Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance and Food Safety Program

The Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance and Food Safety Program emphasizes good management practices in the handling and use of animal health products, and encourages youth producers to review their approach to their animal health programs. By completing this program, youth producers demonstrate their commitment to "quality assured" meat production.

Why Quality Assurance?
• Improves animal care and management practices
• Avoids violative drug residues
• Decreases production costs
• Increases awareness of food safety

Concern over food wholesomeness and safety is an important consumer issue. It is of utmost importance that the public knows meat is a safe product. QA is a good business practice that can identify potential problem areas and thus avoid potential product defects.

Youth livestock producers must take responsibility for the production of a safe food product through following the 8 Good Production Practices and participating in a certification workshop once every three years. Each producer should assume the responsibility for the role they play in delivering a quality product to their respective market.

For additional information contact:
your local county extension 4-H agent, local FFA Advisor, or email spater@ag.arizona.edu.