The countdown has begun once again for beef and dairy producers to become Beef Quality Assurance (BQA)-certified for free online through Nov. 13. And, as an added bonus, anyone who becomes certified during this period is eligible to win a prize package, courtesy of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. and the BQA program, funded in part by the beef checkoff.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. will pick up the $25-$50 online training fee for every person completing BQA training through Nov. 13. That includes anyone who works with cattle – whether it is beef or dairy. Visit www.bqa.org to take advantage of the open certification period.
The BQA program is important to the cattle industry because it is a producer's consumer-friendly story to tell, helping them talk about using BQA Protocols for producing a safe and high quality beef product. The BQA training modules are customized to fit the specific needs of each segment of the cattle industry – cow-calf, stocker, feedyard and dairy operations. The program covers production practices such as proper handling and administration of animal health products, reducing injection site blemishes, and low stress cattle-handling principles.
For dairy producers, the DACQA online modules satisfies the employee stockmanship training requirement included in the new FARM 3.0 program, which will be active in 2017.
More than 2,000 producers across the country became Beef Quality Assurance (BQA)-certified during the last campaign thanks to the program support by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI). And, of those who signed up during the free certification window, 65 percent completed their certification, the highest percentage in the program’s six-year history. Through its sponsorship of the BQA certification program, BIVI provides financial support for the Beef Cattle Institute, which developed the training modules.
To become BQA-certified, or learn more about the program, visit www.bqa.org. To learn more about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.
Source: Checkoff News
