New York Beef Quality Assurance

Beef Quality Assurance Certification

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.

Producers can obtain BQA certification by completing the following requirements:

Attend a classroom training and/or self study to satisfactorily pass a written test
Attend a chute side training
Establish a Veterinary/Client/Patient Relationship
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.

For more information on BQA certification contact Mike Baker, Cornell Beef Extension Specialist, 607-255-5923, mjb28@cornell.edu or Carol Gillis, Executive Director, NY Beef Industry Council, 800-292-6922, cgillis@nybeef.org.

The New York State Cattle State Health Assurance Program (NYSCHAP) offers a module in BQA. Producers interested in additional assistance in evaluating their cattle operations should consider this option in addition to BQA certification. For information on the NYSCHAP BQA module, contact Kathy Finnerty, NYSCHAP Coordinator, 607-253-3910, kdf2@cornell.edu