By Emily Bontrager
Eric Young has been named this year’s president for the Missouri Association of Meat Processors.
MAMP was founded in 1939 and the association is made up of meat processors and suppliers in Missouri. MAMP helps these processors and suppliers promote their products and businesses.
Eric, 49, lives in Revere, MO with his wife, Andrea and their two boys. In his free time, he likes to watch sports and hunt. Eric graduated from Clark County High School in 1992. He then attended Southeastern Community College for two years.
Eric works at Kahoka Meat Processing & Deli, Inc., which is run by his parents, Larry and Joyce Young. In 1983, they took over the business and they are still running it today.
In 1995, Eric started working full time as a meat cutter at the locker.
“I started working there when I was 13. I cleaned the floors and worked during deer season. While I was going to college, I cleaned up at night,” Eric said.
Each year, MAMP holds a convention around the first weekend of March in Columbia, MO.
“We usually go to the University of Missouri and we usually have some courses over there. They have seminars and they usually have speakers that come,” Eric said.
The convention also has a trade show, cured meat show, silent auction, award show, and a live auction to raise money for scholarship funds.
“They gave out six $1,800 scholarship funds this year. It is for kids that are going into the meat industry,” Eric explained.
Eric became a board member of MAMP years ago and started taking on more responsibilities for the association.
“You are on the board 10 years really,” Eric said.
At this year’s convention, Eric officially took over as the president of the association. As the new president, Eric’s job is to conduct the meetings held during the year and to give out the awards at the end of his term.
Eric is also following in his father’s footsteps. Larry served as the MAMP President in 2014. Eric is excited to be a part of MAMP and to serve as the president for the coming year.
