When the University of Wisconsin-Madison decided to hold a ceremony to kick off construction for its new Meat Science Building, officials decided on something a little more appropriate — a ham salting ceremony.

Just what kind of meat will consumers be eating in 2017 and beyond? According to consumer research, more of it will be grass-fed and humanely raised.

Are Millennials really more interested in promotions and social media updates than getting their work done, or is this a case of generational bias?

The year 2016 was a far less dramatic year for the beef, pork and poultry industries and provided breathing room for industry participants to absorb last year’s sluggish export sales, large animal supplies and falling prices.

Of all the changes taking place in the meat and poultry industries now, perhaps the biggest change is something that’s undetectable to the consumer.

This month, to wrap up the magazine’s coverage of its 125th Anniversary, the editorial team decided to take on a bigger challenge: Select 25 individuals we expect will change the industry over the next decade or two.

I joined The National Provisioner in 2004, and after a couple weeks of learning the lingo and conducting a few phone interviews, I made my way out to my first-ever visit to a meat plant.

As someone with decades of experience on several trade magazines, including five years with The National Provisioner early in my career, I can attest to my mother’s genuine love of the meat industry.

Today, conveying value is more important than ever because of the many challenges faced by manufacturers perhaps the most daunting is what some describe as the “commoditizing” of packaging.

While the total number of FSIS recalls is down and allergen recalls are down by roughly 50 percent, there are several troubling trends.