Sausage and Processed Meats Short Course

Date: 
July 14, 2025 8:00am to July 18, 2025 1:00pm

About the Sausage & Processed Meats Short Course

The course will cover fresh sausage, cooked sausage and dry and semi-dry sausage in addition to sectioned and formed cured meats and whole muscle precooked meats. A special feature will be a presentation on “specialty sausage products.”

The course will use a hands-on approach to meat process­ing. Under the supervision of an advisor, participants will be divided into teams and have the opportunity to formulate and manufacture a processed meat product.

Enrollment for this course is limited so that the partic­ipants have ample opportunities to interact with speakers and staff and have their questions answered. Iowa State Univer­sity’s modern Meat Laboratory allows participants to observe demonstrations and gain hands-on experience with the latest technology.

Audience

This short course is designed for persons with supervisory, production, and technical responsibilities in commercial meat processing operations. It will also provide valuable information for those in marketing and supplier industries.

Topics

  • Basic Meat Science
  • Nonmeat Ingredients
  • Solid Muscle Processing
  • Spices and Flavorings
  • Naturally Cured Meats
  • Meat Emulsions/Batter Technology
  • Thermal Processing
  • Stuffing and Clipping
  • Casings
  • Natural Smoke Flavors
  • Dry and Semi-Dry Sausage
  • Injection Systems
  • Moisture Enhanced Meats
  • Bacon Processing
  • Manufacture of Fresh Pork Sausage
  • Lethality & Stabilization
  • Ingredient Innovation
  • Microbiology
  • Use of Antimicrobials

Location

The Sausage & Processed Meats Short Course will be held at the Iowa State University Meat Laboratory. Public parking is NOT available near the Meat Laboratory so a shuttle bus will transport you between the host hotel and the Meat Laboratory. If you will be staying at a hotel other than the Gateway Hotel, it will be your responsibility to meet the shuttle departing from the host hotel each morning at 7:30 a.m.

Schedule

The shuttle will depart the Gateway Hotel each morning at 7:30 a.m. for the ISU Meat Laboratory. See the Location and Shuttle section for more details. There will be social functions each evening to allow participants the opportunity to interact with each other as well as speakers and industry professionals.  

  • Monday: 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. - evening social
  • Tuesday: 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. – picnic
  • Wednesday: 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. - evening social
  • Thursday: 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. – Wurstfest
  • Friday: 7:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Please note If you are flying: you should not book your departure time prior to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 18, 2025

Meals/Social Events

  • Breakfast: included with your hotel room at Gateway (if you made your reservation outside of the Sausage & Processed Meats Short Course block, breakfast may not be included in the price)Lunch: will be provided on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
  • Breaks: coffee, soda, bottled water and snacks will be available all day at the Meat Laboratory.
  • Evening events: hosted bar and appetizers on Monday and Wednesday; picnic on Tuesday; and Wurstfest on Thursday.

Registration

Registration for the July 14-18, 2025 Sausage & Processed Meats Short Course will open on April 30, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. CST.

The fee for the July 14-18, 2025 Sausage & Processed Meats Short Course is $2,495.00 per person if registered by June 23, 2025.  After June 23, 2025, the fee will increase to $2,650 per person.  The fee includes course materials, lunch and refreshments each day, and evening social events.  Local transportation between the Gateway Hotel and the Meat Lab is also included.

To register for the course (on or after April 30, 2025) click on Registration and select Sausage & Processed Meats Short Course. It is highly recommended that you pay with a credit card at the time of registration to guarantee your spot.

Please keep the following in mind when registering:

  • Your spot in the course will not be confirmed/guaranteed until payment is received in full
  • If you are paying via credit card, you must enter payment information at the time of registration, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express are accepted
  • Invoices will be sent to those who do not pay via credit card at the time of registration, as a reminder, your spot will not be confirmed until payment is received in full, invoices are due within 10 days, CREDIT CARD payments are preferred 

Lodging

A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved at the headquarters hotel with a rate of $129.00 per night plus taxes, includes breakfast each day:

Gateway Hotel & Conference Center
2100 Green Hills Drive (exit 146 off US Highway 30)
Ames, Iowa 50014
Phone: 515-292-8600 – indicate you are attending the Sausage & Processed Meats Short Course
Online: click here to make your reservation online - link will be posted on or before April 30, 2025

Contact the hotel directly to make your own reservation by June 22, 2025 to guarantee a room at the conference rate. Reservations made after the deadline are subject to room availability and not guaranteed the conference rate.

Brochure

For more information on this program, download a copy of the brochure.

Change in Plans

You may substitute another person at any time prior to the start of the course. If you need to cancel your registration before June 27, 2025 you may receive a refund less a $50.00 processing fee. If you need to cancel your registration between June 27, 2025 and July 3, 2025, you may receive a 50% refund. If you cancel your registration between July 4, 2025 and the start of the course, no refund will be issued. Contact Matt Wenger at mwenger@iastate.edu or 515-294-9279 if you have changes to your plans.