VIDEO: Texas Tech's Meat Judging Team details path to their success
By: Allison Hirth & Jeff Ramazani
Texas Tech's Meat Judging Team has proven it's the cream of the crop, bringing home a dozen national championship trophies over the past 15 years. Despite its success, many don't know what it is exactly the team does. Eat steaks? Slice meat? We sat down with members, both current and former, to clear up any misconceptions.
"Our success today is due to many years of alumni, and people who have come through here, that have set a standard," said Mark Miller, the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Distinguished Chair in Meat Science who serves as the team's coach. "We have a program that's set up to try to teach everyone to pursue excellence."
Miller, a nationally-recognized animal science researcher with Texas Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences, was selected this summer to receive this year's American Meat Science Association Intercollegiate Meat Judging Meritorious Service Award. The award is sponsored by Food Safety Net Services and Agri-West International.
Miller has mentored and coached 293 meat team members across 32 teams at a world-class level. Collectively, his teams have retired 23 championship cuts, unprecedented since the start of meat judging in 1926. A total of 110 of Miller's students have moved on to coach multiple judging teams at 4-H, FFA, division A and senior division levels, also with success at both the state and national level.
CONTACT: Michael Orth, chairman, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-5653 or michael.orth@ttu.edu
0912NM17
Departmental News
- Agricultural & Applied Economics
- Agricultural Education & Communications
- Animal & Food Sciences
- Landscape Architecture
- Natural Resources Management
- Plant & Soil Science
- Veterinary Science
Press Room
Editor: Norman Martin
Maps: Where to Find It
Davis College NewsCenter
-
Address
P.O. Box 42123, Lubbock, Texas 79409-2123, Dean's Office Location:Goddard Building, Room 108 -
Phone
(806)742-2808 -
Email
kris.allen@ttu.edu