Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will unveil its newly upgraded meat lab during a dedication ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 28, university officials announced.
The facility enhancements, funded by a $750,000 grant from the Arkansas Office of Skills Development, include new high-speed processing equipment, refrigeration improvements, and a replacement roof.
“These upgrades were to implement a high-speed snack stick line and train students on updated, state-of-the-art equipment that you would find in a commercial operation,” said Corey Readnour, director of A-State’s meat lab.
Since 2023, the meat lab has collaborated with the Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry program to manufacture snack sticks for food-insecure children. The snack sticks are distributed through backpack programs at 70 schools statewide.
According to university officials, the expanded facility will allow for an increased production capacity while providing agriculture students with hands-on experience in commercial meat processing.
“We have been working on fine tuning the process and product development, while waiting for the new equipment to be installed,” Readnour said. “Now we are ready to launch large-scale production.”
Wednesday’s ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at the Judd Hill Farmers’ Market. A tour of the updated meat lab, located in Room 131 of the College of Agriculture, will follow.
The upgraded facility supports A-State’s mission to provide practical, workforce-relevant education while simultaneously addressing food insecurity in Arkansas communities.