Grilling Tips for Independence Day

It's hard to believe that it's July already and Independence Day is right around the corner. I'm hoping the month brings warm, dry weather to my part of South Dakota, ideal for baling hay and growing crops. With the weekend festivities about to commence, I'm sure many of you will be grilling out with family. I ran across a USDA press release offering summer grilling tips for consumers, and because it's full of food safety pointers when preparing meat, I encourage you to help me spread the word to our consumers, in the hopes that they have a fun, safe and enjoyable holiday weekend.

Here is what USDA has to say on summer grilling tips: The Fourth of July is nearly upon us, and many Americans will celebrate our nation's birthday by grilling or attending cookouts. USDA is reminding consumers that following safe food handling steps are the key to making your cookout safe and healthy for your guests.

"Barbecuing is a great way to celebrate Independence Day, and it's important to take a few seconds to measure your food temperature to help protect your family and friends this summer," says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Make a food thermometer your most important grilling tool."

USDA has four basic steps to help you "Be Food Safe" and declare independence from foodborne illness any time of year: clean, separate, cook and chill. For a great video, link here.

To read the entire article, link here. What are your plans for the weekend? Are you headed somewhere to do something fun, or will you be stuck at home baling hay or doing other chores? What cuts of beef will you be grilling this weekend? And, who will you be celebrating the holiday with?