ASU hosts Annual Reciprocal Meat Conference

ASU is planning to host its 69th annual Reciprocal Meat Conference starting June 17-22. The event will be held on campus and at varying locations around San Angelo.   

The Reciprocal Meat Conference serves as the American Meat Science Associations annual meeting. This year’s meeting is being hosted by ASU’s Department of Agriculture. These meetings are conducted near university campuses and feature interactive programs that are tailored to give attendees an inspiring educational experience.

Some of those in attendance include meat science professionals in academia, government and industry, as well as undergraduate and graduate students in meat and food sciences fields at college universities throughout the U.S.  

“ASU is the first smaller regional university ever to host the AMSA Reciprocal Meat Conference,” said Dr. Mike Salisbury, chair of the ASU Agriculture Department. “This opportunity is a direct reflection on our quality meat science and other agriculture programs, as well as our excellent students and state-of-the-art facilities. Industry professionals and students from all over the country will get a firsthand look at our department, our campus and our community. It will also be a great learning and networking opportunity for our students interested in meat and food science careers.”   

Student activities and a contest will start Friday through Sunday, June 17-19. These include a Processed Meats Judging Contest on Friday, the Iron Chef Product Development Contest on Saturday at ASU’s Management, Instruction and Research Center.  

Graduate and undergraduate Student Research Poster Competitions and the Undergraduate Meat Science Quiz Bowl Competition will take place Sunday in the Houston Harte University Center.   

The conference highlights for Monday, June 20, include the Opening General Session at 8 a.m. in the University Center, and will feature U.S. Congressman Mike Conaway and David Rouzer as the keynote speakers.  

Conaway represents Texas’ 11th Congressional District and is the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture. Rouzer represents North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District and is the chairmen of the House Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.

The remainder of the conference includes informational, technical and business sessions for the meat science professionals in attendance, but there will also be a softball and golf tournament, as well as country music concerts and spouse and family tours of local area attractions. An award ceremony and banquet is also scheduled.

The full conference schedule and list of events is available at www.meatscience.org/events-education/rmc/schedule-of-events, with additional information available at www.meatscience.org/rmc.