GUELPH, ONTARIO – Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) announced that it recently started the Centre for Meat Innovation and Technology (CMIT) to help Canadian processors collaborate, find and adopt new technology and innovation for employees to pick up new skills.

“This center will ultimately help both processors and meat and poultry producers,” said Luis Garcia, director of CMIT. “We did our research and both processors and farmers told us there was significant room for them to grow if some of the key barriers holding them back could be addressed.”

Garcia plans to use existing micro-credentialing courses for sausage making and other in-demand skills needed for meat processing. 

MPO also plans to help processors test the latest industry technologies for operation and efficiency in collaboration with CMIT and the University of Guelph’s federally inspected meat processing facility.

“The Centre for Meat Innovation and Technology is an example of how our agri-food advocacy groups are highlighting the valuable career opportunities available in Ontario’s agri-food sector,” said Lisa Thompson, minister of agriculture for food and rural affairs. “I would like to express my appreciation to the organizations who have donated the new equipment for this facility, and to Meat & Poultry Ontario for making this Centre a welcomed reality.”

CMIT started this week in Guelph with a reception and tours of the University of Guelph processing facility.

“Young people need to see meat processing as a viable career and the best way to do that is through education,” said Kevin Stemmler, owner of Stemmler Meats and a strong supporter of CMIT and the organization’s mandate. “During the pandemic, we relied too much on a few companies to support our internal food system and we had issues. To protect the food system in the future, we need to be able to rely on more companies, so we need to help them with skills and technology. That’s what CMIT will do.”

Organizers expect the center to be self-sustaining within the next five years by building fees for services and launching a campaign to raise C$1 million to cover initial operations costs to grow revenue streams.

CMIT added that it is the only Canadian meat technology hub encompassing skills development and training. It will also share best practices backed by world-class research and education.