Support for the UK’s meat industry discussed at Harper Adams

Posted 6 May 2014

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One of London’s oldest Livery companies visited Harper Adams University recently, to discuss further collaboration in support of the UK meat industry, focussing on training, education and outreach activities with schools.

The fact finding mission saw the Master, Clerk and Liverymen of the Worshipful Company of Butchers tour the campus and meet staff from the Department of Food Science and Agri-Food Supply Chain Management. They were also able to enjoy a lunch featuring a beef wellington, sourced from the university’s on-campus farm.

Harper Adams – Shropshire’s first university, has been active in innovating educational opportunities for the UK’s meat industry for a number of years. It is currently devising additional staff training and development products in support of this important sector of the country’s agri-food industry.

In addition, the Worshipful Company of Butchers has provided valuable backing through its Educational Charity for the development of a number of meat industry courses run at Harper Adams, including the postgraduate certificate course in Meat Business Management launched in January 2012, and by providing scholarships for postgraduate students.

The Company also supports Harper Adams’s work with schools, where the university aims to help school pupils to understand the dynamics of the food system and gain insight to the meat products which they consume, by engaging in hands-on practical classes.

Head of the Department of Food Science and Agri-Food Supply Chain Management, Professor Ralph Early, said: “We were delighted with the opportunity to receive the Master of the Butchers’ Company and his colleagues at Harper Adams University, and to explain our work in support of the meat industry. 

“Our links with this important food industry-related Livery Company have been developing for a number of years and we are very grateful for their interest in our university and continued support for our activities.”

The Worshipful Company of Butchers is ranked at number 24 out of the 108 Livery companies in the City of London. The company dates back to 975 AD and was officially established when it was granted Royal Charter in 1605.

Worshipful Company of Butchers Master, Ian Kelly, said: “Harper Adams University is playing a crucial leading role in higher education for the food industry, and we were extremely impressed by all we have observed during our visit.

“The Butchers Company already enjoys a very good relationship with Harper Adams on various initiatives for the meat sector and this visit has served to further strengthen these ties.”