Pork 101 @ The University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Below is an article written about my trip to Pork 101 at the University of Nebraska. The article was written and published by Daymon Worldwide in 2008.

LINCOLN, NE – April 18, 2008 – Rob Kirchofer, Perishable Business Manager at the Hy-Vee account in Des Moines, IA, wrapped up Pork 101 training April 17th. Pork 101 is a three-day course conducted at the University Nebraska. Sessions are also held at Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Iowa State Universities. These Universities were chosen as the learning venues because of their renowned meat programs and professional staffs. Nebraska is known throughout the world as a leader in muscle profiling.


University of Nebraska also brought in experts from the pork industry to help educate associates, including David Meisinger, a highly regarded consultant with the National Pork Board, who led a session on hog handling and pork quality management at slaughter. Ben Huisinga from Townsend also led a presentation on plant machinery and equipment which actually showed the students the equipment used in the pork plants and how they work.My objective for participating in Pork 101 was to help increase my knowledge and to become recognized by the customer as a leader in this important category in the perishable department. I feel I now have a better understanding of how pork products such as sausage, ham, bacon, pork ribs and tenderloins are produced and merchandised. I am definitely better prepared to speak to not only the customer, but our pork suppliers with confidence about these items.

Pork 101 included sessions on processing, meat cutting, grading, food safety, value added/further processed and retail merchandising – which covers virtually every aspect of the pork industry from beginning to end.