BQA Certification

The BQA program is designed to assist producers in preventing product defects based on their individual operation. Certification can be accomplished by attending a BQA training program and reviewing one’s operation with a certified trainer. Training may be provided on an individual basis involving single operations, all of the partners and employees. After completing the BQA training program and signing the personal BQA contract to follow BQA guidelines you will be certified BQA trained. This certification is good for two years. Certification will apply to all segments of the industry including cow/calf, stocker and feedlot and will be identified with a BQA gate sign. Each participant will be provided a handbook.

BQA Recertification

Recertification may be accomplished by attending another Level I BQA meeting or visiting the IBIC Web site. Log onto www.iabeef.org and click on the BQA link. Go to recertification.

Nebraska Corn-Fed Beef

Iowa BQA certified cow/calf producers are certified to sell calves into the Nebraska Corn-Fed Beef Program. Iowa PC certificates must accompany these calves and include the producer’s Iowa BQA certification number.

Becoming a BQA Trainer

To maintain the levels of training necessary to comply with the guidelines, only certain people will be eligible to conduct BQA certification. These individuals include approved veterinarians and Iowa Beef Industry Council staff. All veterinarians who wish to become BQA trainers must complete the basic BQA training and then study the additional materials for BQA trainers.

Putting BQA into Action

1. Identify areas in your production program where quality defects may occur. Keep in mind the following professionals are available for consultation:

                                                            Name:                         Phone:

Farm or ranch veterinarian _______________________ ______________________

Extension beef specialist     _______________________ ______________________

Nutrition beef specialist      _______________________ ______________________

BQA Program Manager      _______________________ ______________________

2. Keep in mind cull or non-performing cattle (medicated cull cows) are high residue risk situations. Organ damage may prevent normal clearance of product, so withdrawal time may have expired but drug residues remain in tissues.

3. Injection site lesions are the highest risk tissue defect for cow/calf producers as calves will either go into the breeding herd or will be sold as growing/finishing cattle.

4. Develop a plan to prevent or minimize all bacterial contamination or chemical contamination, which can lead to violative residue and physical damage from injections, bruises or broken needles in animal tissues.

Specific Quality Assurance Critical Management Points

1. Identify potential quality problems such as bacteria, chemical and physical through the use of the appropriate checklist, cow/calf or feedlot.

2. The checklist will assist in the identification of Critical Management Points where problems may occur.

3. Limits must be established for preventative measures associated with each CMP. Some limits are easy to establish and others are not. For example, giving all injections in the neck is a CMP. Any injection not given in the neck is outside the Critical Limit.

4. Establish CMP monitoring procedures. An operation’s CMP monitoring list may have items scheduled for daily, weekly, monthly or yearly classes. See the BQA checklists for examples.

5. Establish corrective actions. Reasons for establishing corrective actions include rapid correction of the problem and seriousness with which the problem is viewed.

6. Establish verification procedures. For example, liver reports from a packer are appropriate for verifying if a feedlot’s liver abscess control program is working.

7. Establish record keeping procedures. Keep records that document the management system is being monitored and is working correctly.