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Gary Smith

Gary Smith


Gary Smith has occupied the Ken and Myra Monfort Endowed Chair in Meat Science at Colorado State University since June 1990. Previously he served as professor (1969-1982) and animal science department head (1982-1990) at Texas A&M University.

Smith’s research interests include red meat safety, carcass evaluation and grading; composition, quality and palatability of red meat; and packaging and retailing of red meat.

Smith was instrumental in proposing the idea to quantify the quality of beef produced from Hereford and Hereford-influenced cattle compared to the rest of the industry. Because of his influence in pushing the project forward, it led to the investment by the American Hereford Association (AHA) to form the Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) program.

Smith has been awarded the Livestock Publications Council Headliner Award and was named one of the “25 Who Made a Difference” by BEEF magazine.

In 1994 he was named one of six “Industry Innovators” by Meat Marketing and Technology magazine. In 2000 he was the recipient of the National Cattlemen’s Foundation 2001 Vision Award, Region 5, and the Distinguished Service Award from the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

Smith has served on the board of directors for the Colorado Cattle Feeders Association and as an adviser to the Beef Quality Assurance Advisory Group of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

He is presently a member of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group for International Organization for Standardization (ISO-9000), Meat And Meat Products Quality Standards for AMS-USDA, was Beef Program Chairman for the 2002 and 2003 International Livestock Congresses and is a member of the Federation of Animal Science Societies’ Scientific Advisory Committee (the FASS Committee on Food Safety, Animal Drugs and Animal Health).

He is a member of the Colorado Livestock Association, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association and the NCBA.

“Dr. Smith has been a global leader in moving forward food safety and beef quality,” explains Craig Huffhines, AHA executive vice president. “His work has saved lives. His work has moved an industry and his influence on the Hereford breed is strongly felt today and will have influence for years to come.”