ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Need to get your Beef Quality Assurance certification or Beef Quality Assurance Transportation certification? Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Beef Industry Council are offering two workshops on June 12 at Iowa Lakes Community College in Emmetsburg.
The morning workshop, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, features Beef Quality Assurance (BQA). In this interactive workshop, cattle producers will learn the latest in best management practices and how to raise consumer confidence that the beef they eat is a safe, high-quality product raised with attention to animal well-being and environmental stewardship.
Beth Doran, beef field specialist for ISU Extension and Outreach says that BQA workshops enable producers to become BQA certified, which is a requirement of some packers. Last year, 17 Northwest Iowa workshops certified 718 cattle producers. This year, BQA workshops are scheduled for June 12, August 6 and November 21 across Northwest Iowa.
In the afternoon workshop, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the focus will be BQA Transportation (BQAT).
Doran continues that transportation quality assurance plays a critical role in the health and welfare of cattle. When a transporter has this certification, they demonstrate to the consumer that they are taking care to keep cattle as healthy and safe as possible.
BQA Transportation is a new program for both farmers and professional truckers. Topics to be covered include biosecurity, determining fitness for transport and best management practices in cattle transport. BQAT certification will be required by major packers prior to January 1, 2020.
There is no cost associated with either workshop; however, pre-registration for the BQA and BQAT workshops is requested by June 7 to ISU Extension and Outreach – Palo Alto County. To pre-register, call 712-852-2865.
The BQA and BQAT workshops are held in conjunction with the Farm News Ag Show 2019. Show time for the Ag Show is 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. A schedule for the Ag Show may be accessed at https://www.farm-news.com/page/content.detail/id/534583/FARM-NEWS-is-taking-its-show-on-the-road.html?nav=5005.
