Four major companies in the meat industry that help produce, package and market beef and pork will be visiting campus today to discuss career opportunities with students.

“Meat Your Future” is a new program sponsored by the Block and Bridle Club meats interest group, Ag Career Services and Brad Skaar, associate professor of animal science.

The program will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Room 1204 of Kildee Hall.

“The students will benefit from this program by being educated about different career opportunities within the meat industry,” said Tim Paplow, chairman of the event.

The companies and representatives visiting campus are Ken Fleming and Lisa Minton from Excel, Lynelle Topp from Hormel, Lowell Butler and Mike Stoeffler from Swift and Kate Berg from IBP, said Jason Steele, assistant chairman of the event.

Each speaker will present information on his or her area of the industry for about 15 to 20 minutes. The program is free and open to the public.

“The talks will center on more career possibilities than just the meat side,” said Steele, senior in animal science and agronomy.

Paplow, senior in animal science and agronomy, said the event is new this year, and the planning committee has worked to give it a good start.

“We encourage all interested students to attend, whatever your major, because within these industries a variety of jobs arise,” he said.

Steele said the program would be especially advantageous for animal science and food science majors because it presents new and different job possibilities within areas that many students are not aware of.

“The industry provides solid employment opportunities because there is always a need for the products,” Paplow said.

For questions or more information concerning the event, contact Ag Career Services at 294-4725, or Paplow and Steele at 663-8757.