Spring Break
Who needs a grocery store? Campus meat sale offers choice selections
JENNIFER JOHNSON
Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: News
One reason students attend college is to get a degree and one day become successful. But what many don't know is all they have to do to bring home the bacon is visit East Campus on a Friday afternoon.
"I think it's kind of a well-kept secret," said Ronnie Silcox, an associate professor in the animal and dairy science department and a meat sale customer of more than 10 years.
Every Friday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Meat Science Technology Center hosts a meat sale where students, faculty and the general public can purchase locally grown, quality beef, pork and lamb at reasonable prices.
Ryan Crowe, manager of the MSTC, said one of the advantages of the meat sold there is the dry age flavor that improves the intensity of the meat flavor.
"If you're looking for something that's local, all of the animals are coming from UGA farms, and you can't get bacon like we make anywhere else," Crowe said.
"Our products are vacuum packed and hard frozen and should last up to three years in your freezer," said Brad Lowe, a graduate student working on his master's degree in meat science, and the facility's assistant manager. "You get a little better quality for your money."
Lowe said bacon is one of the most profitable products.
"They have very good hamburger meat, and I especially like their Italian sausage and bacon," Silcox said.
Crowe said the meat lab undergoes frequent USDA inspections to ensure safety and quality.
Aside from the quality and price, the meat sale also provides funding and opportunities to students and faculty of the department.
"The funds all go back into the department budget," Silcox said. "All of the animals are raised here on the farm; this is just our way of selling them."
Crowe said the funds help the MSTC and other units within the department to keep the department functioning as a whole.
Over the course of a year, Crowe estimates 120 head of cattle, 200 to 300 hogs and about 30 sheep get processed, and in any given week upward of 600 pounds of meat are sold.
"I would say the greatest benefit would be to the students who work here who get the experience in a different aspect of agriculture than they're used to," Lowe said. "Most people are used to crops and cows in the pasture; this puts it all together."
Crowe and a staff comprised almost solely of students run the meat sale. The meat lab also assists with three undergraduate and three graduate courses.
"We show students about the animals and how the food gets from the pasture to the plate," Lowe said. "We teach about USDA inspections, food safety, food quality, safety precautions, how it's cut and how it's processed."
Whether it is the product or the principle of supporting the department, the meat sale has maintained a loyal customer base.
"They get a lot of repeat customers," Silcox said. "They come in, they buy the products and they come back."
"I think it's kind of a well-kept secret," said Ronnie Silcox, an associate professor in the animal and dairy science department and a meat sale customer of more than 10 years.
Every Friday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Meat Science Technology Center hosts a meat sale where students, faculty and the general public can purchase locally grown, quality beef, pork and lamb at reasonable prices.
Ryan Crowe, manager of the MSTC, said one of the advantages of the meat sold there is the dry age flavor that improves the intensity of the meat flavor.
"If you're looking for something that's local, all of the animals are coming from UGA farms, and you can't get bacon like we make anywhere else," Crowe said.
"Our products are vacuum packed and hard frozen and should last up to three years in your freezer," said Brad Lowe, a graduate student working on his master's degree in meat science, and the facility's assistant manager. "You get a little better quality for your money."
Lowe said bacon is one of the most profitable products.
"They have very good hamburger meat, and I especially like their Italian sausage and bacon," Silcox said.
Crowe said the meat lab undergoes frequent USDA inspections to ensure safety and quality.
Aside from the quality and price, the meat sale also provides funding and opportunities to students and faculty of the department.
"The funds all go back into the department budget," Silcox said. "All of the animals are raised here on the farm; this is just our way of selling them."
Crowe said the funds help the MSTC and other units within the department to keep the department functioning as a whole.
Over the course of a year, Crowe estimates 120 head of cattle, 200 to 300 hogs and about 30 sheep get processed, and in any given week upward of 600 pounds of meat are sold.
"I would say the greatest benefit would be to the students who work here who get the experience in a different aspect of agriculture than they're used to," Lowe said. "Most people are used to crops and cows in the pasture; this puts it all together."
Crowe and a staff comprised almost solely of students run the meat sale. The meat lab also assists with three undergraduate and three graduate courses.
"We show students about the animals and how the food gets from the pasture to the plate," Lowe said. "We teach about USDA inspections, food safety, food quality, safety precautions, how it's cut and how it's processed."
Whether it is the product or the principle of supporting the department, the meat sale has maintained a loyal customer base.
"They get a lot of repeat customers," Silcox said. "They come in, they buy the products and they come back."
