Research Accomplishment Reports 2007

Meats

G. Rentfrow
Department of Animal and Food Sciences

 

Project Description

University of Kentucky Meat Cutting School.  Before the industry shifted to boxed meats, meat cutting schools dotted the landscape.  Companies would send employees to these schools to learn about the meats industry, meat quality, and proper cutting methods.  Then during the 1970's these school started to close and the older, more experienced cutters would train the younger, less experienced cutters.  However, like bad rumors, the knowledge became tainted and less accurate.  The UK meat cutting school started as a collaboration between UK and Kroger.  The meat buyers in the Louisville division of Kroger confided in me the lack of general meats knowledge of their meat cutters.  I wrote the curriculum, which was approved by Kroger, and began training Kroger meat cutters during the summer.  The morning lectures covered topics such as meat quality, culinary issues, and the livestock and meats industry, during cutting demonstrations and meat cutting training occurred during the hands-on portion of the afternoon.  The UK meat cutting school has gained in popularity and has expanded to Kentucky’s meat processors.  Currently, I am training meat cutters from Foothills Country Meats, Bluegrass Lamb and Goat, and Fairplay Meats about the meats industry, meat quality, and how to break down carcasses into retail cuts to gain the maximum profit per cut.

Developing Locally Owned, Raised, Produced Meat and Food Products.  The popularity of locally owned, raised, or produced meat and food products has exploded in the last five years.  Small farms and livestock producers or farms replacing tobacco income are beginning to venture into selling or producing meat from their animals or vegetables and fruits from their farm to add value or extra income to their farms.  These individuals need help producing these items within the letter of the law, shelf-life determination, process validation, or labeling issues.

Impact

University of Kentucky Meat Cutting School.  Through communication with meat department managers, store managers, and the head meat buyers at Kroger the UK Meat Cutting School has had a tremendous impact on the company.  Employee turnover has decreased as 66 of the 67 meat cutters that went throught the school are still with the company, and they are receiving postive customer comments about the knowledge of the meat cutters.  Meat processors that have used the services offered by the school have commented about how they are able to offer the newer beef cuts like the Flat Iron Steak and Shoulder Tender Medellions to their customers, as well as increase their profits through better cutting techniques. 

Developing Locally Owned, Raised, Produced Meat and Food Products.  This program has helped several family farms, direct marketers of meat from the farms livestock, and small meat and food processors.  The popularity of locally produced food products has increased tremendously, but one bad or unsafe food product can distroy this current food movement.  We have able to help the individuals with producing safe, proper labeled, legal meat and food products.  Through our efforts the popularity of this food movement continues to grow.