Quality Assurance (QA)
2024 County QA Dates
March 4, 2024 from 6-7:30 pm @ Mahan
March 5, 2024 from 6-7:30 pm @ Mahan
April 8, 2024 from 6-7:30 pm @ Mahan
April 9, 2024 from 6-7:30 pm @ Mahan
All Youth, age 12 and up who have completed YQCA after October 1, 2023 will have their 2024 QA certification completed. FFA members (8th grade included) recieve certification through class.
QA must be completed 45 days prior to County Fair/Exhibition - June 3, 2024
GPPs of Focus for 2024 2, 4, 5
Assuring Quality Care for Animals
This program teaches 4-H youth how to use best practices that support the production of quality and safe animal products for consumers, as well as responsible animal handling, care and welfare in not only farm animal production, but also with companion and performance animals.
Youth Quality Assurance
Quality assurance is a pledge or promise to 1) provide a food animal product preferred by consumers, and 2) provide a safe, wholesome food animal product. Food animals are those whose products (meat, milk, and eggs) have the potential to become part of the food chain.
Q: Who needs to attend QA Training?
A: Exhibitors of Market Projects: Steers, Hogs, Lambs, Goats, Rabbits, Poultry (Market Chickens), Dairy Cattle and Dairy Goats must attend Quality Assurance training annually in order to show, exhibit and/or sell their animal at the county or state fair.
Q: Do all members of my club need to attend the same date?
A: No.
Q: What are the options if a member isn’t able to attend any of the Fayette County date?
A: Members also have over a dozen other opportunities to meet this training requirement by attending a QA program held in another county or other event. Verify a QA counts for credit with the Extension office.
Q: What is the final due date of QA Training completion?
A: All QA training MUST be completed, and proof of attendance submitted 45 days prior to the Fayette County Fair. Verify with the 4-H Calendar for date annually.
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA)
IMPORTANT NOTE: This certification is accepted in Ohio for QA certification. However, the certificate of completion must be turned into the Extension office prior to June 3, 2023. This certification is often required at National shows to be eligible to exhibit. Log in using your 4-H Online login credentials for easier tracking of certification.
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a national multi-species quality assurance program for youth ages 8 to 21. The program is designed to provide a minimum 60 minutes of education each year. There are three ways to earn YQCA certification. Three ways to earn YQCA certification – web-based training, instructor-led training, or test-out. Learn more about how to get your YQCA certification below.
YQCA is the result of a collaborative effort between states that have previously offered multi-species youth livestock quality assurance programs, the National Pork Board’s Youth PQA Plus program and representatives from other national livestock groups.