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About BQAThe Beef Quality Assurance program was initiated in 1987 to assist cattle producers in raising, feeding and harvesting high quality beef, with the ultimate goal of maximizing consumer confidence in beef.
Using science, research and educational initiatives, the BQA program has identified production practices that will have a positive effect on carcass quality and can be easily implemented each day. |
The program provides hands-on training and education on BQA guidelines including Cattle Care and Husbandry Practices, Feedstuffs, Feed Additives and Medications, Processing/Treatment and Records and Injectable Animal Health Products. The BQA program is designed to assist cattle producers in setting production standards and establishing systems for data retention and record keeping based on these guidelines.
Who Should Participate? |
The BQA program is voluntary and anyone can participate! Whether you are a veterinarian, livestock market employee, truck driver, pharmaceutical rep, feedyard employee or a cattle rancher, the BQA program provides you tools and education to assure quality and ultimately grow consumer demand for beef. If you work regularly with beef cattle on a cow/calf, stocker, backgrounding or feedlot business, you are strongly encouraged to become certified!
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History of BQA |
BQA’s history begins in the late 1970s with a precursor program called “Beef Safety Assurance”, which focused on eliminating violative chemical residues from beef tissue. This program was highly successful in educating stakeholders about proper use of pharmaceutical products and honoring withdrawal times.
In 1982 the USDA FSIS developed a pre-harvest Beef Safety Production Program, which caused concerns for cattle industry members regarding potential burdensome governmental regulations. Consequently, in 1985, three feedlots who participated in this program became certified by the USDA as “Verified Production Control” feedlots. This serves as the foundation for the producer driven Beef Quality Assurance Program. BQA was formally established in 1987. In 1991, the first National Beef Quality Audit took place to serve as an industry wide scorecard to measure the progress of the BQA program. New National Beef Quality Audits are conducted every five years and includes audits on both fed cattle and cows and bulls. The next audit will be completed in 2016. Today, the nationally coordinated and state implemented BQA program focuses on all segments of the beef industry and includes training for transporters as well as self-assessments for cow/calf, stocker and feeder operations. Now more than ever, consumers have shown concern for issues including animal welfare and environmental sustainability, and the BQA program is committed to addressing these topics in order for the cattle industry to continue to meet the expectations of our ever-changing consumer. |