In the world of meat, The American Association Of Meat Processors is one of a handful of groups that are starmakers for their members. AAMP has been operating for nearly 80 years and their conferences and awards parties are known in the industry as being rollicking affairs.

Hundreds of men drinking whiskey and eating and talking about meat while old country music blares in the background? Count us in. And we’ll stack our Old Timey Hog Man Country Bacon up against the best of the lot.

The American Association Of Meat Processors also has a Cured Meat Hall Of Fame with rigorous criteria for inductees. You have to have shown “long-standing excellence in the production of cured meats” for instance, and you have to have participated in your state’s cured meat shows (and presumably done well) and last but not least you have to be “willing to share knowledge and information with others in the meat industry”.

This year Dave Sutton (Newhall Locker and Processing-Iowa) and Mike Sloan (Hermann Wurst Haus-Missouri) were each inducted into the august hall.

Earlier this year Sutton received his degree in the Master Meat Crafter program from the University of Wisconsin, while Sloan’s large diameter luncheon meat (German-style Bologna) was judged to be a Grand Champion at AAMP’s 2016 meat championships.

Both men are movers and shakers in the world of meat.

Here is the full list of members of the Cured Meat Hall Of Fame.

2016 – Dave Sutton, Newhall, IA; and Mike Sloan, Hermann, MO

2015 – Dwight Ely, Newtown, PA

2015 – William Dayton, Malcom, IA

2014 – Richard A. Leiding, Danville, IL

2013 – Roger Van Hemelryk, Green Bay, WI

2012 – Jon Frohling, Hecla, SD

2012 – Karl Koslowski, Menomonee Falls, WI

2011 – Rick Reams, Hudson, WI

2011 – Frank Stoysich, Jr., Omaha, NE

2010 – Joseph Turasky, Springfield, IL

2010 – Sam Western, Greentop, MO

2009 – Michael Eickman, Seward, IL

2009 – James (Jim) Hankes, Galesburg, IL

2008 – John Haen, Kaukauna, WI

2008 – Tim Haen, Kaukauna, WI

2007 – Greg Endres, Hampton, MN

2007 – Daniel T. Weber, Geneseo, IL

2006 – Victor Byrce (Tup) Robertson, Marietta, OK

2005 – Robert Filbrandt, South Haven, MI

2005 – Joe Leonard, Downtown South Edmeston, NY

2004 – Roger L. Alewel, Sedelia, MO

2004 – Randy A. Alewel, Warrensburg, MO

2003 – Louis E. Muench, Cumberland, WI

2003 – Frank P. Stoysich, Omaha, NE

2002 – Wayne Beckman, Kensington, KS

2002 – Richard McLimans, Fennimore, WI

2001 – Kenneth Bisarek, Bloomington, WI

2001 – David V. Dewey, Chico, CA

2000 – Gary R. Crane, Perkins, OK

2000 – Randall Ream, Elburn, IL

1999 – Kim P. Nelson, Arcadia, WI

1999 – Reginald P. Weber, Cuba City, WI

1998 – James Klema, Beloit, KS

1998 – Nick Schermer, Hayward, MN

1997 – Stan Brooks, Oklahoma City, OK

1997 – Larry Schubert, Millstadt, IL

1996 – Steven E. Eaker, Ellendale, MN

1996 – Helmut Wagner, Erie, PA

1996 – Morris Burger, California, MO

1995 – Edward Woods, Bowling Green, MO

1995 – Louis H. Carstensen, Lake Park, IA

1994 – Peter C. Nelson, Lindstrom, MN

1994 – Fred H. Keller, Claremont, NC

1993 – Merlyn J. Eickman, Seward, IL

1993 – James Hewitt, Marshfield, WI

1992 – James L. Peterson, Lodi, WI

1991 – Harold “Red” Bartholomew, San Diego, CA

1991 – Wieland J. Kayser, Lena, IL

1991 – Clarence Knebel, Belmont, WI

1991 – Rudy F. Stoysich, Omaha, NE

Can you imagine the congregational bacon knowledge these men possess? We’d love to organize a tournament where these men each cured 20lbs of meat of their choice then met on a proving grounds where eaters could sample their goods then vote for the one true king.