BROOKINGS, S.D. – Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Transportation is the latest certification needed for beef cattle haulers and producers who deliver cattle to major packing plants.
The BQA Transportation program focuses on transporter safety, delivering cattle in a timely manner, cattle fitness of transport, cattle handling, and emergency preparedness just to name a few topics.
“This certification program will be a required part of business for any cattle hauler or producer who directly delivers cattle to a major packing plant.” — Heidi Carroll, SDSU Extension Livestock Stewardship Field Specialist and South Dakota BQA Coordinator
To help transporters become BQA Transportation certified, a multi-state workshop will be offered by South Dakota State University Extension, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and University of Minnesota Extension on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Sioux Falls Regional Livestock near Worthing, S.D. The workshop will include a classroom presentation and trailer walk-through discussion.
“January 1, 2020 is the deadline most major packers have set. They will not accept cattle from transporters who are not BQA Transportation certified,” Carroll said. “Transporters include both farmer feeders and commercial truckers, essentially any individual hauling directly to a harvest facility.”
Those hauling cattle to a packing plant may either attend the workshop or go online to complete the BQA Transportation curriculum. The training on Dec. 10 is the last in-person workshop offered in South Dakota, Northwest Iowa, and Minnesota for 2019.
It is co-sponsored by SDSU Extension, South Dakota Beef Industry Council, Iowa Beef Center, ISU Extension and Outreach, University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Beef Quality Assurance. A special thank you to Sioux Falls Regional Livestock and M. H. EBY, Inc. for hosting the workshop and providing trailers.
Registration for the event is $25. Refreshments will be provided.
For more information, visit the National BQA website. Pre-registration may be made by searching BQA Transportation on the Events page, for more information contact Heidi Carroll at 605.688.6623 or by email or Beth Doran, Beef Program Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach at 712.737.4230 or by email.
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