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Mizzou meat lab targets workforce, processing needs

A new meat lab at the University of Missouri is being used to address meat processing and industry needs across the state.

“This is the meats processing facility for Missouri,” says Bryon Wiegand, the director of the Michael L. Parson Meat Lab.

He says the facility gives MU more opportunities to work directly with meat processors.

“If they have an issue where they say we don’t know why this product isn’t working for us, we can work with them in a consulting role and maybe make that same product using their process and try to troubleshoot it for them.”

The 25,000 square foot meat lab opened this summer, and includes meat processing, classrooms for teaching and workforce development, lab research and an expansion of a meat market storefront.

Wiegand tells Brownfield the champion livestock from the Missouri State Fair were the first to be processed in the facility.

“It went great,” he says. “In fact, we’re just breaking the beef, it’s been long-aged, for class as a demo.”

Meat science classes are underway in the building, and the American Foods Group Meat Market at Mizzou opened in August. While some equipment in the lab is still being installed or commissioned, the new space has been hosting industry events and tours.

The Missouri Association of Meat Processors recently held a fall meeting there in September. The American Lamb Board, Beef Improvement Federation and Missouri ag organizations are expected to host events in the next year.

“Almost every person that walks through it says it doesn’t look like a meat processing plant and I can’t believe you actually got it done. It’s all the things in one footprint,” Wiegand says. “Riding for this brand is what we’ve done forever and the fact that we’ve landed it is pretty cool.”

He says MU is adding dedicated staff, with 20 to 25 student employees expected to work in the building once processing reaches full production.

The lab is named in honor of former Missouri Governor Mike Parson, and is located south of the Trowbridge Livestock Center on the Mizzou campus. A ribbon cutting for the lab is scheduled for October 9.