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Meat Cutting

  • Starting Cost:$4,294*
  • Apply By:August 20, 2026
  • Classes Start:August 24, 2026

Ridgewater’s Meat Cutting program offers hands-on training in the art of butchery, equipping students with the skills to break down carcass, trim and prepare various cuts of meat. Meat cutters play a critical role in the food and agriculture industries by ensuring that livestock are harvested, meat products are prepared, presented and sold in a safe and appealing manner.

Student learns skills in:

  • Food safety and carcass breakdown into retail cuts
  • Livestock, poultry and game slaughter and processing
* Tuition/fees and additional costs are approximate and based on 2025-26 school year.

Program Delivery

  • Online coursework
    • No set meeting time; students attend lectures and access class materials according to their schedules
  • In-person labs
    • 10 hours of weekly lab time at a meat shop near you or the Willmar campus facility
  • Fall start – Beginning
  • Spring start – Advanced

Program Cost*

Tuition/Fees

  • Beginning Meat Cutting Certificate – $4,294
  • Advanced Meat Cutting Certificate – $4,294

Additional Costs

  • A Microsoft® Windows 11 laptop computer is required for all students enrolled in Ag programs.  Tablets, Chromebooks, and Mac/Apple devices are not supported by D2L Brightspace, the system-wide online learning management system.

Program Highlights

Awards & Certificates

Careers & Jobs

  • Meat Cutter
  • Butcher
  • Meat Merchant
  • Entrepreneur
  • Meat Processor
  • Meat Inspector

Faculty

Sophia Berg

Sophia Berg

Meat Cutting Instructor

Jon Barka

Jon Barka

Agriculture Instructor

Wade Gustafson

Wade Gustafson

Agriculture Instructor

Erik Hoff

Erik Hoff

Agriculture Instructor

Thomas Lorang

Thomas Lorang

Agriculture Instructor

Nate Lungren

Nate Lungren

Agriculture Instructor

Russ Peterson

Russ Peterson

Agriculture Instructor

Kari Slinden

Kari Slinden

Agriculture Instructor

Curt Yoose

Curt Yoose

Agriculture Instructor

Kim Tensen

Kim Tensen

Faculty Administrative Assistant

Grace Zeidler

Grace Zeidler

Lab Assistant

Nicole Luhr

Nicole Luhr

Agriculture Faculty

Wade Kallevig

Wade Kallevig

Agriculture Faculty

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