Student-raised meat to be served in Mont. college dining hall

Student-raised meat will soon be served in the dining hall at Montana State University, helping the school meet growing demand for local menu items from student and faculty.

Approximately 3,600 pounds of beef from MSU’s “Steer-A-Year” program will be served at Miller Dining Commons, according to Amy Bordeau, coordinator of the Montana Made Program, which helps the Bozeman, Mont., school secure access to local food. The addition of student-raised meat came about thanks to a partnership between MSU’s College of Agriculture and Montana Made.

Agriculture students in the Steer-A-Year program care daily for steers donated by Montana ranchers on the campus’s farm. Students are responsible for feeding and health checks, as well as gathering data about the cattle.

“From an educational standpoint, the students are involved in every step of creating the product, even in getting the product to the consumer,” Bordeau said in a release on the university’s website.

In previous years, the meat was available for public purchase. Following a spike in the number of steers from last year, Steer-A-Year donors suggested selling to MSU’s food services through Montana Made.

Profits from the meat’s sales will help fund student activities in the College of Agriculture.

Read the full story at Montana State University News.