PROFIT
SEMINARS MAKING QUALITY JOB #1
Beef
Check off Sponsors Dairy Profit Seminars
(CENTENNIAL, Colo.) – The beef checkoff,
through the Dairy Beef Quality Assurance (DBQA) program, is proud to be one of
the Platinum Level sponsors of the upcoming Dairy
Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) profit seminars that highlight the latest
industry developments.
The seminars bring together managers,
producers, owners and leading experts in the dairy calf and heifer industry to
present the latest dairy calf and heifer production developments, and enables
producers to meet fellow growers and share knowledge. A local DQBA speaker will
be on the program at each location.
The 2008 fall/winter seminar schedule is
as follows:
Tuesday,
Jan. 29, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Thursday, Jan. 31, Lansing,
Mich.
Monday, Feb. 4, Modesto,
Calif.
Wednesday, Feb. 6, Phoenix,
Ariz.
Friday, Feb. 8, Tillamook,
Ore.
Tuesday, March 4, Gainesville,
Fla.
Thursday, March 6, Hagerstown,
Md.
In the past, DCHA has held educational endeavors
at its annual conference, typically attended by owners and large operators.
After listening to and acting upon member feedback, DCHA made the decision to
host smaller meetings on a regional basis in areas of heavy dairy calf and
heifer concentration – areas where interest and desire to obtain industry
information was evident.
In the first year, seminars averaged 25 to 30
attendees; last year, attendance exceeded 50 to 60. Eight additional summer/fall
sessions will be held in 2008.
“Ongoing learning, from experts and from peers,
is vital to the future success of our industry. Seminars such as these give
producers an opportunity to not only be involved, but to learn new practices
that can translate into success on their own operation,” said Alan Krob, DCHA
director of corporate relations. “For DCHA leadership, this partnership is a
dream come true. We’ve always wanted to strike an alliance and work as
partners with the beef industry to bring to the forefront the return on
investment from checkoff dollars and communicate the DBQA message.”
DCHA,
through support from the beef checkoff, is also partnering with Dairy Herd
Management magazine on the Calf & Heifer Resource Center, a Web site
containing information on dairy calf and heifer management and coming soon, DBQA
messages.
“DBQA is a solid return on the producer’s
checkoff investment and these seminars further exemplify the beef checkoff’s
commitment to quality for dairy producers and beef producers alike,” said Ron
Gill, Ph.D., BQA coordinator at Texas Cooperative Extension in Stephenville,
Texas. “DBQA links producers with livestock production specialists,
veterinarians, nutritionists, marketers and food purveyors interested in
maintaining and improving the quality of cattle and the beef they produce.”
For more information on how to become BQA
certified in your state, visit www.bqa.org. For
more information and to register for a profit seminar, visit www.calfandheifer.org.
The
Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The
checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle,
in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States
retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to
the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the
national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
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