Ep. 104 Marketing Meat to Consumers with Lyda Garcia

Join us in this insightful episode of AgCredit Said It, recorded live from the Emerge Conference 2026, where we dive into the world of meat science and marketing with Lyda Garcia, an extension meat specialist from The Ohio State University. Discover the intricacies of meat processing, from understanding cuts and anatomy to innovative marketing strategies that can set you apart in the industry. Lyda shares her expertise on working with processors, the importance of local meat markets, and the evolving landscape of meat processing post-COVID. Whether you're a farmer, processor, or just curious about the meat industry, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice to enhance your understanding and business acumen.

Transcription

Speaker 1 (00:08):Welcome to AgCredit Said It, your go- to podcast for insights on farm finance and maximizing your return on investment. Join us as we talk to industry leaders, financial experts, and area farmers, bringing you skillful advice and strategies to grow your farm's financial future. AgCredit Said It, where Farm Finance goes beyond the balance sheet.

Phil Young (00:38):Hey, this is Phil Young with AgCredit Said It, and we are at the Emerge Conference 2026. And so we snagged Lyda Garcia here. She's one of the breakout speakers, and so I wanted to interview her, learn more about what she does and what she's presenting on here today. So welcome, Lyda.

Lyda Garcia (00:52):Good morning. Welcome.

Phil Young (00:53):Thank you. Yeah. So tell us a little bit about what you do and kind of what you're presenting on here today.

Lyda Garcia (00:57):So my background at the Ohio State University in the College of Food and Agriculture Environmental Sciences, I reside in the Department of Animal Sciences. Okay. And so my field of expertise, I guess, if you want to put it that way, is in meat science, but fresh meats. And so as your extension meat specialist, it's my job to fulfill community needs right throughout the whole state of Ohio. 88 counties, anytime I get a phone call and need a problem solve, that's my role,

(01:29):Is To help serve livestock producers, meat processors, government, whoever needs anything resolved, that's when you call me around meat science.

Phil Young (01:40):Okay. Are there multiple people in your role or are you ... Yeah.

Lyda Garcia (01:44):So we're very fortunate here in the state of Ohio. We actually have two extension meat specialists, which is not common. I mean, it's hard just to have one, but so I am one of them. I specialize more in the fresh meats area, packing plants, processing plant facilities, equipment, let me think, carcass evaluation, value added, cuts, you name it. And then my colleague, Dr. Lynn Knipe, he is the other extension meat specialist and he's under HACCP and further processing.

Phil Young (02:17):Okay. Gotcha. Okay. And you also teach, correct?

Lyda Garcia (02:20):I do teach, yes. Okay.

Phil Young (02:21):So what do You teach?

Lyda Garcia (02:21):So in the meat science program, we offer an undergraduate meat introduction to meat science. That's the quarterback to all of our meat science classes. And so it's more of a progressive program. So you start with the introduction to meat science, then we'll switch over to food animal processing, where other schools tend to have this as a lab with that intro to meat science, but we have it as its own class, which aligns exactly with what I work towards, which is workforce development for the future. And so then there's also processed meats where you learn about the grinding, you learn about the non-meat ingredients such as the role of salt, the role of sugar, phosphates, exorbates, things like that for dry sausage, semi-dry or just a brat, whatever you want. And then of course, with enhancements and so forth. And that's where Lynn Knipe and then our other colleague Van Boyer come in because we're three faculty.

(03:14):And then we also offer a meat animal carcass evaluation class. And this is another one that I lead. And my whole goal with this class is to help inform our students, educate our students around our US grading system.

(03:30):And that's around beef, pork, and lamb. And usually out of this class is where I pull students to serve on the co-curricular meat judging team to represent Ohio State.

(03:41):So yeah, I would say those are the four basic ... We also offer, actually for fun, we offer a barbecue science class. That is extremely popular, if you can imagine. One year wait list for this. We have students from all across the university, but yes, it's pretty fun.

Phil Young (03:58):I know. Those classes make me want to be a student again

Lyda Garcia (04:00):Oh, come on over.

(04:02):I need some good students, so you're a good student.

Phil Young (04:05):Yeah. Well, good. Yeah. So can you kind of walk us through what you're going to present on today and then kind of what you're ...

Lyda Garcia (04:13):So with my title, we're looking at marketing meat to consumers. And so this falls under more of a niche opportunity area. And so the way that I've geared it is more along the lines of, one, introducing the animal. And in my role, and this is not anything new, and this is common across the nation, usually when people want to send their livestock to their local meat processor, either for freezer beef or to sell at farmer's markets, whatever it is, I often will ask them, "How many briskets come in one animal?" And you'll be surprised in how some were more than we'd like to say, "I don't know. " And so because of that, I start my presentation with know what you're bringing to the table, which is the processing table is what I'm referring to.

(05:07):So if you start with knowing that a beef animal brings two briskets, two ribs, whole ribs, two short loins, or two whole tenderloins and so forth, that's a good start. Then we start with the basics of bone anatomy and muscle myology. Now, I don't get too scientific. It's more of what they're going to experience with the processor. So understanding what bones are in front of you that are there, and then how the name applies to that cut because of the bone and because of certain muscles. So for example, and I love sharing this picture of the scapula, which is the blade bone. And if you think about the scapula, it's got a very flat part that we call the paddle. And then there's a division on one side that we call the spine. And there are two muscles that sit on both sides of that spine.

(06:06):And then of course there are muscles all around it. But my point is, is when we start taking cross sections of that scapula area with muscles, then this is where at what point do we have a blade bone? Then at what point do we have a seven bone? Because once we hit that spine of the scapula, the name changes all because of bone. And that's where the foundation comes in with this is, know what you have and then now let's start talking about names of cuts. And the thing is, is that the names of cuts can vary across the nation. And with my formal training in large scale packing plants, sometimes those common names that we see at the grocery stores don't match the local processor. That's probably true. So my way to help bring those two worlds together is to talk about the bones, to talk about the muscle myology or muscle identification to make it simple.

(07:05):So that gives people the opportunity to pivot. If I say flat iron steak and the processor is calling it a top blade, well, let's talk about that. What does that mean? Where does it sit? And now here's the understanding behind it. But then I do take it a step further because everybody wants to make money and I can't help you make money if we don't have the foundation down first. So then I switch gears to say, okay, so what are some cuts that will separate you from your competitor or just attract more customers. So I talk about something as simple as the ribeye. The ribeye, on the posterior end of that whole rib, you eventually are left with two muscles. It's called the spinalis dorsi and then the long gestumus dorsi. The spinalis is that nice, narrow, curved muscle on the ribeye, which by the way, is more tender than the actual rib eye.

(08:02):So what we have found is, how can we be creative with these cuts? And what I learned when I'm in these large scale beef packing plants, when I take my meat judging teams to practice before a contest, I still have a lot of friends in the industry. I mean, I was in college for 11 years. I know, pitiful. I know. I know. But a lot of my friends are now running these plants. They're quality assurance. They're with the USDA agricultural marketing services, graders, wherever the case is. And this is my time to do a check-in with them and say, "Hey, what's new now?" And sometimes they'll take me out to the fab floor and this is where I'll get some ideas to bring back to Ohio for our processors. And so removing mat spinals dorsi but as a whole is now marketable. Whereas before we didn't do that and now we have that main muscle that we call the ribeye, we're going to sell that separately as ribeye filets.

(09:02):You like that name?

(09:02):Premium cut. Yeah.

(09:04):Well, but think about the name, rib eye filets. Right now what we just did, we added value and now it sounds sexier because we use the word filet. And so that's my role today, is to help think outside the box. And there are no limits.

(09:22):To me, there's a wonderful blend of art and science in what we're doing in the meat industry. And so then I also talk about some things to consider is working with your processor because some processors accept change and some don't welcome it. And here's your cut sheet, here's what I cut, take it or leave it. And so I'm hoping to talk through that, but I also want to get feedback. I'm hoping, I love to engage my audience and I'm hoping that they're going to ask me questions so we can problem solve, brainstorm, whatever it is together. And then hopefully when they leave, at least my goal is that they feel more secure, more confident. And then now the level of conversations are going to go up.

Speaker 1 (10:13):Yeah.

Lyda Garcia (10:14):Because the one thing that I've always said, and I say this to my students, you do not want to have one person accountable for that animal that you just spent $1,200 or $2,000, you mean your input costs, right? You don't want to rely on someone who you think is going to bring profit for you when that's not their end goal. Their goal is to make money themselves. You're not necessarily a part of their equation.

Phil Young (10:40):Yeah, that's a good ... Yeah. Yeah.

Lyda Garcia (10:43):So often I will talk about, think about your input costs, think about your output costs, and then start thinking, okay, how can I add a little more value next time or whatever the case is, right? But you have to start somewhere. And if ever anyone needs ... Just to have a conversation to pick brains and ideas. And that's where we come in. As your land grant institution, it's our job, especially through extension, is to fulfill community needs. And now I can't tell you we have all the answers, but we know a lot of people and we can help get the answers. And I'll tell you, Lynith and I, we're the two extension needs specialists for Ohio. We work well together. I mean, especially when COVID hit, we had to join forces stronger than ever to help problem solve with what was happening with our smaller processors.

(11:36):And I think we did a good job and we just continue to work together.

Phil Young (11:40):Good. Yeah.

Lyda Garcia (11:41):That was a lot. I know,

Phil Young (11:42):No no it's good.

Lyda Garcia (11:43):There's so much to share.

Phil Young (11:44):Yeah. It's interesting. I never thought about it from the processor is the finish line. You work so hard to raise this animal and you throw so much money into it and it's like you want to make sure you have the right processor that's doing it for you because they could mess it up that you're going to showcase your animal, so you want to make sure you pick someone that's good and understands what you're trying to do.

Lyda Garcia (12:04):Absolutely. And it's not uncommon that when ... After I do present that people will talk to their processor and they're open to new cuts, but they're not familiar on the how, right? Like how to remove it from ... That's where we come in as well. It's not uncommon for me to make house visits to the processor and then just work side by side with them. And of course it takes repetition, but all our audience members need to know is that's what you need, that's what we're here for. Again, that's what a land grant institution is about.

Phil Young (12:39):Yeah. And I'm sure some of these processors are excited. I mean, that's going to set them apart from the processor next door. If they know how to do something, they don't. Yes. So you coming in and showing them. Yeah. The last question I have for you is just processors in general. You read a lot of articles on there's less and less processors in the United States. Is there a way to get more processors online to be able to butcher animals? And is that something that's being worked on or talked about?

Lyda Garcia (13:08):Absolutely. And you can thank COVID. I mean, there were some positive aspects of COVID that shined light on some things that like the smaller processors prior to COVID didn't feel that they had a seat at the table when it came to the large scale packers.

(13:28):With COVID, we were all reminded that, "Hey, don't forget about your local meat processors, local, right, local, local." And if you remember, we pushed pretty hard here in Ohio to purchase local meat, local food products. And today, 20, 26 years later, a lot of our processors are still booked, but their business has boomed. I mean, it was a continuous booming effect from COVID. And so the challenge that I see is we're talking about a trade that is very intensive, labor intensive. It's not glamorous. It's dirty, it's hot, it's cold, it's necessary, no doubt. And so I work personally, at least with my work, I work a lot with the processors during carcass shows. I'll visit with processors, ask their needs. If they accept students as interns, can we develop an internship program between you, the processor and Ohio State's Meat Science Extension or Meat Science program?

(14:42):And there are some that we're able to connect, but what we're finding also is that our students don't necessarily want to work that hard. So now it's my job to problem solve, right?

(14:56):What about high schools? What about certification programs? And there's some things in the making right now that I'm working with Ohio FFA and the Ohio Department of Education on how do we work with the situation versus telling our students, "You have to do this because that's not where we are anymore." But do we need to look at a different audience? Absolutely. And that's where this new project that I'm about to start with them in hopes that we can help fulfill those needs because I don't think we should rely on our undergraduate students always to fill. We're at a different time. Not everybody's going to college anymore. Some of them are even going to a two year school, maybe a trade school.

Phil Young (15:37):That's what I was just thinking. Yeah, career centers. Yeah.

Lyda Garcia (15:39):Career centers. And so I've been here 11 years and I'm happy and I'm proud to say that I've established some really good relationships with agriscience teachers that are offering AgPro our classes at the high school level. And so over the years, I've been able to do some things with the help of many entities. And so stay tuned because there's some things coming down the pipeline to help answer that question that you just asked, is how do we keep these processors sustainable? Yeah. And with COVID, our governor, Governor DeWine did a really good job offering money for extension grants for meat processors. And I can't recall how many he's offered to date, three or four cycles. And the big thing here is if when they do get this money, how do we make sure they are sustainable?

Phil Young (16:35):Right. Yeah.

Lyda Garcia (16:36):And so I also offer just here soon in the first weekend of May, I haven't officially released this, but I guess now it's going to be official on this podcast. So here we go. Breaking news. Breaking news. I'm going to offer a two day meat processing training first weekend of May, and then we're looking at the third week of July again to help with this because it usually takes our processors, they spend roughly six to seven weeks just training new employees. Imagine the investment that six to set, that's a lot. And then when they realize that the employee realizes it's not for them, now all that money lost. And so when I've offered these trainings before, my intent is not to turn people into a processor overnight. My intent is to reduce that six to seven week timeframe to about maybe three. There's less investment, there's less of a risk of loss.

(17:41):And that's where my relationship, our relationship with stakeholders, with commodity, everything. That's why it's so important because as your land grant institution, we can't serve our purpose if we don't know what the needs are. And so it's worked out well, but yeah, it's a tough job and it's not for everyone, but it's important and I don't see it going away anytime soon.

Phil Young (18:10):No. Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you, Lila. I really appreciate all the work you do. It's very important.

Lyda Garcia (18:15):It's fun. I mean, you should hang out with me someday. I think it's fun. The people are great. I've been very fortunate to have to meet a lot of great people in the state of Ohio, which makes it even more fun for

Phil Young (18:28):Me. Yeah, right. Yeah. Well, good, good. Well, thank you for, and again, thank you for being a part of Emerge and for doing the podcast for us. Thank you. So thank you, Lyda. Yep.

Speaker 1 (18:43):Thank you for listening to AgCredit Said It. Be sure to subscribe in your favorite podcast app or join us through our website at agcredit.net, so you never miss an episode.