CHICAGO – The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) announced Dr. Scott Eilert, vice president of food safety, quality, and regulatory for Cargill Turkey and Cooked Meats as the recipient of the 2016 Distinguished Extension-Industry Service Award. 

Dr. Scott Eilert, vice president of food safety for Cargill

Eilert will be honored at an awards banquet during the AMSA 69th Reciprocal Meat Conference on June 21 in San Angelo, Texas.

“Scott’s largest contribution to the meat industry has been his constant attention to new talent,” said Angela Siemens of Cargill. “Scott continues to seek our new leaders and promote their continued involvement in the meat industry. He has been responsible for many individuals choosing careers in their academia or industry with a focus on meat.”

The award was established in 1965 to recognize outstanding achievement in meat science extension and service to the industry and is sponsored by the North American Meat Institute Foundation.

During his career at Cargill, Eilert led several cooked meat and primary processing facilities’ food safety and quality teams. Career highlights include his contributions in gaining the regulatory approval of the use of Carbon Monoxide in case-ready packaging to preserve color and development of fresh meat brines that extend shelf life.

Dr. Scott Eilert earned his B.S. in Animal Science from Kansas State Univ., and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Meat Science from the Univ. of Nebraska in 1992 and 1994.