Verona, Wisc. — UW-Madison’s Division of Extension and the Wisconsin Beef Council will be hosting a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification meeting Feb. 16, 2026, 6:30 pm, at the Eau Claire County Extension Office, 227 1st St West, Altoona, WI 54720. Registration will start 30 minutes prior to the listed start time. Please go to https://tinyurl.com/2hr5karf or call the Wisconsin Beef Council at 1-800-728-2333 to register.
Farmers needing to get recertified can also achieve that through two additional options:
- Online by going to https://bqa.beeflearningcenter.org/login/index.php. At this site, you will logon to an existing account or create a new account, click on the ‘Course Catalog’ and choose either the Cow/Calf, Stocker/Backgrounder or Feedyard courses under the BQA Foundational Courses. Once you’ve selected a course, you can work through each lesson at your own pace. The website will keep track of your progress, so you don’t need to complete the entire course at one time.
- Continuing Education (CE) Credits: The BQA program is also offering new courses that will provide you with credit towards renewing your certification – this option is only available to farmers who hold a current BQA certification. By completing three (3) continuing education credits from the options found at https://bqa.beeflearningcenter.org/login/index.php, your BQA expiration date will be extended by an additional three years. Available courses include BQA Transportation (2 credits), Biosecurity (1 credit), Foundations of Herd Health (1 credit), Principles of Stockmanship (1 credit), and Herd Health Management Practices (1 credit.) Again, you will logon to an existing account or create a new account, click on the ‘Course Catalog’ and choose the BQA Continuing Education Courses to compile 3 credits. The Division of Extension also offers meetings throughout the year which offer CE credits.
- If you need help with getting logged into the system, contact tvaassen@beeftips.com or call 608-833-7177.
BQA does more than just help beef producers capture more value from their 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 the cattle they sell are the best they can be. Consumer research, conducted by the Beef Checkoff, showed that learning about BQA made consumers more confident in beef safety and animal welfare and improved positive consumer perceptions of how cattle are raised for food.
Any questions related to BQA certification or the upcoming meeting date may contact the Wisconsin Beef Council.
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The Wisconsin Beef Council is a producer-led non-profit organization funded by the $1.00 per head assessment on all cattle sold in the state of Wisconsin. Half of one dollar remains in Wisconsin for local beef promotion, while the other half is forwarded to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. The purpose of the Council is to fund beef promotion, research and consumer education activities supporting Wisconsin’s $2.1 billion beef industry. The WBC operates under the guidance of its Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of representatives from cattle related organizations from around the state.
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