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NY Beef Quality Assurance Program

Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) is a voluntary program focused on training cattle producers in feeding, management and breeding practices that assures the consumer that they are producing safe, wholesome beef of the highest quality. It is based on national guidelines and scientific research with the purpose of enhancing carcass quality and safety, thereby protecting the consumer confidence in our beef supply.

 BQA Certification

Producers can obtain BQA certification by completing the following requirements: 

1. Attend a classroom training and/or self-study to satisfactorily pass a written test
2. Attend a chute side training
3. Establish a Veterinary/Client/Patient Relationship
4. Signing a BQA contract

Topics covered during the certification process include safe handling of health care products, injection site location, increasing the effectiveness of vaccines, reducing drug residues, safe animal handling, animal welfare and record keeping. Currently, cattle that are properly vaccinated and managed are worth more to the owner due to increased sale weight. Increasingly the market place is seeking cattle that have been raised using BQA principals and eventually, this will lead to higher prices for cattle from BQA certified producers. 
                                                           
NY Beef Quality Assurance Workshops
Please pre-register with Sharon VanDeuson, CCE Cortland County, at 607-753-5078.  For more information, contact Heather Birdsall at 607-753-5222. 

Dates, counties, and room #’s listed below:

CLASSROOM TRAINING & WRITTEN TEST:
6:30 pm to 9:00 pm:

NOV 17           Cornell Cooperative Extension Chemung, Conference Room 110.
DEC 1              Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins, Conference Room B.
DEC 15            Cornell Cooperative Extension Tioga, Downstairs Meeting Room.

JAN 5              Cornell Cooperative Extension Schuyler,Conference Room 120.
JAN 12            Cornell Cooperative Extension Cortland,Conference Room 105.

BQA Chute Side Training:
6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

FEB 9               Cornell T&R Center, Harford.  F