COLLEGE STATION Texas A&M University’s meat and poultry science programs have been ranked No. 1 in the nation by Meat&Poultry magazine.
According to Chuck Jolley, publisher, the magazine “undertook the project to help bring attention to the excellent schools that are training the next generation of leaders in one of America’s most important industries.” Meat&Poultry is the business journal of those industries.
The article, in the November edition, stems from a survey of industry professionals and educators to find which schools have the best reputations for turning out a steady stream of well-educated students.
The scholastic top 10 are, in order: Texas A&M, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Colorado State University, University of Arkansas, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Pennsylvania State University, Ohio State University and Oklahoma State University.
The article reads, “As far as providing well-rounded, inclusive programs in meat science, poultry science and food science, few schools can rival the offerings at Texas A&M. In the areas of research, teaching and Extension, the Aggie reputation is rock solid in all three disciplines.
“Faculty and students are consistently working with professionals in the meat and poultry industry and are active in industry associations and well-known in research circles.”
Dr. Ed Hiler, vice chancellor for agriculture and life sciences, said, “We have had truly excellent programs in these areas for many years, and I am pleased to see that industry recognizes our commitment to excellence in our animal and poultry science teaching, research and educational outreach programs. This is a great tribute to the quality of our faculty, their programs and our graduates.”
Dr. Alan Sams, head of Texas A&M’s department of poultry science, said of the citation, “I think it’s a credit to all of the people who work so hard in this department. I think of myself as only the person who’s holding the steering wheel. All of the faculty who spend the time with the students to make them the quality students they are really deserve all of the credit: the club advisors, the faculty who stay after class to talk to students and explain things and tutor them.”
The poultry science department’s students are poised to help the needs of the industry when they graduate, Sams said.
“We are producing students who have very good skills when they get out, they have a very good understanding of the real world when they come out. I like to think that they’re not just society-ready, but they’re making an impact out there,” Sams said.
That, in turn, helps the consumer, he said. “We are helping the companies, helping the industry, produce a quality food at a low price. That’s where the rubber hits the road, at the grocery store, on the dinner plate or in the McDonald’s wrapper or something like that. The consumer has to be able to purchase this food at a low cost and have it taste good and be nutritious, and it’s got to be safe for them. We help the industry produce that, and we help the consumer know more about their food so they can make intelligent choices,” Sams said.
A big role of the university is to help the consumer understand new technology. “We try to be the objective eyes of the consumer so they can understand some of the new technology they might see in the marketplace. And that’s a large role of our (Texas Cooperative) Extension program. But then Extension has to work with the researchers because they are doing the studies,” he said.
Dr. Jeff Savell, professor and meat science section leader for the department of animal science, said the key to Texas A&M’s success “is that we concentrate on doing the multiple missions of Texas A&M University, and that is teaching, research and Extension.
“We know all three of those are important for the success not only of the institution but the success of the people we work with, whether it’s the students or the clientele we serve,” such as livestock producers, feedlots, meat packers and processors, retailers and chefs.
“We have this wide array of people who need training, who need knowledge and who need help. I think it’s this broad-based approach of serving so many people…that’s given us the opportunity to have a wide base of support and wide base of influence.”
The department’s research focus lies in solving industry problems, he said. “We find out what the key issues are and address those key issues,” Savell said.
Texas A&M has a long history of successful programs, he said.
“You want your programs to be the very best they can be and receive recognition. We owe it to our constituents of our state to strive to do the programs and teach the students and to do everything necessary to be as good as we can be.”
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