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What is BQA?
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) is a program that provides systematic information to U.S. beef producers of how good husbandry techniques can be coupled with accepted scientific knowledge to raise cattle under optimum management conditions.
2026 BQA Award Nominations
Award Timeline and Events
- Applications Due: June 17, 2025
- June 2025: The selection committee meets to determine winners in each award category. The winners are personally notified but not publicly announced.
- July - September 2025: Video crews visit each winner’s operation.
- Feb 3 - Feb 5, 2026: All winners are expected to attend the 2026 Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. Travel and registration will be paid by the Beef Quality Assurance Awards program for two attendees. Winners are publicly announced and honored at the BQA Awards Reception.
Nomination and Selection Process
The applications will be judged on the following criteria:- BQA and/or FARM Practices, Accomplishments and Goals
- Relevant local, regional, and national BQA and/or dairy promotion group or cooperative leadership.
- The promotion and improvement of animal care practices, BQA or FARM program and consumer perception of beef or dairy industries.
- Effectiveness in promoting and implementing BQA.
- Completion of the National Dairy FARM Program Version Animal Care Evaluation and implementation of the program requirements.
- Applications will be judged using a points system totaling up to 100 points.
Applications for the 2026 Beef Quality Assurance Awards are due June 17, 2025 by midnight. Any individual, group, or organization is eligible to nominate one dairy operation. Individuals and families may not nominate themselves, however, we expect nominees to be involved in the preparation of the application.
Past nominees are encouraged to submit updated versions of previous nominations. Previous winners may not reapply.
The full nomination application and directions for its completion are enclosed in the packet below. Along with a typed application, one nomination letter and three letters of recommendation highlighting the nominees BQA and FARM Program efforts are expected.
Application Technical Guidelines
The nomination packet is limited to 20 pages total as follows: 12 pages for the application, 2 pages for each letter of recommendation (total of 6 pages), 2 pages for the nomination letter, and 8 pages for the nominee’s most recent FARM Animal Care evaluation. Photos are encouraged to be included within the nomination, but no more than 5, please. A complete PDF document, submitted electronically, is suggested with all the pieces compiled in a single file. Please do not send nominations in notebooks, binders, or booklets. Please keep to traditional font standards, size 12 point. All applications will be compiled and printed in color for judges to review.
*Dairy nominations are limited to 28 pages to accommodate the 8 page completed FARM Evaluation.
Completed nominations must be received by Midnight, June 17, 2025.
BQA Award winners
Every year we highlight operations that elevate BQA in their practices. Take a look at this year's winners!