Wisconsin Manufacturer Donates Commercial Smokehouse to University

Wisconsin smokehouse equipment manufacturer Pro Smoker on Thursday announced that it has donated an "advanced commercial smokehouse" to the on-campus meat plant at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

The company said that the state-of-the-art Pro Smoker 500T truckload smokehouse would enhance the university’s research and educational capabilities in meat processing and technology — and help prepare the next generation of meat industry professionals.

The smokehouse will be integrated into the teaching and production operations at the UWRF Meat Plant, a USDA-inspected facility operated primarily by undergraduates in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. The plant mirrors full-scale meat processing operations and provides hands-on experience in harvesting, fabrication and value-added processing.

“We are committed to developing the next generation of meat processors right here in our home state,” Joe Hanni, CEO of PS Seasoning and Pro Smoker, said in a statement. “As leaders in smokehouse design and technology, we are dedicated to equipping educational institutions with the tools they need to prepare students for the workforce."

“The 500T gives our students the opportunity to work with industry-standard equipment, building skills they’ll use in commercial production settings,” added Ryley Rehnelt, the meat plant manager. “From smoked product production to thermal processing, students gain hands-on experience that prepares them for careers across the meat industry.”