Boehringer to Sponsor BQA Certifications Through April !5
Beef Quality Assurance certification gives producers tools to provide the safest and highest-quality beef to consumers.
News release by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc.
SAINT JOSEPH, Mo. (Feb. 2, 2014) — For the second year, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI) is excited to partner with the checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program and sponsor BQA certification for all producers who enroll from Feb. 3 through April 15, 2014.
BIVI will pick up the $25-$50 certification fee for beef or dairy producers who are interested in becoming certified or recertified during this period. Visit www.bivi-bqa.com to take advantage of the open certification period. BQA is important to the cattle industry as it gives producers a set of best practices for producing a safe and high-quality beef product. It also gives consumers the assurance that the beef they eat is both healthy and wholesome.
“Some of the challenges that beef producers face is having all of their employees become BQA-certified,” says Jerry Woodruff, BIVI professional services veterinarian. “BIVI’s partnership with BQA helps offset some of those expenses, and we encourage producers and their employees to use the web-based training programs.”
The BQA certification modules are customized to fit each segment of the cattle industry — cow-calf, stocker, feedyard and dairy operations. The program covers best management practices such as proper handling and administration of vaccinations and other products, eliminating injection-site blemishes, and better cattle handling principles.
“We have seen good evidence that a calmer animal stays healthier and provides a much better product in the tenderness of the meat,” Woodruff adds. “In addition to those practices listed above, BQA also covers better recordkeeping, better management of feedstuffs, etc. Those things also make for a much better product in the end. Those are all part of the very extensive best management practices that are taught in the BQA program.”
More than 3,500 producers took advantage of BIVI’s BQA certification sponsorship in 2013. Ryan Ruppert, senior director of beef quality assurance, says, “We partnered with BIVI because we believe their Prevention Works platform fits well within the BQA mission. And, sponsoring certification shows their dedication to the future of the industry.”
BIVI’s sponsorship also includes financial support of the Beef Cattle Institute (BCI) at Kansas State University, which developed the certification module. BIVI is also sponsoring the National Beef Quality Assurance awards and the Educator of the Year award.
“We are honored to be able to support the cattle industry through this partnership,” says Dave Korbelik, director of U.S. cattle marketing for BIVI. “BQA education aligns with Prevention Works, our focus of preventing disease in cattle. We do this because it is the right thing for the animal, for the producer and for the consumer.”
To become BQA-certified or learn more about the program, visit www.bivi-bqa.com.
About Boehringer Ingelheim:
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 140 affiliates and more than 46,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel medications of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.
Social responsibility is a central element of Boehringer Ingelheim's culture. Involvement in social projects, caring for employees and their families, and providing equal opportunities for all employees form the foundation of the global operations. Mutual cooperation and respect, as well as environmental protection and sustainability are intrinsic factors in all of Boehringer Ingelheim’s endeavors.
In 2012, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about 14.7 billion euro. R&D expenditure in the business area Prescription Medicines corresponds to 22.5% of its net sales.
For more information please visit www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.
Editor’s Note: This article was provided as a news release by BIVI.