Agriculture, specifically the newer Artisanal Modern Meat Butchery program at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, was on display recently for a special visitor. Randy Romanski, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), was on campus May 15. He toured the Artisanal Modern Meat Butchery lab as well as Agronomy and Animal Science classrooms.
“I really appreciated the enthusiasm from the educators and the students in the Meat Butchery program,” said Romanski. “The program is working as we hoped it would. We started off with a little bit of federal funding. This was a really good way to see how it all comes together. With the federal funding about to end, it is important for the state to continue this impactful job training program. Doing it in the state biennial budget.”
The Artisanal Modern Meat Butchery program was developed with funding from DATCP’s
Meat Talent Development Program. The program was created in 2022 after Gov. Evers provided $5
million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for meat talent development
programming in Wisconsin. The funding is used to attract students to meat careers, provide
financial support to students in Wisconsin meat processing training programs, support program
development, and connect the meat processing industry with potential employees.
The college’s recent Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence award drew Romanski’s
attention. Secretary Romanski wanted to tour the campus that won the award.
