Meat Cutting

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

Careers & Jobs

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

Faculty

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