Volusia cattle producers can now participate in an online certification program designed by cattlemen for cattlemen. This program, originally initiated 30 years ago, offers greater transparency to the consumer. The online training program can be completed at the producer’s or transporter’s own pace in an interactive manner.
Several questions have been raised about certification requirements, specifically who in the beef supply chain needs to be certified. Two separate certifications cover the sale and transport of cattle. One is for those that sell to packers and another is for those that transport cattle to a packer.
As the current requirement states, producers supplying fed cattle would need to provide certification. But many livestock markets have extended that to include all cattle sellers. It’s best to be prepared then by checking with your marketing partners to ensure they are properly certified before transporting any cattle.
The online certification is online at www.BQA.org. There is no charge for this service.