SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
FOR RELEASE: July 23, 2003
CONTACT: Dave Micklos, 605-773-3364

USDA Food Safety Mobile comes to South Dakota Fairs

     PIERRE – The USDA Food Safety Mobile is coming to South Dakota! Come see the Mobile at the South Dakota State Fair in Huron July 31-August 3, and at the Sioux Empire Fair in Sioux Falls August 5-10. 

     The USDA Food Safety Mobile is a colorful and dynamic form of “mobile messaging” to educate and reinforce to consumers the importance of handling food safely. USDA and state food safety experts will be with the Mobile to demonstrate safe food handling, thermometer usage and answer your food safety questions.

     “The Food Safety Mobile is a great opportunity for consumers to learn the four steps of to food safety – clean, separate, cook and chill,” said Dave Micklos, Director of Health Protection for the South Dakota Department of Health. “While the government and industry work to make sure the food supply is safe, it’s important that consumers learn what they can do to prevent foodborne illness at home.”             

     Don’t miss your opportunity to see the mobile as it makes its way across the country. It will only be here for a short time before motoring on to its next destination. 

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Note: Media looking for additional information on the USDA Food Safety Mobile should contact USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service at (301) 504-9605 or foodsafetymobile@fsis.usda.gov. Consumer inquiries should be directed to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854).

The USDA Food Safety Mobile is 35 feet long, 8.5 feet wide, 11 feet tall, and weighs about 23,000 pounds, when loaded. The mobile features a colorful collage of cartoon food safety characters and landmarks from around the country, including Mount Rushmore.