Year-end beef quality assurance certification trainings offered in northwest Iowa
10/31/24
Low-stress handling improves meat quality.
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host four year-end Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification trainings in northwest Iowa.
These trainings feature significant changes in the beef industry and best management practices to provide sustainable, high-quality beef to consumers, and Iowa State University extension beef specialist Beth Doran said new developments such as EID traceability, biosecurity, and animal health will be featured.
“Producers and ag-business professionals who attended an in-person training three years ago have been receiving notice from their packer that their certificate is expiring, and they need to recertify,” Doran said. “Most major packers and most local livestock auctions require a feedlot producer to have a current certificate.”
To certify or recertify, producers can attend one of the following in-person trainings. All sessions are free of charge, but preregistration is requested four days in advance of the training you plan to attend.
- Nov. 26 – 10 a.m. - noon. ISU Extension and Outreach Cherokee County Office, 209 Centennial Drive, Cherokee. RSVP to 712-225-6196.
- Dec. 5 – 1-3 p.m. ISU Extension and Outreach Plymouth County Office (Le Mars Convention Center Lower Level), 251 12th St. SE, Le Mars. RSVP to 712-546-7835. Hosted in conjunction with the morning Kent Nutrition Meeting.
- Dec. 9 – 1-3 p.m. ISU Extension and Outreach O’Brien County Office, 340 2nd St. SE, Primghar. RSVP to 712-957-5045.
- Dec. 16 – 10 a.m. - noon. ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County Office, 400 Central Ave. NW, Suite 700, Orange City. RSVP to 712-737-4230.
Producers unable to attend an in-person training may complete their training online at https://www.bqa.org/.
The Iowa BQA program is funded by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and Beef Checkoff, and the education is delivered as a joint effort in conjunction with the Iowa Beef Center and ISU Extension and Outreach.
For more information, contact Doran at 712-737-4230 or email doranb@iastate.edu.
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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:
Beth Doran, ISU extension beef specialist, 712-737-4230, doranb@iastate.edu
