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? 
  
• Answer: Yes

• 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.