Meat&Poultry - November 2014 - 27

FUTURE FOCUSED
Temple Grandin keeps preaching improvement
with an eye on agriculture's next generation
BY JOEL CREWS

jcrews@sosland.com

H

aving recently celebrated her

In between sessions, Grandin signed

been in the making for decades and

67t h bir t hday, Dr. Temple

copies of her many books displayed for

this is another rigid layer. Her philan-

Grandin isn't counting down the

sale on a skirted table in the registra-

thropy is indicative of a concern she

days until she collects social security

tion area. During breaks at the event if

and others in the industry have about

checks from a rocking chair and she's

she noticed someone at the table buy-

sustaining agricultural programs at

not planning on receiving a gold watch

ing a book she dutifully made herself

or delivering a retirement speech any-

available to sign a purchased copy.

time soon. Her company, Grandin

"I don't think we've done
enough to reach out to
young students."

Livestock Systems is thriving; her

Investing in the future

work as an associate professor of ani-

During breakfast before the second

mal science at Colorado State Univ.

day of the conference, Grandin admits

universities. For Grandin, a big part

and her mentoring of graduate stu-

she's not getting any younger and ad-

of the reason for the donation is "to at-

dents is as vibrant as ever; and her

vocates that the industry needs to en-

tract students for one thing." She adds:

travel schedule still takes her all over

sure future generations are exposed to

"When I give money to something I

the world, whether consulting with

careers in agriculture. To that point,

like to know exactly where it goes."

processing plants or making a speech

this past month, Grandin and fellow

about autism.

animal science professor Gary Smith

Perception matters

This past month, as she has each

each donated $250,000 toward the

The issues facing meat and poultry

year since 1999, Grandin made the

construction costs to expand the an-

companies today when it comes to

sojourn to Kansas City for the Ameri-

imal science facilities at CSU. The

animal welfare is a sharp contrast to

can Meat Institute Foundation's An-

expanded building will include the

even a decade ago, when the emphasis

imal Care & Handling Conference,

"Temple Grandin Animal Handling

was on adopting auditing criteria and

where she held court and addressed

and Education Center," with desig-

the logistics of unloading and handling

welfare issues in many meeting rooms

nated areas to teach about handling

livestock at slaughtering facilities. Evi-

and conference halls and didn't hesi-

livestock in a Grandin-designed, fully

denced by the presentation topics fea-

tate to broadcast her phone number

equipped livestock arena. The unof-

tured during more recent Animal Care

to crowds of hundreds of attendees.

ficial foundation for her legacy has

& Handling Conferences, retailers and

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Meat&Poultry - November 2014

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