Beef Quality Assurance- A Commitment To Consumers

With everything going on in the world today, our society is more health conscious than ever before. Not only do consumers have to sort through conflicting stories about the benefits of eating beef, but they also are concerned about antibiotic residues, cholesterol, bioterrorism, and GMO’s as well as other food safety issues.

The beef industry has made extremely impressive strides in boosting consumer confidence in their product to put the consumers fears to rest. Beef safety continues to be a high priority for the beef industry and checkoff- funded research continues to make a difference. Cattle producers continue to strive to provide consumers with consistent, high quality, safe and wholesome beef. This needs to be accomplished while improving production efficiency and preventing the introduction of foreign animal diseases.

The cattle producer of the new millennium is no longer just in the business of raising cattle- they’re in the business of producing food. Today’s producer must take every step possible to assure a high quality product that the consumer will find safe, wholesome, and appealing.

For nearly twenty years, the beef industry’s Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program has encouraged producers to adopt practices that lead to higher quality carcasses and higher consumer confidence in beef. American and international consumers expect safe, quality beef. Iowa beef producers work to provide this expectation through the BQA program.

Iowa’s BQA certification program, which began in 1999, is fully funded with beef checkoff dollars and has certified more than 4000 producers. Getting involved in the BQA program has helped to inform beef producers about the latest management practices and has also helped to make consumers more aware of the extra efforts Iowa producers are making to deliver safe, wholesome beef.

Maintaining consumer demand for beef requires a commitment to quality beef production- not just at the feedlot or packing plant, but within every segment of the cattle industry. This commitment begins at the farm where the calf is born, and does not end until it reaches the fork of the consumer. The way that calf is handled and raised at the farm is just one small part of how the consumer’s perception of quality beef is perceived. That calf may be passed to a stocker-backgrounder or feedlot for additional finishing before ending up at the harvesting facility. It’s the responsibility of all segments in the cattle industry to use the best management practices to ensure a quality product that is wholesome and safe, and exceeds consumer expectations.

Implementing a BQA program on the farm is worth the effort and helps to ensure the future success of the cattle industry. It also sets a standard for quality beef that upholds the tradition of the beef industry and enhances the reputation of beef. The Iowa BQA program is one example of how beef producers have stepped up to stand behind their product. Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.

For additional information on how to become BQA certified contact Brian Waddingham, BQA Coordinator, at 515-296-2305 or email at brian@iabeef.org.