In April we were very excited to have several groups come to see what we do!
Purdue Veterinary students who are looking at public health as a career choice came here to spend time on the harvest floor. The USDA actually hires more vets than private practices and they had the opportunity to speak with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) personnel. Jessica did an overview with them prior to touring to discuss how regulations affect the meat processing business. The group happened to be all women and they shared what it is like to be a woman in agriculture.
FFA students from Tippecanoe Valley High School toured the harvest and the processing floors, watching the beef they raised get processed into various cuts of meat and patties. Lucas, our Farm to Fork Manager showed them the harvest floor, describing how the animals are handled using our robust humane handling plan from the unloading, to the stunning, skinning, and trimming. Then Adam, our Value Added Butcher, took them into the coolers and showed them hanging beef and described how beef are first cut into large sections known as primals and then showed them how fat determines grade and quality. Finally the group went onto the processing floor and Kerry, our Head Butcher, demonstrated how the primals are then cut into roasts or steaks, or ground and made into patties, depending on customer preference.
Twenty people attended our last Farmer Meeting which included a tour. Lucas and Adam led this one as well. Adam showed quality grade and yield on two beef with differing fat profiles to observe. Our goal here was to train the producer that the quality of the product starts well before we get it into our coolers. We had good conversation with the producers about raising and marketing grass-fed beef and pork.
We welcome groups to come visit and take a tour of our facility. Please contact Jessica if you want to bring a group here for a tour!