A Canadian businessman traveled to Iowa State from Kitchener, Ontario to attend three days of college classes.

Paul Diebel, a product specialist for J.M. Schneider Inc., is one of 80 people from 17 states across the country, Canada and Mexico, who is participating in a three-day short course titled “Cured Meat”, hosted by the meat science department.

The animal science department has hosted short courses for the last 20 years. Over 350 people will participate in five conferences that will be offered throughout the year, including one taught in Spanish.

The courses attract people from around the world. The attendees may be from meat processing companies or employers of goods and services to the meat industry. For example, a meat processing equipment company may send a sales representative to become more familiar with the industry they are trying to serve.

The objective of the short course is to provide training and education in various types of processed meat products, said Joe Cordray, an ISU Extension meat specialist.

Diebel said he came to the course to get further information on processed meats, especially hams, and to learn what is new in the industry. He said he returned the second time because the first time he gained a lot of knowledge and had fun.

Meat science faculty and industry experts present information for the seminars, while personnel in the meat lab coordinate processing demonstrations.

Short courses involve classroom and actual demonstration sessions. Closed circuit television is utilized so participants can watch live demonstrations without crowding into the processing room.

The ISU processed meat short course program is one of the largest in the country, Cordray said. Over the years, several companies continually send their employees to the courses.

The short courses are part of ISU Extension’s outreach mission. The meat science department has had a significant impact on the meat processing industry, Cordray said.

The benefits to the meat science department of hosting short courses include establishing industry ties and staying on the “cutting edge” of the meat processing industry, Cordray said. Following the courses, companies may sponsor research projects for the department, he said.

While serving as hosts and moderators, meat science graduate students have an opportunity to interact with industry representatives to gain access to job opportunities, Cordray said.

Ralph Weldy, a quality control manager for Otto and Sons Stockyards Plant in Chicago, said he came to the course on a recommendation from an ISU graduate he hired. He has worked in the industry for 15 years and came to get educated on introductory meat science courses.

“It’s interesting and makes you rethink what you do every day,” he said.

This is the first time Weldy has participated in an ISU short course, but he said he may come back again. He is enjoying the hospitality and willingness of people to answer his questions.

Short courses are sponsored by the American Meat Institute, American Meat Science Association, Department of Animal Science and ISU Extension. They are supported by the Department of Extended and Continuing Education.