Arizona Beef Quality Assurance (AZBQA)

In today’s marketplace, consumer concerns surrounding food production, including beef production, are increasing. Consumers want to know that the beef they are purchasing is safe, wholesome, and produced in a humane, sustainable manner. Using science, research, and education, the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program has identified best management practices for producers that will ensure the quality and safety of the beef they produce. These practices are designed to be realistic for producers to meet or exceed, and include key elements that can affect the safety of beef products: biosecurity, animal health and well-being, production performance, and environmental stewardship.

The Arizona Beef Quality Assurance Program (AZBQA) provides hands-on training and education on BQA guidelines and technical assistance through the Arizona Cattlemen’s Association, AZBQA certified veterinarians, and University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. While BQA is a nationally coordinated program, it is implemented at the state level, allowing flexibility in addressing production concerns that are specific to each region of the country. This program is designed to assist Arizona cattle producers in producing cattle that are healthy, wholesome and meet FDA, USDA and EPA guidelines, rules and regulations. Through voluntary participation in the AZBQA, the Arizona beef industry can demonstrate to customers, both cattle buyers and beef consumers, that producers take every possible step to raise responsible beef in a manner that continues to inspire consumer confidence. Furthermore, each aspect of a BQA program is a part of good business management.

Participation in the BQA program is voluntary, and membership in the Arizona Cattlemen's Association or the National Cattlemen's Beef Association is not a requirement. We encourage any person who regularly works with beef or dairy cattle in a cow/calf, stocker, backgrounding, feedlot, transportation or production-related business to become certified.