Meat Processing 101

Prepare for a Career in a Multi-Billion Dollar Industry

Meat processing is a large and integral part of the Canadian economy. As the biggest subsector of Canada’s food and beverage processing industry (itself the second-largest manufacturing sector in the country by revenue), meat processing accounted for 25 per cent of the country’s food and beverage exports and $26.3 billion in 2014. Meat processing is also Canada’s largest food and beverage manufacturing employer, with 64,500 workers in 2015.

Industrial meat cutters have the knowledge and skills to safely operate equipment to process farm-raised animals into meat products, according to organizational, industry and regulatory standards. Industrial meat cutters work in fast-paced, combined labour intensive and automated environments.

The scope of the Industrial Meat Cutter occupation includes the receiving of live animals through to the breakdown of the animal into primal, sub-primal and retail cuts and into food packaging. Industrial meat cutters must continually adapt to changing quality, regulatory standards and workplace technologies. For example, the way that meat is cut and processed can vary significantly according to export market (e.g., pork that is being shipped to Japan is processed according to different specificationthan pork destined for Canadian supermarkets).

This program is designed for businesses of all sizes that produce or participate in the food and beverage manufacturing industry. Whether you actively manufacture and require a plan, or your involvement means you need to gain a better understanding of the new Canadian food safety regulations. These new requirements will change the way you do business, and this program will provide the information you must have.

This course will serve as an introduction to the basic knowledge and application requirements to successfully perform all the job competency requirements of an Industrial Meat Cutter.

There are 12 modules for us to review together, each one containing pertinent information for the Canadian meat processing industry. Each of these modules will help you learn new or refresh old skills needed to grow and flourish in your career, as outlined in the National Competency Standards for Industrial Meat Cutters.