University of Minnesota Extension, in partnership with the Minnesota Beef Council, will host multiple Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) virtual trainings and in-person certification trainings in the spring of 2026. Producers attending any of the free workshops will receive a three-year BQA certification.
In the past, beef producers have been asked to complete the BQA program to market cattle to certain processors. However, BQA certification is still voluntary. Specific companies have chosen to extend their own quality assurance protocol requirements to cattle producers who are a part of their supply chain. BQA certification is now being required by many major industry buyers and processors.
The following virtual BQA training sessions will all be offered from 7:00 to 9:00 PM CST:
• Thursday, February 19, 2026: z.umn.edu/BQAFeb19
• Thursday, March 19, 2026: z.umn.edu/BQAMarch19
• Tuesday, April 7, 2026: z.umn.edu/BQAApril7 The following in-person BQA training sessions will be offered on the following dates:
• Thursday, March 12, 2026: Pipestone Livestock Auction Market – 2:30 p.m. *Or immediately following the Special Feeder Calf Auction* Registration:z.umn. edu/2026PipestoneBQA 1500 7th St SE, Pipestone, MN 56164
• Saturday, March 21, 2026: North American Farm & Power Show – 11:00 a.m.
Four Seasons Centre, 1525 S Elm Ave, Owatonna, MN 55060 All BQA trainings are free to attend. For virtual trainings attendees must pre-register online at the correct link before 6:00 p.m. on the night of each training or by calling the Pipestone County Extension Office at (507)-825-1190.
About the VIRTUAL Zoom trainings: Pre-registration is required for these trainings. You will not be able to access the Zoom meeting room without first pre-registering and receiving the secure Zoom link.
Online BQA training at www. bqa.org is available to anyone, at any time. These online, self-paced modules are free to complete. There will also be in-person BQA trainings scheduled; please check the UMN BQA website at https:// extension.umn.edu/coursesand- events/beef-quality-assurance for more information, as meeting location details will be added here once events are scheduled.
NOTE: A comprehensive list of ALL available BQA training options can be found at the Minnesota Beef Council website: https://mnbeef.org/aboutus/ upcoming-events.
If you have any questions about accessing the virtual BQA trainings or have questions regarding your BQA status expiration, please contact the Extension Office.
Source: Matti Boomgaarden, Extension Educator – Agriculture Production Systems, University of Minnesota Extension, (507) 825-1190 ext. 1193, boomg022@umn.edu University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
For more news from U of M Extension, visit www.extension. umn.edu/news or contact Extension Communications at extdigest@umn.edu. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
