Every year, the Auburn Family unites our pocketbooks for 24 hours to support the university’s teaching, research and extension missions for the year ahead. This year, we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of Tiger Giving Day, which will fall on Sept. 10.
The College of Agriculture has three projects asking for your support this year. Read more about them below, and stay tuned to our social media channels and the Tiger Giving Day site for more information as the big day approaches.
Enhance Agriculture Career Awareness
Did you know? The economic contribution of Alabama’s food, fiber, forestry and green industries is more than $77 billion and 273,000 jobs a year. There is no question agriculture contributes significantly to this state, yet not many Alabama high schoolers want to pursue careers in this industry. There is a dire shortage of agriculture graduates nationally when there is an urgent need to increase food production to feed the growing global population — and to fill jobs waiting for them upon graduation.
The Department of Poultry Science at Auburn University wants to help. The objective of this effort is to increase awareness about agriculture careers among high school students so that they will pursue a major in the Auburn College of Agriculture. The poultry industry alone accounts for a $19 billion impact on the state and represents an eighth of the state’s economy. Each year, the poultry industry accounts for 60,000 jobs, and there are not enough graduates to fill them. Because of this, our department has a 100% job placement rate and starting salary of more than $60,000.
Support of our project will help fund youth programs like PoultryU, a series of camps designed for young people to explore the world of poultry, as well as recruiting efforts in the department. Will you help us get the news to young people that a lucrative and meaningful career is waiting for them? This is the work that makes the world work, and we can help them do it to feed and sustain the world’s population.
Support the Meat Judging Team
Eager to help a truly one-of-a-kind team at Auburn University? This is your chance. The Auburn Meat Judging Team allows students to learn about and prepare for the animal and meat industry while competing against other schools across the U.S. These students are the future of providing safe, high-quality protein to the public, and they learn to do so in a fun and competitive environment.
Meat judging competitions gather teams to judge cuts of beef, pork and lamb and evaluate them for traits such as quality (marbling, traits affecting taste, etc.), cutability and yield. They then defend their judgments through written evaluations. The process not only teaches them about meat, but it helps them learn to be a productive member of the workforce, make quick decisions, write clearly and effectively, and defend their decisions with fact-based evidence.
Support of this program would allow students to participate in competitions all over the country, to gain more experience in the industry by touring processing plants and agricultural facilities, and to positively represent Auburn.
Specifically, your support would allow the team to obtain the proper personal protection equipment (PPE) needed to compete in the competition and to access a wider variety of protein and cuts to study and practice judging in person. Currently, they do so through the meats available in the Auburn University Lambert-Powell Meats Lab, as well as PowerPoints and lectures, but nothing compares to a hands-on experience. This would also be accomplished through site visits. There are plants all over the country, but there is not one within a quick drive to practice before or after classes, as all our students are full-time undergrads. This means any plant trip requires a vehicle, a couple tanks of gas, and even the occasional overnight stay.
Your support would allow these future meat industry leaders to enter the workforce better prepared to ensure safe, healthy and quality protein for us all.
