That's right, it is the sales room at the Meat Science Laboratory. And does that mean you are eating experimental meat? Meat produced... for science? I asked the manager, and in fact that's just what it means. \n\nHe assured me that everything was USDA inspected. Sure, sure. But what kind of science is this meat science? I asked him to give me an example of a research project involving this meat. He said that they did not talk about specific projects but that they were all run by University faculty members.\n\nThat sounds a little shady. I'd go to a hospital run by university faculty members. But a grocery store? A dog groomer? How about a Pier One Imports run exclusively by university faculty members? It seems like a mismatch. Maybe that's why my daughter is afraid to come here.  \n\nBut I love it.\n\nSeriously, where else can you get University-branded meat?  The University of Wisconsin--Madison has that crazy orange chocolate chip ice cream made from the university dairy.  We have this meat.\n\nIt's fresh and tasty. You can meet the herd -- some of them hang around a field on the south side of Windsor Road. Now that's eating local.\n\nI also asked the manager: are there any faculty meat research projects involving organic, grass-fed beef?  He said no. This was wishful thinking on my part. (Damn you, ConAgra!)