WHAT IS BQA?
Beef Quality Assurance is a nationally coordinated, state implemented program that provides systematic information to U.S. beef producers and beef consumers of how common sense husbandry techniques can be coupled with accepted scientific knowledge to raise cattle under optimum management and environmental conditions. GO Farms, LLC is Beef Quality Assurance Certified and we comply with all the BQA guidelines. BQA guidelines are designed to make certain all beef consumers can take pride in what they purchase and can trust, with confidence, in the entire beef industry.
BQA does more than just help beef producers capture more value from their market cattle: BQA also reflects a positive public image and instills consumer confidence in the beef industry. When producers implement the best management practices of a BQA program, they assure their market steers, heifers, cows, and bulls are the best they can be. Today, the stakes are even higher because of increased public attention on animal welfare. BQA is valuable to all beef and dairy producers because it:
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Demonstrates commitment to food safety and quality.
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Safeguards the public image of the beef and dairy industry.
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Upholds consumer confidence in valuable beef products.
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Improves sale value of marketed beef cattle.
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Enhances herd profitability through better management.
BQA programs have evolved to include best practices around good record keeping and protecting herd health, which can result in more profits for producers. When better quality beef leave the farm and reach the market place, the producer, packer, and consumer all benefit. When better quality beef reaches the supermarket, consumers are more confident in the beef they are buying, and this increases beef consumption.
A large part of the beef industry’s job involves making sure that beef is safe and wholesome for consumers. BQA began as an effort to ensure that violative chemical residues were not present in marketed beef. Originally called “Beef Safety Assurance,” the program's early emphasis was on assuring the real and perceived safety of beef. However, BQA has become much more than a safety assurance program. Today, BQA programming is expanding with information to help producers implement best management practices that improve both quality grades and yield grades of beef carcasses.
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