Courtesy of the NCBA

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) believes that responsible use of antimicrobial drugs will aid in preserving the future effectiveness of antimicrobial agents against common pathogens in both human and animal species.
 
In 2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) set forward a challenge to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR Challenge). Since its launch, the AMR Challenge has been one of the most ambitious global initiatives to combat antibiotic resistance, garnering broad support and engagement from across sectors, states and countries. In response to the CDC’s AMR Challenge, NCBA worked to increase participation in the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program. By increasing BQA certification numbers, NCBA seeks to ensure beef producers are responsible and judicious in their use of antimicrobial products through every segment of the industry.
 
Year-to-date, the number of beef producers who have completed certification exceeds 318,000 producers, an increase of more than 73 percent over last year’s number. Today, 85 percent of beef in the United States comes from cattle which have been produced by BQA-certified cattlemen and women. In all, a total of 318,415 producers have completed a BQA training program. 
 
NCBA is proud of the efforts of our beef producing community to take steps necessary to improve and protect our beef supply. The motto of BQA outreach is “The Right Way is the Only Way,” and we stand behind that principle and the industry’s work to supply consumers with the safest, highest quality beef possible.