Beef Quality Assurance

Beef Quality Assurance is a national program that provides guidelines for beef cattle production. The program raises consumer confidence through offering proper management techniques and a commitment to quality within every segment of the beef industry. 

State Beef Quality Assurance programs are moving toward a more uniform nationwide format. To meet those ends, Ohio’s BQA program is moving from “Documentation of Attendance” status to a Certification-based program. 

Producer/Individual Certification
To become a BQA Certified Producer/Individual, the candidate must:

• General - Target audience is non-restrictive, including: Owner, Manager, Employee, Veterinarian, Youth, Tech Service, Allied Industry, etc.
• Training - Attend a BQA training session that addresses BQA program material including the National BQA Program Guidelines and BQA BMPs
• Examination - Successfully complete and pass an assessment covering BQA program material including the National BQA Program Guideline and BQA BMPs. The assessment must include content from each area of the National BQA Guidelines. The assessment is open-book and the candidate must score 85% or greater to pass
• Certification - BQA Certification is good for three years based on training year. Successful candidates will be issued a BQA Certificate/Card as a record of their successful program and assessment completion. Training/certification records will be kept on file by the individual candidate’s state organization.
• Other Considerations - National BQA training may be available via the Internet-Distance Learning
• Production Agreement - The individual candidate agrees to follow National BQA Guidelines

Re-certification:

• The individual candidate must retake the approved exam or state approved audit or Continuing Education Unit approved by the state program and resign the production agreement/BQA Code of Conduct.

BQA Code of Conduct:

• I received training in BQA and use it on my beef cattle enterprise because I have a commitment to consumers to produce the safest, highest quality beef in the world.
• I use BQA production practices because maintaining an optimum environment for cattle to produce at their best promotes efficiency and quality at the same time. BQA training has shown me that keeping records of all my production practices is the best way for me to reduce liability, provide quality assurance to my customers, and continue to ensure a safe beef supply through strict adherence to residue avoidance practices.
• BQA has taught me to think about all of my production practices in light of their effect on the quality of the final product.
• BQA is a combination of technology, common sense, a concern for animal well-being, and a consumer oriented production system.

Ohio Professional Beef Producer Program & Ohio BQA Documentation Attendance

The Ohio Beef Producer Program (OPBP) will continue to be a valuable program for beef cattle production education and a method to relay BQA principles.  Certification in OPBP will be extended to 3 years instead of the current 2 years to more closely align with the National BQA program.

For those that have currently attained OPBP status and are also listed with Ohio BQA “Documentation of Attendance” status their start/end dates will be aligned with Ohio-BQA certification status.