Clad in a hairnet and white coat, Eva Cortes-Monroy walked across a refrigerated meat lab on New Mexico State University’s Las Cruces campus. She stopped before the bright red cattle carcasses hanging from the ceiling and began taking notes.
Cortes-Monroy, an undergraduate student studying agricultural economics and agricultural business, examined the massive beef cuts for quality and yield grade, using the skills she learned as a member of NMSU’s recently relaunched meat judging team.
“Attention to detail is key,” she said. “If you mess up on one number or grade, it can tank your points in competitions.”
Training for collegiate competitions has been a primary focus for NMSU’s meat judging team since its early days in the 1900s. After a nearly 40-year hiatus, the team orchestrated a comeback in fall 2023, with head coach Jacob Painter leading the charge.
Painter, who manages NMSU’s meat lab, said the time was ripe for the team’s return as the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences opened the new Food Science, Security and Safety Center, which houses a state-of-the-art Meat Science Laboratory. The new lab provides ample space for the team to practice and break down meat – which students plan to sell to the public at Pistol Pete’s Premium Meats.
“Historically, we’ve had a team at New Mexico State, but we haven’t had the facilities or the funding for a long time,” Painter said. “So, we built the new facility, and that sparked an interest. But one of my goals when I joined NMSU in 2022 was to get the team going again.”
Painter draws on his background in meat and livestock judging to teach students about product quality, fabrication procedures and meat industry marketing while sharpening their skills in teamwork, communication and critical thinking. His goal is to broaden students’ workforce skills and help them become more marketable after graduation.
“Whatever they decide to do, whether it’s working with live animals or going into the meat science side, knowing these skills will help them in either direction,” he said.
In its first two competitions during spring 2024 semester events held in Greeley, Colorado; Fort Worth; Texas; The team placed sixth fifth respectively. The team's success has earned universal praise particularly among alumni who have long called reestablishing this program back into action once again
“I’ve gotten many calls since starting this initiative congratulating us,” Painter said “This means so much our alumni”
A version of this story was published spring issue Panorama For more stories visit https://panorama.nmsu.edu
-30-
CUTLINE: Eva Cortes-Monroy left Jacob Painter examine beef carcass part meat judging team New Mexico State University NMSU photo Josh Bachman
###