Tennessee Cattlemen's Association
There’s no doubt about it, the immediate future of the beef industry looks rosy. In good times like this, its easy to forget the concerns which our consumers have had about our product...BEEF. You heard me right, I said we produce beef, not cattle.
I’m not telling you to throw away your boots, hats, jeans and saddle. I, like all of you am proud of the cattleman image and emulate it every chance I get. However, with the changes which are occurring in the industry, it is time we started thinking and acting like food producers.
The American consumer has demonstrated to us that the safety and quality of the food which they eat is one of their top priorities. As beef producers, it is our responsibility to insure that every animal which leaves our operations has been managed and treated correctly. This will insure that when the animal leaves the farm to go to the next link in the beef production chain it will be a fault free product to put the finishing touches on. If everyone does this, we are taking a huge step towards securing an even brighter future for our industry.
With this in mind, the TCA Executive Committee recently approved the following changes to the Tennessee Beef Quality Assurance program. Changes that will strengthen Tennessee’s beef industry and also lead to some bolstering of our feeder cattle market.
One of the primary goals of Tennessee’s BQA program is to bring our BQA efforts to the same level of many other states’ BQA programs. Why should we care about other states? It’s pretty simple. The states that buy higher quality, source verified, Tennessee feeder cattle with a sound health program will be assured that these calves are ready to go. Many of the alliances and branded beef product lines are also demanding these calves. In short, the most progressive beef programs in the country are demanding high quality, properly managed cattle with sound vaccination program. Cattle that are source verified and their producers are BQA Certified will attract buyers because they help insure a higher quality final product...BEEF.
The initial concept of Tennessee’s BQA program will center around using live cattle in a hands on workshop. Producers can learn about the vital importance of injection site selection, proper injection techniques and see the results of improper injection techniques. Record keeping will be stressed because it helps producers track their costs and also provides a documented paper trail to prove to your buyers what treatments your calves have had. Proper cattle handling to reduce stress and bruises will also be emphasized.
The center piece for the 2000-2001 BQA program will be an added component...BQA Certification. The reason we are offering BQA Certification is simple. Many buyers of feeder cattle are seeking out BQA Certified, source verified calves. As a matter of fact, with some of the most highly regarded branded beef product lines, such as Nebraska Corn Fed Beef, the only cattle eligible for enrollment are BQA Certified calves. By establishing the BQA Certified program here, we are opening up a market outlet for those progressive cattlemen who become "Certified".
How do I become BQA certified?
1. Attend a BQA Workshop
2. Complete the BQA quiz (to see how much you as a producer have learned about the BQA subject matter)
3. Sign the BQA contract ( states that you have attended a BQA workshop and will adhere to the practices which help ensure we are producing a safe, quality product free from defects such as injection site blemishes in the round)
4. Pay the Certification fee. The fee will be used to offset the costs of the BQA workshops.
- $30 first time certifying if non-member of TCA
- $15 first time certifying if member of TCA
- $30 re-certification if non-member of TCA
- $15 re-certification if member of TCA
We want to stress that attending the BQA workshops if absolutely FREE. We want as many cattlemen as possible to attend and learn about producing cattle that fits today’s market. Only the producers who wish to become Certified will have a certification fee.
For those of you who are interested in attending a BQA workshop, plans are underway to have workshops scattered across the state. You may contact the TCA office for information on upcoming workshops. We are excited about the possibilities that this program will offer commercial cattlemen.
For more information on the Tennessee Cattlemen's Association, visit their website at www.TNcattle.org.