On RFD-TV: Gary Sullivan

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03/08/2022 Added

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The Covid-19 pandemic illuminated issues that small meat processors have faced for years. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has announced plans for the Small Meat Processing Plant of the Future, to address those issues. Nebraska Associate Professor of Meat Science Gary Sullivan discussed the project live on RFD-TV, March 8, 2022.

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[00:00:00.330]Well COVID-19 highlighted issues small meat processors
[00:00:03.870]have faced for a number of years.
[00:00:05.430]In an effort to address these challenges. The University of
[00:00:08.010]Nebraska-Lincoln has announced plans for the small meat
[00:00:11.190]processing plant of the future.
[00:00:13.350]Associate Professor of Meat Science, Gary Sullivan joins
[00:00:16.320]us now with the latest on this program.
[00:00:18.420]And Gary, thanks for your time here this morning.
[00:00:20.640]Can you give us a little overview of this facility?
[00:00:23.610]Thanks for the invitation.
[00:00:27.870]We're really excited about the opportunity coming up with the
[00:00:30.540]meat plant of the future.
[00:00:31.710]The University of Nebraska has a long standing tradition and
[00:00:34.860]a history of serving the land grant mission of teaching
[00:00:37.650]research and extension for our state and beyond.
[00:00:40.710]The meat plant of the future provides the opportunity to
[00:00:43.530]really help support and strengthen the meat industry,
[00:00:47.400]both locally and regionally.
[00:00:50.250]With the expansion and the renovation of our existing
[00:00:53.940]facility, we do have the opportunity to increase
[00:00:56.190]workforce development and training, we also look at a
[00:00:58.890]strong opportunity to help facilitate the small livestock
[00:01:02.670]producer and entrepreneur who wants to enter into the direct
[00:01:05.820]marketing before we can connect them with the other
[00:01:08.340]small processors throughout the state.
[00:01:10.660]In addition, we look forward to providing a flexibility of
[00:01:15.040]training to really provide that skilled labor across the
[00:01:19.750]the differences in processing plants in sizes and scope.
[00:01:23.710]We also look forward to continuing the strength in the
[00:01:26.200]meat science extension programming that we have
[00:01:28.690]provided.
[00:01:30.310]Gary, you mentioned the workforce and like many
[00:01:32.980]industries, small meat processors are definitely
[00:01:35.230]facing workforce shortages.
[00:01:36.730]How will the small plant of the future help address those?
[00:01:41.440]One challenge with the meat industry is most people are
[00:01:43.960]unaware of the opportunities and really well paying careers
[00:01:47.110]that are associated with it.
[00:01:48.510]And so one of the things we want to do is help promote
[00:01:50.970]those opportunities that are out there and provide a
[00:01:53.670]diversity of training opportunities that spans from
[00:01:56.160]a non discrete degree seeking students to through all those
[00:01:59.460]that we have traditionally served through bachelor's and
[00:02:03.120]graduate degrees.
[00:02:04.710]And so the meat plant of the future has the opportunity to
[00:02:07.080]really provide that immersive training and provide that
[00:02:10.020]skilled labor that is needed by the industry.
[00:02:12.960]And what is the timeline for this project?
[00:02:17.130]Yeah, so for the timeline, we had a good meeting last month
[00:02:20.550]that with the Nebraska Association of Meat Processors
[00:02:22.950]at their annual convention, and then we got really strong
[00:02:25.800]feedback about the partnerships that we can form
[00:02:28.740]in increasing both the training and also the
[00:02:30.900]placement of it.
[00:02:31.860]And also look at the small processors to help promote the
[00:02:35.010]opportunities in the industry itself.
[00:02:37.140]And so we look at some of those training programs to
[00:02:39.870]really get going over the next six months or so to six to 12
[00:02:43.230]months.
[00:02:43.860]As far as renovations and more extensive programming, they're
[00:02:47.010]taking place over the next couple years.
[00:02:49.170]But it's really an exciting time here at University of
[00:02:51.450]Nebraska and the meat industry as a whole.
[00:02:54.230]And Gary, you mentioned you guys are just getting started
[00:02:56.960]here. What has been the feedback on the program so
[00:03:00.860]far.
[00:03:02.960]So you know they look forward to the partnership that we can
[00:03:06.680]form and really help fill that skilled labor need that they
[00:03:09.500]have.
[00:03:10.190]They look for opportunities to grow and we look at them as a
[00:03:13.010]partner and we are here to serve them.
[00:03:15.710]We are the people's university.
[00:03:18.350]Oh, wonderful.
[00:03:19.010]Well, thank you very much for joining us this morning.
[00:03:20.690]University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Associate
[00:03:22.460]Professor of Meat Science Gary Sullivan connecting with us
[00:03:25.730]this morning.
[00:03:26.120]You can go online to unl.edu for more information

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