As a beef producer, it is your job to ensure that you are producing a quality product that is safe for consumers. While producing this product, you also want to decrease your inputs and maximize your profits. As any beef producer knows, it can be a real challenge to balance the two. This is where the Beef Quality Assurance Program (BQA) comes in, ready to help you efficiently produce quality beef that consumers are confident about purchasing.
What is BQA?
Beef Quality Assurance is a nationally recognized program that provides guidelines for producers in beef cattle production. Created in 1987, the mission of BQA is, “To maximize consumer confidence and acceptance of beef by focusing the producers’ attention to daily production practices that influence the safety, wholesomeness and quality of beef and beef products.” Through the use of research, science and educational initiatives, BQA has identified safe, smart and sound practices that can be implemented on a daily basis in the beef cattle industry. These guidelines and practices focus on a holistic approach to care, feeding, handling, vaccinations and management of beef cattle that ensure a finished product is sufficient in quality. Quality beef will, “consistently satisfy customer expectations for eating and preparation characteristics.” BQA will help producers integrate standards that increase quality grade as well as yield grade of beef cattle carcasses. BQA also encourages beef producers to exercise good business management and detailed record keeping. This program complies with FDA, EPA and USDA regulations, as well as incorporating HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) principles into their regime.
BQA and You
Making the commitment to integrate BQA’s production practices into your daily cattle routine, from the day the calves hit the ground to the day they are processed, packaged and enter the hands of the consumer can greatly impact the bottom line of your profits and returns. By assuring your customers that your cattle have been managed using the BQA standards, you are boosting their confidence in your valuable beef products. This will in turn improve the market value of your processed beef cattle, which will in turn increase the profitability of your herd. By implementing BQA guidelines, you are showing the consumer that you are committed to food safety and quality. Using BQA strategies to manage and handle your cattle in a low-stress environment can aid in decreasing herd health costs. BQA is also instrumental in protecting the beef industry, and therefore, you, from an overabundance of government regulation.
Get BQA Certified
Anybody who is associated with the beef industry in some way is encouraged to pursue certification. The requirements for certification can be met by attending a training session or seminar conducted by an official BQA trainer, or by completion of a self-study course. To complete the process, program participants must also fill out and sign the BQA contract.
