Dr. Lyda G. Garcia joined the Department of Animal Sciences in February 2015. Raised in a rural south Texas town (Hebbronville, TX) just 40 miles east of the Texas-Mexico border and ninety miles from the Gulf of Mexico, she was constantly involved in various areas of livestock. Raised by a cowboy and a public school teacher, Dr. Garcia developed a technique to relay her passion for agriculture and higher education inside and outside of the classroom.

Prior to joining the Buckeye Family, Dr. Garcia was a Visiting Assistant Professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) at Texas Tech University where she taught an undergraduate meat science course, traveled to Central America and Mexico as a food safety team member to collect and process samples for E. coli and Salmonella in beef and pork processing plants and markets, and assisted the dean’s college in increasing diversity for CASNR.

Currently, Dr. Garcia is responsible for teaching undergraduate courses in meat science (introduction to meat science, harvest and fabrication, processed meats, and meat carcass evaluation) and advises undergraduate Meat Science students.

Dr. Garcia is highly involved in presenting at workshops, clinics, and conferences on meat science, specifically targeting youth and livestock producers in the state of Ohio. In addition, Dr. Garcia serves as carcass judge for county Carcass Shows in the state. She has participated in the Ohio State Fair skillathon and has partnered with the Ohio Beef Council demonstrating beef cuts and palatability in a culinary setting. Dr. Garcia has gone as far as breaking down a side of beef for local beef producers, explaining quality and yield grade evaluation and explaining where meat cuts originate followed with proper cooking method. Through her Extension work, Dr. Garcia assists in recruitment efforts into agriculture, specifically animal and meat science. Finally, Dr. Garcia offers assistance to agriculture in Ohio as a Spanish interpreter. Dr. Garcia believes it is critical to provide a Spanish speaker equal opportunities in cases involving a workforce who speaks Spanish.

Dr. Garcia also serves as faculty advisor for the Meat Science Club and supervises the Meat Judging Team.