Beef Quality Assurance sessions scheduled in northeast Iowa
5/17/24
VINTON, Iowa – Beef producers in northeast Iowa are encouraged to check their Beef Quality Assurance certification expiration date to be sure they can continue to sell their cattle. BQA is required for everyone who sells cattle to Tyson Foods, Cargill, and Iowa Premium, as well as several other beef processors and some sale barns. Certification must be renewed every three years to maintain that sales eligibility.
Iowa State University Extension beef specialist Denise Schwab said seven BQA dates and locations are scheduled in the northeast Iowa area, and are for both initial certification and recertification. At the end of the meeting, all participants will become BQA certified.
"Please check for preregistration information for the site you want to attend," she said. "Some sessions include a meal and having those numbers is important for planning."
Schwab said the BQA certification meetings will focus on changes in packer requirements and the information that cattle feeders must provide to market cattle. This certification assures consumers that the beef they eat is a safe, high quality product, and is produced in a responsible manner considering animal welfare and the environment.
These sessions are for BQA only unless Beef Quality Assurance Transportation (BQAT) is specifically listed.
- June 18. BQA, St Donatus Parish Center, St Donatus, 6 p.m. Please preregister by calling B & G Feed Service at 563-773-8801.
- June 26. BQA, Buzzy’s, 414 Main St., Welton, 5 p.m. Please preregister by calling Clinton County Extension at 563-659-5125 by June 21.
- June 28. BQA, Waverly Sales Company, 2212 5th Avenue NW, Waverly, burgers at noon, meeting start at 1 pm. Please preregister by calling Waverly Sales Co 319-352-2804.
- July 9. BQA, Equity Livestock, 1645 Highway 76 North, Waukon, dinner at 6 p.m., training starts at 6:30 p.m. Please preregister by July 8 by calling Equity Livestock at 563-568-4501.
- Aug. 19. BQA with BQAT following, Tama Livestock Auction, 1908 E 5th St, Tama, 6 p.m. Please preregister by Aug. 13 by calling the Tama Livestock Auction at 641-484-3465.
- Aug. 21. BQA, American Legion, 121 Bryant St., Walcott, meal at 6 p.m., meeting at 6:30 p.m. Please preregister by Aug. 15 by calling Walcott Vet Clinic at 563-284-6233. Walcott Vet clinic will cover the cost of the meal for their clients. Non-clients: $10-12/person for the meal.
- Aug. 28-29. NCBA Stockmanship & Stewardship, Grant County Fairgrounds, 916 E. Elm St, Lancaster, WI. Program begins at 1 p.m. Registration required at https://www.stockmanshipandstewardship.org/events/lancaster-wi
- Sept. 18. BQA, Decorah Sales Commission, 2123 Madison Rd, Decorah, 8:30 a.m. To register, call Decorah Sales Commission at 563-382-4203.
Iowa’s BQA certification program utilizes industry partnerships to extend its reach across Iowa and is funded with beef checkoff dollars. The BQA program has helped inform industry representatives and beef producers about the latest management practices such as proper injection site techniques, recordkeeping practices, and new industry on-farm BQA Assessments; and helped consumers become more aware of the extra efforts taken by Iowa producers to deliver safe, wholesome beef.
For more information on BQA or any of these sessions, contact Schwab by email or call 319-721-9624.
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The Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University was established in 1996 with the goal of supporting the growth and vitality of the state’s beef cattle industry. It comprises faculty and staff from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, and works to develop and deliver the latest research-based information regarding the beef cattle industry. For more information about IBC, visit www.iowabeefcenter.org.
Contact:
Denise Schwab, ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist, 319-721-9624, dschwab@iastate.edu
