NCBA Seeks Nominations for Beef Quality Assurance Awards

Nominations for the 14th annual National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards are now being accepted. Deadline for nominations is June 5, 2020.

The 2020 National BQA Awards recognize five winners in the areas of beef producer, dairy, marketing and education:

• The beef producer honors include BQA Cow Calf and BQA Feedyard awards, which recognize producers who best demonstrate the implementation of BQA principles as part of the day-to-day activities on their respective operations;
• The BQA / FARM (Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) award honors those dairy operations that demonstrate the best in animal care and handling while implementing the BQA and FARM programs at the highest levels;
• The BQA Marketer Award acknowledges livestock markets, cattle buyers and supply-chain programs that promote BQA to their customers and offer them opportunities to get certified; and
• The BQA Educator Award celebrates individuals or companies that provide high quality and innovative training to individuals that care and handle cattle throughout the industry chain. 

“These awards recognize the industry’s most accomplished representatives of quality in beef production, marketing and education,” according to Glen Dolezal, PhD, AVP Technical Services and Procurement, Cargill Protein. “They also demonstrate the pride we all have in the work being done to enhance our industry and the products we provide to consumers.”

The National BQA Awards are selected by a committee of BQA-certified representatives from universities, state beef councils, sponsors and affiliated groups. Nominations may be submitted by organizations, groups or individuals on behalf of a U.S. beef producer, dairy producer, marketer or educator. Individuals and families may not nominate themselves, though the nominees are expected to be involved in the preparation of the application. Past nominees are encouraged to submit their application under the new nomination structure. Previous winners may not reapply.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association manages the BQA program as a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. Funding for the BQA Awards is made possible by the generosity of Cargill, which has supported the program since its inception, and Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, which sponsors the BQA educator award.

For the application and nomination requirements, as well as more information about BQA, go here. All nominations are due by June 5, 2020.