Outreach to the WI and USA meat industry is a long and cherished tradition at MSABD and is rooted into the land grant missions of teaching, research, and extension. All three have outreach elements connecting knowledge on campus to stakeholders. Whether it was finding the cause and solution to PSE (pale, soft, exudative),  improving food safety by helping to define HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control points), or developing extension programs like “Meat for Modern Living”, UW faculty and staff support the meat industry and consumers.

Modern programs like Master Meat Crafters is a continuation of this tradition – training forward-thinking professionals in today’s meat industry to grow their businesses and create new artisan products.

MSABD is also committed to providing solutions to problems faced by industry. In 2021, the USDA released new Appendix B guidelines that threatened to put small scale producers out of business without purchasing expensive new equipment. In collaboration with industry and the University’s Food Research Institute, MSABD created, tested, and validated a cost-effective retrofit to existing impingement ovens that met the new requirements.

The state-of-the-art facility will enable the Meat Extension program to continue to train meat science professionals in facilities relevant to the meat industry and inspire advancements in meat production.

Today MSABD works with companies across Wisconsin, the United States, and the globe – from France to China. Companies are able to conduct research side by side with MSABD to answer questions that improve their product – without halting production in their own facility – in studies as small as $3,000. Many projects focus on improving public health by focusing on food safety and making sure the food we eat is safe to eat.

From on-air radio shows to in-person county fairs, MSABD Extension provides outreach to support Wisconsin’s agricultural community. 4-H and FFA students visit MSABD for meat judging competitions. Advanced audio-visual equipment allows outreach programs to be broadcast to a worldwide audience, even during the worse of the COVID 19 pandemic.

MSABD will continue to be a partner going forward, and it looks forward to further connecting with the storied Wisconsin meat industry and sharing with others our discoveries.