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 2017 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.
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.
“The BQA program’s mission is to maximize consumer confidence in beef while exceeding their eating expectations,” said Doug Bear, Director of Industry Relations for the Iowa Beef Industry Council. “The BQA awards are our industry’s way to recognize the outstanding men and women who put great tasting beef on our consumer’s plate every day and enhance our industry’s reputation.”
Completed entries are due by Wednesday, November 15, 2017. 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 FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, IA on December 7, 2017.
For further information on these awards or to download the application, please visit www.iabeef.org.
— Iowa Beef Industry Council
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