Count Down to QualityChase DeCoite, manager of Beef Quality Assurance (BQA), funded in part by the beef checkoff, says producers have just one week left to register for their free BQA certification. DeCoite explains why BQA is not only important to cattle producers and dairymen, but to consumers.

DeCoite 1: "The BQA program really shows a producer's commitment to continuous improvement and to producing a high-quality beef product that's safe, wholesome, nutritious, with using the most recent and up-to-date scientifically sound practices that they can implement on their farms. But to the end consumer, it sends a message that they can be confident that their product was made and their purchase decisions in that their beef was raised in a responsible manner."

More than 11,000 producers have taken advantage of Boehringer Ingelheim's BQA certification partnership. DeCoite tells us what the goals are for this campaign.

DeCoite 2: "Just like the BQA program, we're dedicated to continuous improvement in getting these numbers of certified producers up. And to date, we have had an increase of over 500 users as compared to our spring campaign for free BQA certification through Boehringer Ingelheim. That's over a 40 percent increase in our users as compared to the same time in the spring campaign. And so if we can stay on track for that 40 percent increase in producers adopting BQA through that online certification, I'd be more than happy."

And after a producer receives his or her initial certification, DeCoite explains how to stay current.

DeCoite 3: "It's actually pretty easy to stay up-to-date on BQA certification. We really encourage all of our producers, if they haven't been certified recently, to go back and become re-certified and update their certification. But in most cases, it's a three-year certification that you'll gain when you become certified and then from there, to get re-certified after your three years expires, there are a lot of options you can do. You can do a face-to-face training in your own state with your state coordinator or your state trainers, or you can go back online and use it through the animalcaretraining.org to become re-certified after that certification expires."
Visit BQA.org/team to take advantage of this free BQA certification! Reporting for the beef checkoff, I'm Melissa Sandfort. For more about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.

Beef CheckUNDERSTANDING THE BEEF CHECKOFF PROGRAM
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. www.mybeefcheckoff.com
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10.23.2014