American Cured Meat Championships

About the ACMC

In 1949, small business meat processors gathered in Chicago to enter their hams in the First Annual National Ham Show. Sixty-five hams were judged in four classes. This competition started a tradition that is known today as the American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC) - the only national event of its kind in North America.

This event has expanded over the years to cover a wide variety of products including hams, bacon, jerky, and sausages. Now hundreds of products are entered in 29 classes each year. Entries are evaluated by judges comprised of meat science academia and industry representatives along with fellow processor judges who have been inducted into the ACMC Cured Meats Hall of Fame. This evaluation provides information for product enhancement that could result in greater sales and business opportunities.

Any processor member of the American Association of Meat Processors that produces their own products, and is a registered attendee for the convention, may enter products into the ACMC. Click here to view results from 2013 to last year's competition.

Read about the results of the 2025 ACMC.

2026 American Cured Meat Championships
July 9-11, 2026
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Questions about the ACMC?
Contact acmc@aamp.com

ACMC Rules

Information about the 2026 ACMC will be available soon.

Classes of Entries

Andouille Sausage

Bacon - Heavyweight

Bacon - Lightweight

Braunschweiger

Country Bacon - Dry Cured

Cured Specialty Meat Products

Dried Beef

Frankfurters/Wieners - Coarse Ground

Frankfurters/Wieners - Emulsified

Ham, Bone-In - Heavyweight

Ham, Bone-in - Lightweight

Ham, Boneless - Commercial

Ham, Boneless - Traditional

Ham, Semi-Boneless

Jerky - Restructured

Jerky - Whole Muscle

Luncheon Meat - Large Diameter

Meat Snack Sticks

Meat Snack Sticks, Flavored

Old World Dried Fermented Sausage

Ring Bologna - Cooked

Semi-Dried Sausage - Cooked, Non-Fermented

Small Diameter Hot Link Sausage

Small Diameter Smoked & Cooked Sausage

Small Diameter Smoked & Cooked Sausage - Specialty Flavor

Smoked Turkey

Specialty Game Meats

Summer Sausage - Cooked

2026 Featured Class: TBA

2026 Experimental Fresh Class: TBA

Registration

Information about the 2026 ACMC will be available soon.

2026 ACMC Schedule

Information about the 2026 ACMC will be available soon.

ACMC University Class

The University Class provides a venue to students who have an interest in processed meats to compete at the intercollegiate level. In no way is the class meant to compete with the processor member, but merely provide students an opportunity to enter into a friendly competition between schools. Besides being able to interact with processor members during convention, the main goal is for students to learn more about meat processing and the applied science involved in creating various cured meats. Click here to view past winners from the University Class.

The competition is open to students who have an allied membership represented in some fashion from their respective institutions. The type of product(s) that students produce will vary during subsequent years at the ACMC and follow the same rules and entry guidelines for the designated product class. Information about the 2026 University Class will be made available soon.