A24-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 25, 2000 Pennsylvania Department Of Agriculture Gives Grant For Beef Quality Program MIDDLETOWN (Dauphin nated by the Pennsylvania Beef Co.) Producer education Council, represented on the ad about beef quality assurance has visory committee by Executive been ongoing in Pennsylvania Director Paul Slayton, with as since the first National Beef sistance from Penn State Beef Quality Audit a decade ago. Specialist Dr. John Comerford Quality issues cost the beef in- Pennsylvania Director of dustry millions each year, result- Beef Quality Assurance Certifi ing in average losses to cation Wendall Landis, who also producers of $277 per animal spearheads the Pennsylvania Surveys have shown that a ma- Blueprint for Success. jority of consumers are con cerned about beef quality and safety, and that 22.3 percent of beef users say they resort to other protein sources more regu larly because of quality and safety issues. Because reversing these eco nomic losses and strengthening consumer demand are so im portant to the future of Pennsyl vania’s beef industry, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture recently awarded matching funds of up to $36,000 to the Pennsylvania Beef Coun cil for a total budget of $72,000 directed to the promo tion of beef quality and safety in Pennsylvania. This project has three pri mary objectives: 1) to determine BQA guidelines that fit beef pro ducers in Pennsylvania; 2) to train, certify, and recognize beef producers who adopt and main tain BQA guidelines and best management practices; and 3) to promote Pennsylvania beef quality and safety to Pennsylva nia consumers. With this program, Pennsyl vania will join the ranks of 15 other states which already have nationally recognized BQA cer tification programs in place. An advisory committee, comprised of cattle feeders, packer representatives, coopera tive extension, and allied indus try representatives will assist in developing the criteria for im plementing the program. Using the minimum BQA standards of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and considering what other states have accom plished, the advisory committee will make recommendations that reflect the needs of Pennsyl vania producers. The program will be coordi- Dairyman's Edge* "Increases feed efficiency" PAPILLON Agricultural Products Inc taston MD 800-888-5688 “We wanted producer in volvement and a variety of cattle feeders to gather different ideas, because we want this to be your program,” Landis explains. Adds Comerford, “Food safety and quality issues will end up on the producer’s lap. The purpose of this program is to ad dress these issues to remain self regulated in these areas.” While this program is volun tary, the concept is similar to the Pork Quality Assurance Pro gram which has now been made mandatory by many pork pro cessors who will only accept hogs from PQA certified pro ducers. Already in the Midwest, it has been reported that at least one large beef processor began issuing letters that “strongly en courage” feedlots to adopt spe cific BQA guidelines in their production and management of cattle processed at their plants. Drew Wilkins, head cattle buyer for Taylor Packing Com pany in Wyalusing, Pa. notes that “food safety is a major issue. We want to work together with producers to get away from these issues that drive the indus try crazy.” To become a Pennsylvania BQA Certified Producer, cattle feeders will need to complete a two-pronged education pro gram. In addition to receiving a practical BQA how-to hand book, the certification program will include a BQA awareness training session with a brief, general pre- and post-test, fol lowed by a hands-on chute-side demonstration and participation session. Certified producers will also agree to implement the checklist of Beef Quality Assurance prac tices on their farms. After com pleting the program, producers BARAULA orchardgrass from BARENBRUG is available in large quantity’s for the first time. 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Drumore Seeds Henry King 717-548-3376 would receive a certificate of completion as well as ear tags or back tags to identify their cattle as coming from a Pennsylvania Certified Producer. The farm would also receive an attractive farmstead sign with the Penn sylvania BQA Certification Pro gram logo, proclaiming the farm as a Pennsylvania Certified Pro ducer. The project also includes funds earmarked for retail beef surveys to discern Pennsylvania consumer attitudes toward BQA Certified beef products. Work ing with packers and retailers, it is hoped that eventually beef from BQA Certified produc ers could be identified in the meat case. “The primary thing that is different about this project, compared with past BQA educa tion efforts, is that we’re organ izing the education in a more structured way, recognizing those producers who are doing these things, identifying cattle from the certified producers, and identifying consumer atti tudes about the product,” Dairy Stakeholder’s 2000 Viability Pennsylvania Stakeholders CHAMBERSBURG (Cumberland Co.) - Are you committed to the viability of the PA Dairy Industry? Do you know what it takes to compete with the top dairy states? Want to hear some progressive ideas? Then make your plans now to attend the 2000 Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders’ Conference, “Moving PA’s Dairy Industry” scheduled for December 13 and 14, 2000 at the Holiday Inn Lancaster Ag Products 717-293-9701 Little Britain Landis Weaver 717-529-2609 Centre Co. John Ghck 814-383-4529 Comerford explains. Lancaster County cattle feeder Karl Hess notes that “the veal and pork industries are al ready doing this and those pro cessors are mandating it. As beef producers, the economic incen tive for doing this can be found in avoiding quality discounts and avoiding the ‘you’ve got a problem’ phone call from the packer.” Record-keeping is probably the most difficult portion of any BQA program for producers to implement on their farms. Through the Blueprint for Suc cess and the Penn State Cooper ative Extension, resources are available to assist producers in developing the kind of record keeping that will not only aid in beef quality assurance efforts but also protect the producer as the food industry, in general, moves toward farm to fork product identification. Because beef feedlots handle more animals, are the coordinat ing segment of the industry, and are the last producer to manage the animal before processing, Conference Set Grantville, PA. The planning committee has successfully developed a program to stimulate thinking on how Pennsylvanians can lead the way to being more progressive and more competitive in all aspects of the industry. Producers, suppliers, processors, educators, regulators and marketers will find the program inspiring and educational. Panel dtscusjions that include producers, processors and other professionals will provide opportunity for everyone to actively participate in the conference. A sampling of the speakers and topics include: Ed Wilgenburg, a 3000+ head dairy producer form Bakersfield. CA will speak on: “The Competition Has Low Input and High Production” and AARON KING SEEDS Specializing in high quality forages and grazing since 1993 Falrvlaw Fruit Farm, 96 Paradlaa Lane, Ronks, PA 717-687-6224 Ask About Our High Sugar Corn Hybrids 800-216-1271 Atglen Sylvan Smoker 610-593-2831 Dauphin Co. Christ F. Fisher 717-362-9038 Cochranville Ag Service 610-869-9627 Churchtown Galen Martin 717-445-5782 York Co. Berks Co. Hakes Farm & Paul Keller Seed Service 610-589-2614 717-244-2754 this voluntary certification pro gram is being directed first toward cattle feeders. Cow/calf producers, back grounders, sale bams and order buyers should also be using BQA guidelines for handling and treating cattle, and they can become certified by participat ing in the program. In fact, as the project evolves and more states adopt such programs, cer tified cattle feeders will want to buy calves and yearlings from certified suppliers so that their efforts toward assuring beef quality are not compromised by the producer or market entity which produced, managed or handled the cattle before the cattle feeder receives them. The BQA Producer Certifica tion training will take place in several locations in Pennsylva nia from late January through April, 2001. To find out more, contact Wendall Landis, Penn sylvania Director of BQA Certi fication, at (717) 702-2015, or the Pennsylvania Beef Council at (717) 939-7000. “Applying Wall Street Business Concepts to the Dairy”; nationally know Don Ault from Sparks Companies, Inc. will speak on “Improving Competitiveness - Are costs or revenues the real challenge?” and Helen Bishop McDonald from Dairy Farmers of Canada will entertain and educate with her presentation, “Eat these words: Promoting Dairy Nutrition to the Public.” Phis heap dairy producers, Phil Kulp, of Martinsburg, David Pool of Robesonia and Richard Waybright of Gettysburg share their insight on being competitive and progressive. Everyone involved in the Pennsylvania dairy industry should attend this conference to (Turn to Pago A 25) • Soft leaves •Very leafy sloPer ßag Rebate on Alfalfa Lebanon Co. Abner Stoltzfus 717-949-2486 White Deer Isaac Seller 570-547-7118 Also Available: Blends tor Intensive Grazing Mega Green Sudangrass Brown Mid-Rib Sorghum HI Protein Corn Brasslcas Early Order Discount
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