When Lyda Garcia, professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and extension meat specialist, opens the doors to her Buckeye mini fresh meat cutting workshop on July 14 and 15, participants won’t just be learning how to break down a carcass; they’ll be stepping into the story of an industry in motion. Garcia will be joined by Lynn Knipe, associate professor in both the Department of Food Science and Technology and the Department of Animal Sciences.
Garcia first began offering hands-on meat cutting guidance during the pandemic, when a shortage of meat processing plant workers sent shockwaves through the supply chain. She traveled directly to producers and family farms, teaching wherever she was needed. By 2021, she had developed her first formal class—one that filled within just two weeks of registration opening. Working closely with producers and processors, she shaped the curriculum around real-world needs.
“How can I reduce their training time, from say, eight weeks to three weeks?” Garcia says. Her goal is not only to show participants how things are done, but to help them understand the reasoning behind every cut and every decision. “I help explain the ‘why’ behind everything we do,” she said.
The workshop’s first day is a deep dive into the foundations of the U.S. meat industry. Through lecture, participants explore the industry’s history, essential safety and hygiene practices, the importance of anatomy knowledge, and the ways animal handling impacts the final product. Day two shifts into hands‑on cutting work plus instruction on preserved and cured meat products.
Thanks to a grant from the American Meat Science Association, the cost for both days is just $150, with lunches and all equipment—knives, frocks, gloves, and hairnets—provided. The meat cut during the workshop will be sold in the Department of Animal Sciences’ Meat Shoppe. The class is limited to 22 students. “There’s a lot of one-on-one work,” explained Garcia.
Participants typically arrive with a wide range of backgrounds: seasoned meat cutting professionals, high school agriscience teachers, producers hoping to process their own animals, and beginners. “It’s open to everyone who is interested in having a better understanding of meat processing, in a small safe space. This is their time to ask all the questions.” Garcia said.
And for Garcia, the learning doesn’t end when class does. She expects to stay long after the session wraps up, just as she has in past years. “The most rewarding of all this is the conversations” she said.
The 2026 Buckeye Fresh Mini Meat Cutting Workshop will be held at The Ohio State University Animal Science Building, 2029 Fyffe Court, July 14-15, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. To register, visit https://go.osu.edu/meatcuttingwkshp. Contact Lyda Garcia, Garcia.625@osu.edu, with questions.