Groundbreaking for New Global Food Innovation

At the end of March, the was a groundbreaking for the JBS Global Food Innovation Center at Colorado State University. This new $15 million facility that will advance best practices in food safety, meat sciences and animal handling and welfare. CSU Animal Science Department Head Dr. Kevin Pond says this new facility will be part of the animal science program and coordinated with Food Science. and

Pond: "It will add some new programs such as culinary arts are some of the things we will be doing. We'll have a demonstration kitchen and a demonstration area much like you would see on the Food Network that will be used by chefs and others in new product development. We have teaching facilities and distance education facilities for interaction with people off campus and around the world."

Dr. Pond shares more about the substantial gift from JBS, a leading global food company, which helped make this new facility possible.

Pond: "JBS provided the anchor gift of $7.5 million. We had gifts form other companies all from across the United States and a lot of our alumni also kicked in to get it started. But we are delighted by the anchor gift coming from JBS."

The new facility will have spaces dedicated to testing packaging and developing food products, reflecting the fact that ready-to-eat foods and packaging is a growing area within the meat industry. Additionally, the new building will have a culinary kitchen and demonstration area as well as a retail meat and dairy store with a café.

The facility will also include an educational space designed by CSU professor Dr. Temple Grandin, where students will learn about animal handling and welfare in a hands-on setting.