In a strategic move to advance its meat industry, Missouri has allocated $25 million from the current state budget to establish a state-of-the-art meat laboratory at the University of Missouri’s Columbia campus. The funding will cover the entire process, from planning and construction to design, as revealed during a Missouri House budget subcommittee hearing by Chris Chinn, the Director of the state Department of Agriculture.
Chinn mentioned that the University of Missouri is actively engaged in the selection process for an architecture firm for the project. “So we are in that process right now with the University of Missouri,” she noted.
The primary focus of the laboratory will be on training and research, specifically catering to the food science and animal science programs. This initiative is expected to not only elevate educational opportunities but also contribute significantly to the advancement of these fields.
Representative Greg Sharpe, R-Ewing, expressed the longstanding need for a dedicated meat laboratory in Missouri. He highlighted the strategic goal of reclaiming a specific industry from Kansas, emphasizing the importance of this endeavor. “Even with our drought, the one thing we do have here is water, in general, so we think it will be a great thing,” Sharpe stated.
As the project gains momentum, the meat laboratory is poised to break ground soon, marking a pivotal moment for Missouri’s agricultural and educational landscape.
