Success StoryProcessed Meats Clinic



Processed Meats Clinic

Author: Gregg Rentfrow

Planning Unit: Animal and Food Sciences

Major Program: Agriculture and Extension Leadership Development

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

Meat snacks is the fastest growing segment of the snack food industry.  Meat processors in the Southeast focus on fresh meats and do not take advantage of processed meats.  Those meat processors in the Midwest and Northern states that take advantage of processed meats can add an additional 30% to 35% in sales.  In addition, Extension Agents are always looking for new programing ideas and hunters and do-it-yourselfers have been asking county agents for these types of programming.  This year we offered three, one day Processed Meats Clinics for Extension agents, meat processors, and Kentucky High School Agriculture Instructors, respectively.  An additional Processed Meats Clinic was added for Ag Teachers as a Professional Development Day and was done in cooperation with the UK Agriculture Education Program.  Each clinic hosted 30 people and was well received.  We discussed with Extension Agents and Ag Teachers what equipment is needed and how to develop these programs to effectively teach extension clientele and students.  We plan more of these clinics in the future and specialists need to works more closely with Kentucky's Ag Teachers to help recruit more students into UK.