The Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program continues to grow significantly, with more than 100,000 cattle producers now certified through the online learning system. The online option was introduced by NCBA, a contractor to the beef checkoff, in early 2017. Since the BQA program was initiated in the early 1990s, hundreds of thousands have become BQA-certified through in-person and online training, with an estimated 85% of the U.S. fed beef supply now touched by BQA-certified operations.
“Over the past year, we’ve doubled our online certifications, which is a tremendous accomplishment,” said BQA Advisory Board Chair Bob Smith, DVM. “This demonstrates that U.S. beef producers and transporters continue to embrace this tool for optimizing quality in their operations. Those participating in the BQA program can be proud of their work, which gives consumers more confidence in the beef they’re buying.”
Online BQA training provides around-the-clock access to the program through a series of videos and animations. Courses are available for each segment of the industry, including cow-calf, stocker/backgrounder and feedyard. In addition, BQA transportation training for professional cattle haulers and farmers and ranchers can be found on the online platform, which is located here. The courses also are available in Spanish.
The checkoff-funded program provides systematic information to beef producers and consumers of how common-sense husbandry techniques can be coupled with accepted scientific knowledge to raise cattle under optimum management and environmental conditions. BQA guidelines are designed to make certain all beef consumers can have confidence in the entire beef industry. For more information on the BQA program, contact Chase DeCoite at [email protected].