Back Row: Morgan Hudson, Baden Miller, Ryan Morgan, Devin Dufford, Weston Fisher, Mitchell Brown, Seth Hardin, Wes Mullis, Daniel Painter, Katelyn Allison, Garrett Weicker, Kianna Waters, Chris Phipps and Storm Wheeler. Middle Row: Paige Schlabach Nori Saunderson, Haven Dufford, Chris Lawrence, Delaney Hill, Erica Sullivan, Alex Jones, Haley Robinson, Keileigh McMurray, Karli Wood, Zac Foy, Paige Klie, Bill Ennis and Ethan Henderson. Front Row: Ryan Kosak, Ben Kellar, Austin Wilson, Jeff Bradley and Bill Davis.

Twenty-eight students from the Agricultural Production and Environmental Management II class became certified through the North Carolina Beef Quality Assurance Program. Students learned that by participating in the North Carolina – Beef Quality Assurance (NC-BQA) program and adopting BQA production practices, you are positioning your business to take advantage of opportunities that lie ahead.

Classroom and lab instruction was facilitated by Ethan Henderson, Polk County Cooperative Extension agriculture agent, and Jeff Bradley, Rutherford County Cooperative Extension director. Special thanks to Polk County farmers, Bill Davis and Bill Ennis, for providing animals and facilities for the BQA Program.

The BQA mission is to maximize consumer confidence and acceptance of beef by focusing the producers’ attention to daily production practices that influence the safety, wholesomeness, and quality of beef and beef products.

 -Submitted by Chauncey Barber