The UW-Madison’s Division of Extension and the Wisconsin Beef Council will be hosting in-person Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification meetings over the coming months. To register for an in-person session, go to https://tinyurl.com/2hr5karf, call the host County Extension office, or call the Wisconsin Beef Council at 1-800-728-2333.

Farmers needing to get recertified can also achieve that through two additional options:

Online by going to https://www.bqa.org/beef-quality-assurance-certification/online-certifications. At this site, you will logon and choose either the Cow/Calf, Stocker/Backgrounder or Feedyard courses. Once you’ve selected a course, you can work through each lesson at your own pace. The website will keep track of your progress, so you don’t need to complete the entire course at one time.

Continuing Education (CE) Credits: The BQA program is also offering new educational courses that will provide you with credit towards renewing your certification – this option is only available to farmers who hold a current BQA certification. By completing three (3) continuing education credits from the options found on the website, your BQA expiration date will be extended by an additional three years. Available courses include BQA Transportation (2 credits), Biosecurity (1 credit), Foundations of Herd Health (1 credit), Principles of Stockmanship (1 credit), and Herd Health Management Practices (1 credit.) The Division of Extension also offers meetings throughout the year which offer CE credits.

Meeting locations closest to the Barron, Pierce, and St. Croix county area include:

Jan. 13, 2025 | 6 pm: UW-River Falls Mann Valley Farm, 129 S Glover Rd, River Falls

Jan. 29, 2025 | 1 pm: Equity Coop Altoona, 5150 Hwy 53 South, Eau Claire. 715-748-1413

Any questions related to BQA certification or upcoming meeting dates may contact the Wisconsin Beef Council at 1-800-728-2333.