Beef Quality Assurance Awards

NAtional Beef Quality Assurance Awards

The National BQA Award recognizes outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers, and educators that best demonstrate animal care and handling principles as part of the day-to-day activities on their respective operations. A common trait among all contest entrants must be a strong desire to continually improve BQA on their operations while encouraging others to implement the producer education program.

How are winners selected?

National BQA award winners are selected by a committee of representatives from universities, state beef councils and affiliated groups. Nominations can be submitted by any organization, group, or individual on behalf of a U.S. beef producer. Individuals and families may not nominate themselves, however, the nominees are expected to be involved in the preparation of the application.

Five National BQA Awards (Cow-Calf, Feedyard, Dairy, Marketer and Educator) are funded in part by The Beef Checkoff program with additional financial support provided by Cargill Meat Solutions. The program promotes beef quality assurance in all segments of the industry, including commercial cow-calf, seedstock, stocker operators, feedlots and dairy operations.

2023 Beef Quality Assurance Award Winners

Cow Calf Award

wilson flying diamond ranch, Nebraska

2023 BQA Cow Calf award winner, Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch, is passionately dedicated to their cattle's well-being. The ranch adheres to strict stewardship principles focused on pasture rotation and year round grazing management practices. Their leadership and outside the box thinking has earned them the BQA Cow calf award.

Feedyard Award

Darr feedlot, nebraska

2023 BQA Feeder award winner, Darr Feedlot, recognizes their responsibility to protect and promote the integrity of the beef industry and meets that challenge head-on by advocating for the adoption and implementation of the Beef Quality Assurance program. From the basics of training employees on the significance of health management to developing facility designs, BQA principles are at the core of daily operations.

Dairy Award

temme agribusiness, nebraska

Temme Agribusiness is the winner of the 2023 BQA Dairy FARM award. The Temme family business started in 1956 and through multiple upgrades and barn additions focused on enhancing cow comfort, the herd has grown to 850 today. Continuous improvement has driven the business to seek more ways to utilize and develop the workforce's talent, which has helped provide the best possible animal care.

Marketer Award

fresno livestock commission, California

Uniquely positioned in a vibrant agricultural community, the 2023 BQA Marketer award winner, Fresno Livestock, has the notable opportunity to educate and engage with a diverse population. Many of Fresno Livestock's employees are high school students interested in working in the livestock industry. The Tews help mentor these students to ensure when they leave Fresno Livestock after graduation, they understand safe and effective cattle handling techniques that will serve them and the industry in their next role.

Educator Award

dr. tom noffsinger, nebraska

Dr. Tom Noffsinger, DVM, of Nebraska, has been selected as the 2023 BQA Educator of the year. As a long-standing industry leader, and one of the first BQA Trainers in the state of Nebraska, Dr. Noffsinger has a well-established history with BQA. He has driven thousands of miles across the U.S. to teach producers about cattle care and handling, and BQA principles. From speaking to the Academy of Veterinary Consultants and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, to attending national and international cattle industry meetings, Dr Noffsinger uses his platform to educate producers on adopting BQA's best management practices.