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Brightwater is Now Taking Students for New Artisanal Butchery Program
Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, a NorthWest Arkansas Community College department, is now accepting applications for its new artisanal butchery program.
The center received a $650,000 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop the new program.
The program's curriculum encompasses comprehensive training in retail butchery skills, food safety and fundamental charcuterie techniques. Students will produce substantial charcuterie items and gain practical experience by staffing and managing a retail butcher shop in the 8th Street Market.
"What truly sets this program apart is our commitment to blending artisanal skills with sustainability and local sourcing. By training the next generation of butchers and meat processors, we’re equipping skilled professionals who understand the importance of ethical practices, the value of local food systems, and the care behind every cut,” said Marshall Shafkowitz, Brightwater’s executive director. “This program strengthens the local food economy and fosters a deeper connection between consumers and the farmers who produce their food. This initiative directly connects the craft of butchery and the broader food economy, strengthening our community while preserving and enhancing a vital part of our food culture. It's an approach that honors tradition and prepares the next generation for a sustainable future in food production.”
Students will assist customers at the raw meat and ready-to-eat deli counters, handle financial transactions and manage inventory.
The program will last a full semester, in person and at the Brightwater campus in Bentonville. It will be 16 credit hours, and students will also have the opportunity to earn a certificate of proficiency.
Participants of the program will take the following courses:
- Food Safety
- Butchery
- Charcuterie
- Retail Butchery and Charcuterie Operations
- Food Safety for Manufacturing
“In this artisan butchery program, we will be educating the future of our local craft butchery workforce & talent and supporting and celebrating the work of our local small family farms. This program will be unique because of our ability to focus on whole animal utilization, maintaining and developing traditional butchery methods, and with a focus on flavors and quality,” said Travis McConnell, NWACC’s butchery instructor. “The students going through this program will understand the nose-to-tail philosophy and how to build a business from this knowledge. They will learn to source, butcher, and create high-quality charcuterie and craft butchery for their community.”
Graduates will be well-positioned for various roles, including retail butchers, farm-to-table chef, artisanal craft butcher shop, restaurant butchers and entrepreneurs.
Students will possess the expertise and knowledge necessary to oversee operations ranging from fee-for-service custom processing facilities to retail butcher shops or delis featuring their products.
The application deadline is January 11.
If you would like to apply to the program or for more info email: brightwater@nwacc.edu.