New University of Idaho Meat Lab Draws Similarities with MSABD
The University of Idaho (U of I) recently broke ground on their new Meat Science and Innovation Center Honoring Ron Richard. Richard, who passed away several years ago, ran Vandal Brand Meats, the U of I’s meat retail outlet, for over three decades (members of the U of I community are nicknamed Vandals). Remembered for his passion and helping build the reputation of the meat science program at U of I, Richard was also an instructor at the university and coached a livestock judging team.
Like MSABD, the Meat Science and Innovation Center Honoring Ron Richard is a collective effort between state government, a public land-grant research university, and industry. Their investment of $14.1 million will fill a crucial role training skilled workers for new meat processing plants in Idaho. The Idaho cattle industry is thought to have 2.5 million cattle, valued at $2.6 billion, spread across 8,100 operations. The U of I meat science program currently has a 100% job placement rate for graduates. The Meat Science and Innovation Center Honoring Ron Richard will be one of the few USDA-inspected processing plants in northern Idaho.
Flexibility and efficiency also come with the new Meat Science and Innovation Center Honoring Ron Richard. More workshops and educational programming are planned as there will now be dedicated spaces for such events, versus their shutting down all other activities as is the case in the current 1960s era building. The cutting-edge equipment to be installed will facilitate hands-on learning, and the additional space in the building is expected to expand the meat science program’s research footprint.
The Meat Science and Innovation Center Honoring Ron Richard is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2025 and will feature 12,750 square feet. It will be located on U of I’s main campus in Moscow, ID, approximately 225 miles NNW of Boise. For more information on the Meat Science and Innovation Center Honoring Ron Richard, please visit:
https://www.uidaho.edu/news/news-articles/news-releases/2023/102423-meatsciencelab
This article was posted in Program Features.