BQA Certification - What you need to know
Who
is Requiring BQA Certification:
To date, the following companies have
put out official statements regarding their plans to require cattle suppliers
to become BQA certified. The requirements of
these companies represent their policy, not that of BQA or checkoff programs.
- Cargill: Will source 90% of their cattle needs from
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified feed yards by 2018.
- Tyson: Will source 100% of their live cattle needs
from feed yards that are Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified by Jan. 1,
2019.
- National
Beef: BQA Certification is required by
National Beef for all direct beef suppliers as of January 1, 2019.
- U.S. Premium
Beef: Starting on December 31, 2018, the
first day of delivery year 2019, all cattle must come from Beef Quality Assurance
(BQA) certified feedlots.
- JBS: While
they have not issued an official statement yet, JBS has indicated they will
require some form of BQA certification at some point in 2019.
Frequently
Asked Questions:
Enclosed along with this letter are some frequently asked questions
specific to Tyson’s BQA certification requirements. Below are the most
frequently asked FAQ’s.
- Question: There are some instances where cattle are not managed by
the owner of the cattle. It was understood that the manager or key personnel
needed the BQA Certification, is that correct?
- Answer: BQA certification is
based on supplier number. The supplier number that is selling (receiving payment
for) the cattle needs to hold the training certification. These situations
should be discussed with the Tyson buyer.
- Question: What is Tyson's response
if a feedyard does not comply with Tyson's BQA requirements?
- Answer: We will not be able to
bid on the cattle.
- Question: FARM Program Equivalent
- Will farmers be able to show completion of the FARM PROGRAM to Tyson Buyers
or Auction Markets to be BQA compliant?
Question: How is Tyson going to
verify that the producer of cattle purchased through third party i.e. auction
market, coop marketing etc. has BQA certification?
o
Answer: Livestock Market
managers have historically been allowed, per FarmCheck®, to have BQA or LMA
certification. This will continue to be acceptable. However, the market must
provide assurance that the supply Tyson is purchasing is coming from BQA (or
equivalent) certified producers. How the market chooses to conduct their
verification/assurance is theirs to manage. Tyson will not bid on cattle unless
the market identifies them as coming from a certified producer.
BQA Equivalent Certifications:
- FARM Program: Dairies that have completed a FARM Animal
Care Version 3.0 (or newer) evaluation are considered to have achieved BQA
certification equivalency.
- Acceptable documentation:
Completed FARM Animal Care Evaluation,
or other certificate or letter indicating completion.
- Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA): Youth cattle producers (ages 8-21) who
complete the Youth for the Quality Care of Animals program are considered to
have achieved BQA certification equivalency.
- Acceptable
documentation: YQCA Certificate
- Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+): Canadian cattle producers that participate in
the training portion of the Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program are
considered to be certified in a BQA equivalent program.
- Acceptable
documentation: Registration or
training certificate indicates training requirement is met.
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