CHAMPAIGN, IL — The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) announces that Collette Schultz Kaster 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. Collette Schultz Kaster will be honored at an Awards banquet during the AMSA 66th Reciprocal Meat Conference on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Auburn, AL.
“Collette Schultz Kaster, for her devoted service and lasting contributions to the meat industry and AMSA, is awarded the Signal Service Award and the recognition of being an AMSA Fellow. Collette is highly respected by her colleagues for her dedication to the industry and her leadership and integrity. She is a leader in the areas of food safety, pork quality, animal welfare and quality assurance” stated Dr. Thomas Powell, AMSA Executive Director.
A native of northwestern Iowa, Collette attended South Dakota State University where she earned her B.S. in 1988. She earned her M.S. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in 1991. She then began her career as a Meat Scientist for PIC. At PIC, Collette introduced and implemented a total pork chain approach to pork muscle quality, working with swine producers as well as pork packers and retailers. Collette was an early pioneer in identifying and benchmarking pork muscle quality at the packing plant level of the pork chain.
Collette joined Premium Standard Farms in 1994 as the Director of Quality Assurance, Food Safety and Technical Services. When Premium Standard Farms was purchased by Smithfield Foods in 2007, Collette became Vice President of Quality Technical Services of Farmland Foods, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods. In 2011, Collette accepted the additional responsibility of Live Animal Procurement and is now Vice President of Procurement and Quality Technical Services.
She has served in various leadership roles both for AMSA as well as other industry associations. Collette served the AMSA as both a Director and President of the association. Under her leadership as President, the association adopted a digital strategy that resulted in enhance communications and service to its membership.
In recognition for her contributions to the industry, Ms. Kaster made the Meat Processing Rising Star (2004) and Meat and Poultry Industry Leaders to Watch (2009) lists. Collette received the Achievement (2005) and Extension-Industry Service (2010) Awards from AMSA
AMSA fosters community and professional development among individuals who create and apply science to efficiently provide safe and high quality meat defined as red meat (beef, pork and lamb), poultry, fish/seafood and meat from other managed species.
Source: American Meat Science Association (AMSA)