Class was in session this summer at Texas Tech University where students participated in a Beef 706 designed entirely for Texas youth. The checkoff-funded class provided an overview of the beef industry and a hands-on learning experience on beef quality. For more than 25 years, the traditional Beef 706 program has been educating beef producers about the factors impacting the safety and quality of beef.
“Students attending Beef 706 have traditionally been more experienced and oftentimes older ranchers,” said Jason Bagley, Texas Beef Council (TBC) senior manager of beef quality. “While TBC continues to believe in educating cattle producers both young and old, we recognize the need to reach out to a younger generation to begin educating them about Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) and its important role in beef cattle production.”
Beef 706 is a checkoff-funded BQA program presented in cooperation with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. The class continually evolves with the industry and provides producers vital information to ensure that a safe, consistent, quality product is delivered to consumers.
“Within the Texas show cattle industry alone, there are thousands of youth making day-to-day management decisions about their cattle that directly impact the quality and wholesomeness of beef,” said Jason Beyer, TBC board member and Texas cattleman. “We want Texas youth to view cattle as not just livestock, but as a food product.”
All BQA efforts, including Beef 706, are based on the current National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA). The checkoff-funded audit takes place every five years and serves as a benchmark for the cattle industry. The 2011 NBQA is currently being used to identify quality challenges and establish new targets for quality levels.
To learn more about BQA efforts taking place in Texas, please visit www.texasbeefquality.com for more information.