This is the press release from the American Meat Science Association announcing that Davey B. Griffin had received this prestigious award.
AMSA is excited to announce that Dr. Davey Griffin has been named an AMSA Fellow and is a recipient of the 2013 AMSA Signal Service Award. The AMSA Signal Service Award was established in 1956 and is given to members in recognition of devoted service and lasting contributions to the meat industry and to the association. The Signal Service Awards are sponsored by Keystone Foods, Johnsonville Sausage Company and Elanco Animal Health. Dr. Griffin will be honored at an Awards banquet during the AMSA 66th Reciprocal Meat Conference on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Auburn, AL.
Dr. Davey Brian Griffin is a native of Corsicana, Texas, and attended Texas A&M University where he graduated with three degrees in Animal Science- B.S. in 1979, M.S. in 1981, and Ph.D. in 1989. Between his masters and Ph.D. degrees, Dr. Griffin worked in the premanagement training program and as a sales representative of Oscar Mayer and Company. Dr. Griffin began working as an extension meat specialist in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University in 1989 and now is an Associate Professor and Extension Meat Specialist where he conducts extension, service, and outreach programs in meat science.
Dr. Griffin serves as a liaison between industry, commodity groups, medical and dietary professionals and Extension personnel to provide research information and technology. His key program and interest areas include cutability and composition of carcasses associated with value-based marketing, current consumer issues concerning meat and meat products, youth development and cooperative research projects. He is a strong advocate for youth education. He is the faculty advisor for A&M’s meat judging program and works with the Texas FFA meat judging program. Dr. Griffin currently serves as the superintendent for carcass shows for the San Antonio and Houston stock shows. He has also served numerous times on the National 4-H Meat Judging Contest Official Committee, and has been instrumental in the adoption of a common list of retail identification cuts and coding for both 4-H and FFA beginning in 2012.
Dr. Griffin has designed award-winning programs for the livestock and meat industry. His greatest work was the creation of the Beef 101 program, which began in 1989. Thousands of people from all around the world have participated in this hands-on workshop designed to allow people to learn the basics of beef. Dr. Griffin helped with the development of the Beef 706 and PORK 101 programs and has served as a key leader in these on-going workshops. In 2006, Dr. Griffin became the Executive Director of the Texas Association of Meat Processors where he provides outstanding leadership for this group of small and very small processors. AMSA recognized Davey in 2008 with the Distinguished Extension-Industry Service Award.
“Davey’s contributions and leadership in AMSA has shaped the course of its youth development programs. His dedication to these programs, as well as the entire meat industry, are equaled by few and exceeded by none making him a worthy recipient of the Signal Service Award and being named an AMSA Fellow,” stated Dr. Thomas Powell, AMSA Executive Director.