Pork 101 at Penn State

Penn State Extension specialists and the American Meat Science Association (AMSA) bring Pork 101 to State College. Pork 101 is a 3-day workshop that leads attendees through the process of creating great pork, from farm to grocery shelf.

High-quality pork production requires attention to detail from finishing the hog to packaging that bacon. Experts from Penn State University, North Carolina State University, Cornell Extension, and the Pennsylvania pork industry review the pork production process and lead participants through hands-on activities in live animal selection, harvesting, and fabrication of pork, including insight on value differences in swine, pork carcasses, pork primal cuts, and processed pork products due to quality variation.

Nationally, the program is hosted by the AMSA and is sponsored by the National Pork Board, Merck Animal Health, and Smithfield Foods. Additional sponsorship from the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council supports this program in State College.

• To learn more about Pork 101, visit the AMSA website.

The 2022 event for Pork 101 was a great success, with participants coming from across the country to hear from our local experts and to gain a new understanding of meat from pig to plate. We are planning to repeat the event in 2023! Stay tuned for more information to come! If you have questions specifically regarding Pork 101, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Hines, Extension Swine Specialist at 814-865-3267 or eah405@psu.edu.