Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI) offers Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification during an open certification period to beef and dairy producers from across the county. 7,732 producers took advantage of this opportunity doubling the number of certification in 2013. This raises the total of producers who have made a commitment to quality through the free certification partnership to more than 11,000.

BIVI encouraged producers to get certified through a contest to win a farm sign. Anyone who was certified during the promotion period was eligible to win. BIVI is proud to announce that Kevin Coburn, Tulsa, OK, is the winner of the farm sign.

The checkoff-funded BQA program gives beef and dairy producers, stockers and feedyards a set of best practices for producing a safe and high-quality beef product. It also assures consumers that the beef they eat is both safe and wholesome.

“BQA provides a solid foundation for animal welfare and disease prevention,” says Dr. John Maas, extension veterinarian at the University of California–Davis, and 2013 BQA Educator of the Year. “Once we adopt the BQA attitude of cattle health, care and welfare, things just keep getting better naturally.”

To learn more about BQA certification, visit www.BIVI-BQA.com.