Source and Age Verification
The USDA Quality System Assessment (QSA) Program provides suppliers of agricultural products and services the opportunity to assure customers of their ability to provide consistent quality products or services. This assurance is based on meeting product requirements through a documented quality management system. A QSA program for source and age verification allows beef from U.S. cattle to be eligible for the Japan market. The program certifies that cattle are less than 20 months of age through documentation, verification and traceability.
In the summer of 2005, Beef Marketing Group developed a USDA QSA program for source and age verification to enhance market flexibility. Beef Marketing Group received their USDA QSA source and age certification September 19, 2005. This QSA certification allows cattle enrolled in the program as source- and age-verified to be less than 20 months of age to be marketed to Japan.
BMG feedlots offer their customers the opportunity to participate in the source- and age-verified program, allowing backgrounders to be placed on the BMG Approved Supplier List.
BMG requirements for source- and age-verified cattle are:
- Unique group identification such as an ear tag or brand
- Group birth date records in month/day/year format
- Defined calving season (not year around calving)
Supplier evaluation – source & age verification may be accomplished by:
- BMG supplier evaluation
- USDA Process Verified Data Service Providers
- USDA Process Verified programs with source & age as a claim
- State QSA program
- Pre-conditioning QSA program
- Salebarn QSA program
BMG USDA Source- and Age-Verified Feedlots
- Barton Co. Feeders
- Beef Northwest Feeders – Boardman*
- Beef Northwest Feeders – Nyssa*
- Beef Northwest Feeders – Quincy*
- Great Bend Feeding
- Golden Belt Feeders – Kinsley
- Golden Belt Feeders – St. John
- Knight Feedlot
- Mull Farms & Feeding – Pawnee Rock/Haviland
- Ward Feedyard
- Roberts Cattle Co.
- Seibert Feeding
- Smoky Hill Feeders
- Lewis Feedlot
- McClymont Feedyard
- Windmill Feeders
*Non-BMG feedlots that are approved under the BMG-USDA Source- & Age-Verification Program.
USDA Process Verified Program
The USDA Process Verified Program uses ISO 9000 standards to provide suppliers of agricultural products or services the opportunity to assure customers of their ability to provide consistent quality products or services. The specified process verified points are identified by the supplier. Suppliers with approved USDA Process Verified Programs are able to make marketing claims associated with their process verified points — such as age, source, feeding practices, or other raising and processing claims — and market themselves as "USDA Process Verified."
USDA QSA Approved Supplier List
USDA PVP Approved Supplier List
For additional information, contact Heather Donley at Beef Marketing Group.
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