24 • The Beacon July 22 , 2021
Beef Quality Assurance certifications help producers
Hello Coshocton County . One of the things I really enjoy about summertime is visiting with farmers across the county and witnessing the beauty of the crops and animals across our landscape . We are truly blessed with great diversity with regards to the crops grown and livestock raised by the nearly 1,200 farm families here in Coshocton County .
With regards to livestock , we raise everything from cattle , pigs and chickens to goats , sheep , fish and horses . Leading the way is the production of cattle as 542 or 45.5 % of our local farms raise cattle . In fact , there are over 21,500 head of cattle in Coshocton County , which includes 8,200 beef brood cows , 3,200 dairy cows , and almost 10,000 replacement beef and dairy animals .
Any of our farmers will
David Marrison
OSU AG Extension Talk
tell you raising livestock has its highs and lows . But one thing is constant : Our farmers are committed to caring for their animals in such a way that produces a safe , nutritious and highquality meat or dairy product for your dinner plate .
I have seen agriculture make great strides over the past two decades in developing national standards that serve as guiding principles for farmers to follow as they responsibly care for the animals they raise . In fact , each industry sector from beef and dairy to swine and poultry has developed quality assurance programs that help producers with animal care , nutrition , herd health , record keeping , transportation safety and environmental stewardship .
The importance of these programs can be seen by our industry partners . To illustrate this , since 2019 both Tyson Foods , which processes 25 % of the U . S . beef market share , and Wendy ’ s , the second largest fast food hamburger chain in the U . S ., have only been buying beef that comes from farms that are Beef Quality Assurance certified .
Simply put , BQA helps beef producers raise better beef . For farmers , this means using modern techniques to raise cattle under optimal environmental and economic conditions . For consumers , it means knowing the beef they buy is wholesome , safe and delicious .
Beef farmers can earn their BQA certification by attending an online or inperson training . The adoption of BQA in the beef industry has been tremendous , with the National Beef Council reporting 85 % of beef in the United States comes from BQAcertified farmers and ranchers . We are pleased 302 local beef and dairy producers have received their BQA certification .
Just like our driver ’ s license and other certifications , the BQA certification is not a one and done certification . In order to maintain their BQA certification , producers are required to attend a recertification session every three years . In fact , 179 of our producers are up for their renewal in 2021 .
To help producers obtain their recertification , the Coshocton County Extension Office is offering a series of recertification meetings throughout the remainder of this year . These sessions will be held Aug . 9 , Sept . 13 , Oct . 11 , Nov . 3 , and Dec . 1 and 14 from 7-8:30 p . m . in room 145 at the Coshocton County Services Building .
Preregistration is required for each session as space is limited . There is no fee to attend . Call 740- 622-2265 to preregister . These sessions also qualify for anyone who is seeking a first-time certification .
Online certification and recertification also is available and can be completed anytime at www . bqa . org / beef-quality-assurancecertification / online-certifications . Producers also can attend sessions hosted by the Tuscarawas County Extension Office at the Sugarcreek Stockyards on July 21 and 29 or Aug . 10 and 25 . Preregistration is requested by calling 330- 339-2337 . Producers also can attend a session at the Muskingum Livestock
Auction in Zanesville on July 27 , starting at 7 p . m . and hosted by the Muskingum County Extension Office . More information for this session can be obtained by calling 740- 454-0144 .
To close , I would like to share a quote from Peter Senge , who once said , “ Quality is everyone ’ s responsibility .”
So as you flip that burger or steak on your grill this weekend , please know our beef producers and beef industry are dedicated to producing a wholesome , safe and high-quality product for you . Happy grilling and have a good and safe day .
David Marrison is an associate professor and extension educator of agriculture and natural resources at Ohio State University Extension . He can be reached at 740-622-2265 or marrison . 2 @ osu . edu .