The Pennsylvania Beef Council will host a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) classroom training and recertification training on Aug. 21 at the Butler Farm Show grounds. The recertification training will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and the classroom training for new producers starting the program will be held from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Butler Farm Show grounds is located on Route 68 west of Butler.

Beef Quality Assurance is a program to ensure that beef and dairy cattle are maintained in a manner which will result in a safe and wholesome beef product for the consumer.

The classroom training is the first phase of the BQA program that the producer can complete online at www.pa-bqa.org or by attending a classroom training. The second step is to attend a chute-side training that allows producers to get more hands on.

BQA certification must be updated every two years. Recertification provides producers with updates to the BQA program information that have surfaced since the producer originally had the classroom training. This consists of a refresher course for the BQA guidelines and is also an excellent time for producers to perform a self-assessment of their operation. Recertification can be completed by attending a recertification training or taken online at www.pa-bqa.org.

The Beef Quality Assurance program is funded and supported by the Pennsylvania Beef Council, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Cattlemen's Association and Penn State University. For more information about the Pennsylvania BQA program visit www.pa-bqa.org or call the Pennsylvania Beef Council at 717-939-7000.

This material is submitted by Donna Zang, Extension director, and the staff of the Penn State Extension office at the Sunnyview Nursing Home complex.