A house of Meat

Most people don’t know all the work that goes into preparing meat.

David Newman does it all, harvesting and cutting and selling meat.

He has worked at the Don Naumann Muscle Foods Processing Laboratory at MU, near College Avenue and Rollins Street, for four years.

“One thing we are trying to teach people is that the meat industry is more than being a butcher. It is one of the largest industries in the United States,” said Newman, who received his bachelor’s degree in animal science at MU and is starting his master’s degree in meat science in May.

The meat lab on campus processes beef, pork and lamb.

Most of the employees have worked there for more than two years.

Although the harvesting process is a challenge requiring both strength and skill, Newman is unfazed. “It is all just part of the job,” he said.

His job also involves meat research. During the past year, Newman spent six months in Europe researching pork quality.