What is Quality Assurance?
Quality assurance is a pledge or promise to:
- provide a food animal product preferred by consumers
- provide a safe, wholesome food animal product.
Food safety is paramount to animal agriculture, assuring consumer acceptance and confidence in a market where competing proteins and other alternatives are emerging, rivaling food products of animal origin. Furthermore, issues surrounding animal welfare in agricultural livestock production have surfaced that must be addressed at all levels of food animal production, including youth participation in food animal projects.
Youth involved in food animal exhibitions, by definition, are food animal producers. Youth food animal producers, at the culmination of the project, will sell their animal(s) and food products which are intended for human consumption.
Knowledge and mastery of the science of genetics, nutrition, management, handling, and environment in relation to the youth's food animal projects plays a critical role in the success of producing safe and wholesome food products for consumers. Therefore, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) mandates that all youth exhibiting food animal projects participate annually in quality assurance programming. OSU Extension provides the leadership for implementing quality assurance programs, in partnership with agricultural education and agricultural societies.
Youth who take food animal projects, by participating in science-based experiential learning activities, learn how to ensure that the products from their 4-H food animals are safe for consumers, and that their actions inspire general public and consumer confidence in assuring well-cared-for animals and quality products.
Do I need to take Quality Assurance?
All youth enrolled in food animal projects MUST take Quality assurance training each year, unless they have passed the quality assurance test. Food animals are those whose products (i.e., meat and milk) have the potential to become part of the food chain. Examples include: Dairy cows & Goats, Laying hens/pullets, and all market animals.
Animal projects that do NOT enter the food chain are not required to take Quality Assurance, for example Pygmy Goats, Cavies, Fancy rabbits and exhibition poultry. Please refer to your project rules on the Jr. Fair website, or check with a member of your committee for confirmation.
Horse projects do not need to take QA- but they do need to take Equi-Step.
Click here for animal project rules
How Do I complete my Quality Assurance Requirement?