Beefing Up Knowledge: Exploring Beef Muscles with Arizona FFA Students

TIFFANY SELCHOW, DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MARKETING AND CONSUMER OUTREACH | July 26, 2024

The Arizona FFA Summer Leadership Conference is always filled with opportunities to learn, meet new friends, see old ones, and expand one’s horizons. The Arizona Beef Council was a proud sponsor of an exclusive session featuring Dr. Jessica Lancaster, the Senior Director of Product Quality and Safety Research for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. This invitation-only session was for FFA students who had completed the Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) online training course in the 2023-2024 school year and was designed to be exciting and hands-on.

The workshop, held on the University of Arizona campus on June 6, 2024, was an engaging experience. It showcased beef, delving into the individual muscle fibers, how they are made, and how that affects eating experience. 28 students attended the session and heard from Dr. Lancaster on eating experience and how ensuring our consumers have a great eating experience every time encourages them to choose beef over and over again. After the presentation, Dr. Lancaster led the students through a hands-on activity using pull-apart licorice and marshmallows, both beef by-products, rolled in wax paper to make individual muscle fibers. The students were able to decide the marbling level of their muscle fiber and were then required to share with the group how one might cook this cut of beef to get the best eating experience. 


Each student who completed their MBA training and attended the workshop was given an exclusive t-shirt with a graphic announcing they were MBA program graduates. A ceremony took place after Dr. Lancaster’s session, with each student’s name called to collect their shirt at the front of the room. 37 students completed their MBA training during the school year. Those who couldn’t attend the session received their shirts by mail. 

The Arizona Cattle Industry Research & Education Foundation generously supported this session and t-shirts.