RENO, NEV. — The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) announced that it would receive a $650,000 grant to enhance its harvesting and meat processing training programs for the industry. The grant came from the US Department of Agriculture and its National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The training will be used by the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources and in partnership with Western Nevada College (WNC).

Some of the credits for the program will include hands-on internship work at Wolf Pack Meats, a meat processing facility operated by the university, or at other meat and poultry processing facilities in Nevada. Other courses may be completed with online, in-person and hybrid learning. 

“Ensuring our food supply is safe and sustainable is incredibly important to our region,” said Kyle Dalpe, president of Western Nevada College. “We’re proud to work with UNR and play a role in developing a skilled workforce for the meat and poultry industry in Nevada.”

Staci Emm, professor and UNR Extension educator, said a goal of the program is to offer a high school-university dual enrollment program by its third year. Emm stated that several high schools are also building their own meat labs, which will facilitate the dual enrollment program.

“Students in high school will eventually be able to take classes in the program, and then apply those credits toward a college degree,” she said.

Early estimates said 40 people per year would participate in the three-year program, including 120 graduates by 2026. 

UNR expects at least 40% of the graduates to work in a Nevada meat processing facility.