Members of the Wisconsin livestock and meat industries are invited to help celebrate the induction of two individuals with outstanding lifetime contributions to the Wisconsin meat industry – Dan Sutherland and Fritz Usinger – into the Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame. The dinner and awards ceremony are set for the evening of Thursday, Apr. 10 in conjunction with the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors Annual Convention. At the event, college students who have received industry scholarships will also be recognized.
Dan Sutherland was hired as the head of sow procurement at Johnsonville in 1982. During his years at Johnsonville, he served in numerous important roles including in plant management, meat and value-added sales, meat purchasing, rendering, and developing foreign markets.
Fritz Usinger is the president of Fred Usinger, Inc., a 144-year-old family operated meat processing company located in Milwaukee. He is the fourth generation to lead the business and has been instrumental in Usinger’s growth and innovation.
The Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame was created in 1993 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the meat industry in Wisconsin. The Hall of Fame program is coordinated by the University of Wisconsin–Madison Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery program (part of the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences), the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and the Wisconsin Livestock and Meat Council (WLMC).
For the 2023-24 school year, the WLMC awarded $12,000 in scholarships to university students from campuses at Madison, Platteville and River Falls. These are students who have demonstrated interests in animal science, particularly in the production and processing of beef, pork, lamb and veal. The scholarships are supported by the generous donations of meat and livestock businesses throughout Wisconsin.
The Apr. 10 celebration starts with a cocktail reception at 6 pm and dinner at 6:30 at the Marriott Madison West, in Middleton. Registration is available online at https://wi-amp.com/convention/#register.
For more information, contact Jeff Sindelar at (608) 262-0555 or jsindelar@wisc.edu or Jeff Swenson at jeffrey.swenson@wisconsin.gov.