Keep your Memorial Day cookout safe with these essential tips!

Many will be grilling in lite of Memorial Day; however, the CDC warns that millions could get sick from grilling mistakes.

Meredith Carothers, a food and safety expert with USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline, shares some crucial tips to ensure your cookout is safe and enjoyable.

“I would say the biggest would be not fully cooking the foods on the grill. Using the same utensil that you use to put all the raw stuff on the grill to take the cooked stuff. Certain bacteria can live on surfaces for like 72 hours so. Think about it. You’re making dinner. You’ve touched chicken. Touched your spice containers without washing your hands. And then in the morning you’re cooking eggs and you want to use the same spice in your eggs or something. And then that gets all touched to other places. So yeah, it’s just crazy what your hands can move around.”

For more food safety tips, or if you have questions, click HERE.

Related Stories
Farmer and retired colonial Joe Ricker joined us to highlight Ag Safety Awareness Program Week, share his work supporting veterans and farmers, and offer guidance on making safety a year-round priority on the farm.
Dry conditions may tighten hay supplies before summer growth. John Mays of Central Life Sciences joined us to discuss the risks of extended grain storage, how quality can be affected over time, and what growers can do to protect their grain while waiting for market opportunities.
Restored base acres strengthen cotton risk protection.
Britt Hilton with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau joined us to discuss current conditions, producer impacts, and the road to recovery following the Ranger Road Fire.
The closure of Lubbock Feeders highlights mounting pressure on the U.S. cattle supply, according to the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, as border restrictions and costs strain feedyards.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

It’s National FFA Week, and today we’re celebrating Alumni Day by highlighting some inspiring former FFA members making an impact in agriculture and beyond.
William Lee Golden joined us to talk about his farming roots, his storied career with the Oak Ridge Boys, and how his new book and music continue to reflect the values that have guided him throughout his life and career.
Glyphosate and phosphorus are deemed critical to U.S. national defense, ensuring farmers’ access while signaling a shift toward regenerative agriculture. RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney shares insight on the Trump Administration’s move and what it could mean for U.S. farmers moving forward.
Claire Woeppel, Central Region Vice President with the National FFA Organization, joined us to discuss Alumni Day, the lasting impact of FFA supporters, and why honoring that legacy matters during National FFA Week.
UNL Extension’s Troy Walz discusses the Nebraska Ranch Practicum, where sessions are held, how producers can get involved, and what ranchers can gain from participating in the program.
The Ranger Road Fire in the Oklahoma Panhandle is now 65% contained after burning nearly 300,000 acres over the past week. Kevin Charleston of Specialty Risk Insurance Agency discusses wildfire recovery, livestock insurance considerations, and the importance of preparedness for producers across the Southern Plains.