The Wisconsin Pork Association (WPA) has recently made a donation of $10,000 to the new University of Wisconsin Madison Meat Science Lab. In addition, the WPA board challenged members to make individual contributions, resulting in an additional $5,000 raised.

“The WPA Board is excited about the possibilities that the new meats’ lab will present to the livestock industry in the state of Wisconsin,” said Bill Gnatzig, WPA president. “The lab will further expand teaching and research abilities at UW-Madison, benefitting students, livestock producers and consumers.  Those possibilities include a growing focus on biotechnology, animal and human medicine.  Further research of these areas creates the potential to add more value to pigs raised by our Wisconsin farmers.”

Tom Crenshaw, animal science chair, UW-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Science said the Department of Animal Sciences faculty is excited as it moves into the construction phase of the new Meat Science Building.

“The new building will dramatically improve our teaching, research, and outreach programs in the meat sciences and will provide a positive stimulus to other discipline groups in our department which focus on meat animal food production. The new facility is the largest construction project undertaken by our department since the Animal Sciences Building was built in the early 1970’s,” Crenshaw said.

He said the new Meat Science Building would not have been possible without the generous gifts provided by the Wisconsin Pork Association and numerous meat industry organizations. “We are grateful for the support.”

The mission of the new facility is to:

Construction of the 67,540-square-foot Meat Science Laboratory is scheduled to begin in July, with occupancy slated for spring 2018. The total project cost is $45.7 million. 

The State has contributed $22.8 million, which was approved in the 2013-2015 Wisconsin State Budget.  UW-Madison and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences have raised $22.9 million from private donations, and an additional $4 million is still needed to be raised.