Agricultural News
Chase DeCoite Says BQA Program Still Relevant after 30 Years
Mon, 02 Mar 2020 09:47:38 CST
On today's Beef Buzz, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director, Ron Hays talks with Chase DeCoite, Director of the Beef Quality Assurance program for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. He explains how, even after 30 years of training cattle producers and industry officials, the BQA program is still essential today.
The BQA program was initially started to address injection site blemishes and animal health product residues, DeCoite said. Today it has successfully met those challenges and now covers pasture to plate, addressing all issues.
"It's a tool and resource farmers and ranchers can use to improve their operations," he said.
In the early years of the BQA, the training was all on-site live, up close and personal. Today the program has evolved to include online training available to the producer 24/7.
"We recently launched new online training modules with interactive videos," DeCoite said.
Additionally, the BQA program has become a great communications tool to help the consumers become more aware of the safe, humane handling methods producers use today.
"It has truly allowed our industry to advocate for our producers," DeCoite said. "To share the fact, our producers are doing the right thing."
He noted the BQA was developed for producers by producers, and that is one of the key reasons the program has been so successful.
DeCoite said they are continually looking for new ways to improve the BQA program and communicating that message to consumers.
Producers interested in the BQA program should go to BQA.org or contact their state BQA coordinator.
For Oklahoma, the BQA Coordinators are Heather Buckmaster, heather.buckmaster@oklabeef.org and Bob LeValley, blevalley@oklabeef.org
The next BQA training is March 5 at the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore.
Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear the complete interview with Chase DeCoite as he talks with Ron Hays.
The Beef buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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