Event Details

Michael and Shannon both have full time careers off the farm. Michael owns Carpenter Trucking, a dump truck and excavation business, and also works part-time for the Town of Ellington in the winter months as a plow truck driver. Shannon works for NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Division of Animal Industry as the Western NY State Field Veterinarian serving Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany and Erie Counties.

All cattle producers are welcome to attend to learn new ideas and information, whether you are just beginning or have many years of experience in the industry.

Program schedule for Saturday, October 24th: Will provide participants new BQA Certification or
Recertification credits that are required every 3 years.

10 am-Noon: The Grandview of Ellington, 1116 West Hill Road, Ellington, NY
NY Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) classroom presentation by Shannon Carpenter, DVM, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and Katie Card, DVM, Jamestown, NY.

Noon: Catered Box Lunch provided at the Grandview of Ellington


Chute Side BQA Training and Demonstrations to follow lunch at Butternut Brook Livestock, 1045 28th Creek Road, Ellington (Town of Kennedy). The barn where the chute is located is the second driveway on the left on Wolcott Road just past the farm.

-BQA Chute Side Training - Learn about proper handling and use of animal health products with a demonstration and practice of proper sub-cutaneous injections. Shannon Carpenter, DVM, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and Katie Card, DVM, Jamestown, NY will present the chute side training.

Registration for lunch and the program is required by October 17th, (Please call or e-mail to make reservations, you may pay at the program). Program cost: $15 per adult or $8 per youth to cover hall rental, catered box lunch, and BQA program.

Youth 14 years old and above can participate in this training and receive their BQA certification. Youth under 14 years of age are welcome to attend the training, but cannot receive the formal BQA certificate.

To plan for lunch, pre-registration is required for this BQA program by October 17th by contacting Lisa Kempisty, Extension Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County at ljk4@cornell.edu, or 716-664-9502 Ext 203. 

Please leave a message with your name, phone number & number of people attending. The class size will be limited to 25 people maximum, so register today! Additional programming can be made available if interest exceeds capacity. You will receive a follow-up call to confirm your registration. Payment can be made the day of the program. Face coverings will be required and social distancing practiced per NYS Reopening Guidelines. Details are available here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NonFoodAgriShortGuidelines.pdf.

Beef Quality Assurance is a national program that provides science based management practices that enhance carcass quality and safety and improve animal care. BQA works to return more profits to producers and to ensure consumer confidence in the beef supply. The BQA program is funded by the national Beef Checkoff and is producer based, voluntary and locally led. In NYS it is coordinated through a combined effort of the New York Beef Council, Cornell University and the New York Beef Producer's Association.

The trainings include a classroom as well as hands on chute side training. At the end of the training producers will receive Level I BQA certification. Producers who establish a Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR) with their local vet will then receive Level II Certification. Certification is valid for 3 years.

BQA Recertification is required every 3 years. The NY Beef Council is offering an upcoming continuing education virtual class which meets the requirements for recertification. This on-line class, Direct Marketing Beef: Pre & Post Harvest Considerations will be held on October 14th from 7:30 -8:30 pm. You can register for this free class at nybeef.org/bqa-webinars. Additional on-line BQA classes are available at bqa.org.

All cattle producers are encouraged to demonstrate their commitment
to producing safe, quality beef for our consumers
by becoming a BQA Certified Producer!