I cannot blame a guy for having big dreams. That is one of the best things about being an American. But the other thing that’s great about being an American is the fact that this Missouri girl can look at reality and tell him he can kiss her 100%-Vegan grits.

He will take over the meat industry when pigs fly.

— Martha Gore, Food Safety Consultant, martha@werfoodsafety.com