Members of the Wisconsin livestock and meat industries are invited to help celebrate the induction of two individuals with outstanding lifetime contributions to the Wisconsin meat industry  – Dan Schaeffer and Steve Van Lannen – into the Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame. The induction of these two individuals will take place as part of an awards ceremony on Thursday, April 9 in conjunction with the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors Annual Convention. At the event, college students who have received industry scholarships from the Wisconsin Livestock and Meat Council will also be recognized.

The awards ceremony involves a reception at 6:00 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. at the Marriott Madison West, in Middleton. People can register for the celebration only, and do not need to register for the entire conference. Please register in advance at https://wi-amp.com/convention/.

Dan Schafer joined the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences in 1981 as an assistant professor. During his nearly 40-year career with the university, he led ground-breaking research in feeding Holstein steers. His work in supplementing vitamin E in rations to improve meat color is still used today. He serves as department chair and was instrumental in efforts to construct the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery building on campus.

During Steve Van Lannen‘s 30-plus years in the meat industry, he ran packing companies in six states but spent most of his career in Wisconsin, most recently as president and COO of American Foods Group. Through innovation and forward thinking his leadership brought growth and diversity to the companies he worked for. An advocate of education, he mentored employees and students at the high school and collegiate level.

The Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame was created in 1993 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the meat industry in Wisconsin. The Hall of Fame program is coordinated by the University of Wisconsin­–Madison’s Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and the Wisconsin Livestock and Meat Council (WLMC).

For the 2025-26 school year, the WLMC awarded $12,000 in scholarships to university students from campuses at Madison, Platteville and River Falls. These are students who have demonstrated interests in animal science, particularly in the production and processing of beef, pork, lamb and veal. The scholarships are supported by the generous donations of meat and livestock businesses throughout Wisconsin.

For more information, contact Jeff Sindelar at (608) 262-0555 or jsindelar@wisc.edu or Jeff Swenson at (608 333-7016 or jeffrey.swenson@wisconsin.gov.