3/10/2011
The Annual State FFA Ham, Bacon and Egg Show and Sale will be held March 14, 2011, at 7 p.m. in Building 7 (State Training Center) at the Capitol Complex.
FFA Ham, Bacon and Egg Sales have been an annual tradition in West Virginia for decades, and changes spearheaded by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) are ensuring that these programs remain a fixture for decades to come.
“West Virginia is the only state that still conducts auctions for FFA livestock projects, which teach students about food production and the business aspects of agriculture,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “In a day and time when Americans are less and less connected to the food they eat, I felt it was critically important that we make sure these programs move into the 21st Century.”
With technical assistance and encouragement from WVDA, the nearly 100 schools operating FFA programs have upgraded existing facilities or built new ones in recent years so that students will understand the requirements for commercial meat production, and will take that knowledge into the real world when they graduate.
All hams and bacons are now processed in state-of-the-art facilities that meet commercial kitchen standards. For example, processing facilities must have sanitary walls that are impervious to liquids and can easily be cleaned, floors must be sloped to drains and work areas must be able to stand up to the salts used in cure mixtures. Hand-washing sinks must be foot, knee or elbow-operated and students must have a dress-in/dress-out room where they can change into clean clothes when entering the facilities.
The facilities must also keep daily temperature logs which ensure that hams and bacons are being cured at the correct temperature. Curing at either too high or too low a temperature affects the quality of the cure. Hams are also tested for proper salt content and shrinkage prior to auction. Removing the proper amount of moisture from hams is another critical component to achieving an optimum cure.
“These young farmers put a tremendous amount of work into their FFA projects and they learn more than just how to process and cure meat,” said Commissioner Douglass. “They learn responsibility while caring for their animals over the course of the year, they learn business skills, and they have an opportunity to walk away with some money they can apply to their college costs or next year’s project, thanks to the generosity of the numerous bidders that attend the auction each year. Without the support of the individuals and businesses that show up to bid each year, there would be no auction.”
Contact Information
Gus R. Douglass
douglass@ag.state.wv.us