Quality assurance
| March 23, 2009 - Feedstuffs Assurances can put end to criticism |
As we walked into Bruss Meats in Chicago, Ill., the general manager immediately thanked us upon discovering that we were cattle producers. We were curious as to why he would do that, and we later found out it was because of the industry's Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program. The Bruss manager explained that by eliminating lesions in our product through the use of BQA-approved techniques, we had saved the company hundreds of thousands of dollars. He said each time a lesion was found on a carcass, the line had to be shut down to clean and sanitize the room and equipment before operations could resume. He said the BQA program had helped minimize the need for these costly shutdowns, increasing his company's productivity and efficiency. I distinctly remember the feeling of pride in knowing that something done on the ranch could have such a positive implication for the consumer. I knew that the reduction of lesions, bruises and other undesirable carcass traits meant more money in the pockets of cattle producers, but I hadn't given much thought to the benefits along the food chain. The initial program that eventually became BQA was implemented in the early 1980s. Since then, proper animal handling has been added to the safety component so producers not only learn how and where to properly administer vaccinations but how to handle cattle in a manner that is the best and safest for both the animals and handlers. Fast-forward to today. I get increasingly more calls from cattle producers about the need for a new third-party accreditation to respond to animal rights organizations regarding proper animal treatment. We don't need a deer in the headlights approach to answering these charges; we need to use the tools already in place to address this issue. Why should we reinvent the wheel when the one we have is in perfectly good condition? Everything we need to tell our story and stand up to being under the microscope is right at our disposal, and we need to take advantage of it. If you haven't been through BQA training and are involved in the beef industry, you need to make the call and get it set up in your area. The BQA program is the good news. The bad news is that Proposition 2 in California has made us realize that not everyone in animal agriculture is properly addressing these challenges. I am honestly embarrassed to report that only 5% of the nation's dairy herds have actually completed certification in the Dairy BQA program. (Don't forget that almost one-fourth of the beef in the system comes from dairy cows). Even more embarrassing is the fact that only 10% of the nation's cow/calf producers are certified with the national BQA program. The bright spot is that 90% of our nation's feedlots have achieved BQA compliance. Quality assurance programs like BQA are the tools we need to address the questions coming from activists, the retail and restaurant industries and consumers. Another component of the food chain accused of mistreating animals is local auction barns. While some barns rise to the top and do what needs to be done to properly care for every animal that sets foot there, unfortunately, a few leave the door wide open for scrutiny. At these barns, livestock are usually handled in a way that is loud, fast and chaotic, in exact opposition to the way BQA-trained cattlemen learn how to best handle animals. Perhaps livestock auction barns need to consider BQA training as well. We don't need any more horror stories caught on tape at sale barns, farms or packing plants. It is up to each of us to do what is right and make sure of it. Who cares how much hidden video activists take of us if we are handling our livestock in a manner that is in accordance with the BQA program and with the best intentions of delivering a safe, high-quality end product to the consumer? Personally, I think activists might best be compared to the bald eagle. While many watch as these elegant birds soar through the sky, what happens behind the scenes is anything but glamorous. These birds don't eat anything that isn't already dead. Activists groups look for the easy pickings, and that is exactly how we can slow them down: by not giving them anything to feed on. It is up to each and every one of us in the livestock industry to do our part to make sure we deliver the best product we possibly can in a manner that is respectful to every living being involved. Doing so will help put an end to the wreckage being done to our industry by a few bad apples.
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