Cross retires after influential meat science and food safety career

Over his career, Russell Cross, Ph.D., senior professor in the Department of Animal Science at the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, implemented changes within the food system that continue to influence education, farm practices, meat inspection and grading, meat industry procedures and consumer safety.

Now, after 37 years of service at Texas A&M University, 13 years at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and eight years in the private sector, Cross is retiring.

His expertise played a vital role in shaping the landscape of meat science education, research and industry practices. As an academic, food research scientist, research supervisor, administrator and industry chief executive officer, Cross tackled major issues in the meat industry and made significant changes for the betterment of both consumers and industry.

“Dr. Cross has helped shape the meat industry as we know it today, and he has raised the standard for how the world thinks about food safety,” said Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences. “His integrity and knowledge are deeply respected, not only by those of us who worked beside him, but by professionals across the industry, in regulatory agencies and in academia.”

Pioneering science in the meat industry

When asked about his biggest accomplishments, Cross is quick to mention a study nicknamed the “War on Fat” that he completed with Savell.  

Until the 1980s, the average fat thickness on beef steaks was three-quarters of an inch, and there was no incentive to trim it off. With the controversy over the right amount of fat for taste but too much for waste, Savell and Cross conducted a National Consumer Retail Beef Study. They determined that some fat was necessary for taste, but consumers would pay a premium for meat trimmed to a quarter of an inch or less of fat for health reasons.

“Within a short time, the industry shifted to the new trim, and that is still there today,” Cross said.

Some of his other key studies conducted with Savell and Kerri Gehring, Ph.D., meat science professor, examined serum chemistry differences between beef, chicken breast or red snapper; improvement of beef tenderness; and defining meat quality grades. “Each of these projects has had a lasting impact on the industry,” he said.

“I’ve had the pleasure of being around a group of people in this department, in this university, who really know how to work closely together and generate good information, as well as create just outstanding graduate students who have gone on to wonderful careers,” Cross said.

Food safety influence and education

Cross also left an indelible mark on food safety.

The E. coli outbreak at Jack in the Box occurred while Cross was serving as the USDA’s administrator of the Food Safety Inspection Service from 1992-1994.

“The deadly outbreak changed food safety forever,” he said. “The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points program was mandated, and food safety regulations were dramatically changed.”

Following that appointment, he returned to Texas A&M. He pioneered the International Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, HACCP, Alliance, to create a uniform food safety program.

“At the time, there were no universities teaching anything about HACCP, so Dr. Gehring and I formed the international alliance to certify an accredited training,” he said.

The alliance standardized educational programs to facilitate the implementation of HACCP. With 24 food associations, 40 universities and the governments of 13 countries, it is housed within the Department of Animal Science with Gehring serving now as the CEO. Gehring is also the associate vice chancellor for academic collaboration and associate dean for administration.

A leader in his field and in education

Cross has served in a multitude of positions over the years at Texas A&M:

• Department of Animal Science head – two appointments.
• Chief of staff to the Texas A&M University president, executive vice president for operations.
• Deputy vice chancellor and associate dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences.
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research associate director.
• Founding director of the Institute of Food Science and Engineering.
• First holder of the E.M. Rosenthal Chair in Meat, Animal and Food Science.
• Section leader of the Meats and Muscle Biology Section of the department.

Outside of Texas A&M, Cross served as administrator of the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. At the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska, the world’s largest animal research center, Cross served as research leader within the Meat Research Group.

In the private sector, he served as CEO and chairman of Future Beef Operations LLC, director of food safety for IDEXX Laboratories, executive vice president of food safety/government and industry affairs at National Beef Packing Company, and vice president of DuPont Food Industry Solutions.

Among his many awards, he most recently received the College’s Honor Professor award, was in the first class selected for the Meat Industry Hall of Fame and is also an inductee of the Southwest Meat Association Hall of Fame and a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists.