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MU pilot program to train workers for smaller meat plants

The University of Missouri is working on a training program for workers of smaller meat processing facilities.

Bryon Wiegand, animal sciences director says they’re working on a plan to train and recruit justice-involved individuals, “That terminology is being used for those folks that may have been incarcerated through the Missouri Department of Corrections and, quite frankly, outside of Missouri. But we’re focusing on Missouri at the moment.”

Wiegand says the skilled labor training needed to work in a meat processing facility is typically offered in-house at the big packing companies, “These very small processing plants rarely have time to train personnel because often they’re in the midst of doing the job already and there’s some difficulty there.”

Wiegand says they’re also looking to get upgraded equipment at the Mizzou Meat Market for the training through funding from the Missouri Department of Agriculture and MU CAFNR. They’re also looking at using mobile training units for a wider outreach. He says three-million dollars is coming from the pandemic relief CARES act passed by Congress.