Cal Poly Hosts California Meat Processors Conference
Cal Poly welcomed more than 145 meat processors, industry professionals and university partners from four states in February for the 2026 California Meat Processors Conference (CAMP) Cured Meat Championship — and celebrated a Reserve Grand Champion award in the process.
The annual event, held this year at the university’s J and G Lau Family Meat Processing Center, brings together leading meat processors to compete in a product showcase featuring 29 categories, including snack sticks, jerky, bacon, sausages and hams. The championship is the only statewide competition of its kind in California and serves as a hub for education, collaboration and professional development within the meat processing industry.
“The California Meat Processors Conference is an event where the top meat processors from all over the country come to showcase their best products,” said Claire Moreno, a meat science lecturer. “It’s also a place where processors can learn from each other through seminars, training sessions and a tabletop trade show.”
The conference aims to strengthen connections within the industry while helping CAMP members improve professionalism and business performance. It also creates networking opportunities for students studying meat science and related fields.
Students and faculty from Cal Poly, UC Davis and Chico State attended the event, giving students a chance to interact with experienced processors and gain insight into the industry. According to Moreno, combining industry experience with academic training creates a valuable learning environment for both groups.
“Having seasoned meat processors with diverse experiences alongside college students learning about meat processing for the first time allows for a wide range of learning,” Moreno said.
Each year, a different university hosts the CAMP Cured Meat Championship. Cal Poly served as this year’s host thanks to the resources available at the J and G Lau Family Meat Processing Center, a modern facility equipped with refrigerated storage, seminar space and an innovative teaching kitchen.
One highlight of the conference was a seminar on traditional andouille sausage led by Louisiana sausage maker Dan Robert. Attendees learned about the history and preparation of authentic andouille and Robert shared his award-winning recipe.
The seminar made Cal Poly’s Reserve Grand Champion award for its andouille sausage particularly meaningful. Students in Cal Poly’s ASCI 211: Meat Science course produced the sausage during a lab session. “Students were ecstatic to hear they won an award for the sausage they made,” Moreno said. “Some even bought some to take home to their parents.”
Cal Poly students were involved throughout the event. Max Anderson, Audrey Limuti and Corbin Valla competed in the collegiate Fresh Innovative Sausage category after spending weeks testing and refining their recipes. Other student employees helped check in competition entries, organize refrigerated storage areas and assist with seminar setup.
These experiences allowed students to apply the food safety, teamwork and processing skills they developed in Cal Poly’s meat lab while gaining exposure to the broader industry.
Seminars at the conference addressed emerging challenges in the meat processing industry, including social media marketing, evaluating return on investment and equipment-leasing strategies. Moreno noted that these topics help independent processors remain competitive in an increasingly digital and business-focused landscape.
Hands-on sessions and facility tours further enhanced the event by encouraging discussion and problem-solving among attendees. Processors were able to exchange ideas about how to adapt new techniques and strategies to their own operations.
Hosting the conference also reflected Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy by giving students the opportunity to participate directly in product development, industry networking and event operations.
“Students get to create a product from scratch, work through trial and error, and connect with professionals who specialize in niche areas of the industry,” Moreno said. “This is Learn by Doing at its finest.”
Moreno added that the university regularly receives positive feedback from CAMP attendees, who praise the cleanliness of the facilities and the professionalism of Cal Poly students helping run the event.
Looking ahead, Moreno hopes the experience inspires students to pursue careers in the meat processing industry and return to future competitions.
“They are talented, full of potential and determined,” Moreno said. “We hope they continue to build on this experience and compete again next year.”
To make an online gift in support of the Animal Science Department, please use the GIVING link. If you would like to designate your gift for a specific major, scholarship, club or team, please contact Tim Northrop at tnorthro@calpoly.edu
Read more stories in the Spring 2026 Newsletter