AMES, IOWA – Quality beef begins with quality care. The Beef Checkoff Program wants to recognize beef producers, marketers, and educators who diligently care for and properly handle cattle to provide consumers with safe and wholesome beef. Applications for Iowa’s 2018 Iowa Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards are now being accepted.

BQA is a national program for beef cattle production that assures the highest standards of animal care and treatment. It was developed with guidance from leading animal health and well-being experts and outlines essential elements for cattle care. More than 90 percent of all U.S. beef is raised under the BQA program. ⁽¹⁾

The Iowa BQA program will recognize an outstanding cow/calf and feedyard beef producer, dairy producer, beef marketer, and/or educator/s who best demonstrate BQA practices, including sound animal husbandry practices. Nominees should be BQA certified and work to continually improve BQA on their operations while operating sustainable cattle businesses. The desire to encourage fellow producers to implement BQA and communicate what the industry is doing to ensure quality cattle care is a plus. The award is open to all segments of the industry – commercial cow-calf, seedstock, backgrounders, feedyards, dairy operations, auction markets operators/managers, veterinarians, and other educators.

“Beef Quality Assurance is becoming increasingly necessary to access markets in addition to being the right thing to do,” said Day Loy, Director, Iowa Beef Center. “The BQA awards program recognizes those that are going above and beyond the basic guidelines that help assure a safe, wholesome beef supply that is well cared for in the production process and enhancing our industry’s reputation.”

Completed entries are due by Friday, November 2, 2018. The Iowa BQA Award winners will be selected by a committee of fellow cattle producers, veterinarians, pharmaceutical representatives, and others who have a vested interest in the future of the beef industry.  Nominations can be submitted by any organization, group or individual on behalf of an Iowa beef producer or marketer. Individuals and families may not nominate themselves; however, the nominees are encouraged to be involved in the application process. Winners will be recognized during the Iowa Cattle Industry Leadership Summit and Annual Meeting held at the Prairie Meadows Event Center in Altoona, IA on December 6-7, 2018.

For further information on these awards or to download the application, please visit www.iabeef.org/resources/producer-resources/iowa-beef-quality-assurance-program

⁽¹⁾ https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/Media/BIWFD/Docs/beef-csr-report-2017-final.pdf