Truckers hauling fat or finished cattle to the major packers will need beef quality assurance certification as of Jan. 1, 2020.

Feedyards selling fat cattle to the major packers required certification as of Jan. 1, 2019.

To become beef quality assurance (BQA) certified truckers, feedyard personnel or producers must attend a BQA certification meeting or complete the internet-based online training.

North Dakota State University Extension is hosting a BQA certification meeting for truckers on Dec. 19 at 1 p.m. Lisa Pederson, Extension beef quality assurance specialist, will conduct the training at NDSU’s Carrington Research Extension Center, which is 3.5 miles north of Carrington, N.D.

Livestock producers also are welcome and can be BQA certified for their facility during this meeting.

The internet certification is available at https://www.bqa.org/bqa-certification.

Truckers will need to look for the Transportation section and select the Professional Driver section with emphasis on commercial semitrailers. The online program also has a section for Farmers/Ranchers that has emphasis on gooseneck trailers.

For more information, contact Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist at the Carrington Research Extension Center, at 701-652-2951 or karl.hoppe@ndsu.edu, or Pederson at NDSU’s Central Grasslands Research Extension Center at 701-424-3606.

NDSU Agriculture Communication - Dec. 13, 2019