PQA Plus, TQA sessions scheduled

     The Iowa Pork Producers Association is partnering with the Iowa Pork Industry Center and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach to offer free Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) and Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) programs for Iowa pig farmers.

     The sessions closest to Monticello Aug. 8 at Delaware County Extension and Outreach in Manchester, and Aug. 8 at Johnson County Extension and Outreach in Iowa City.

     Other sessions are scheduled July 24 in Atlantic, July 27 in Winterset, July 31 in Orange City, Aug. 8 in Oskaloosa, Aug. 22 in Humboldt, and Aug. 29 in Nashua.

     “Pork producers, their employees and pig transporters continue to show their dedication to continuous industry improvement through certification in PQA Plus and TQA,” said IPPA President Curtis Meier. “These programs, along with the We Care initiative, continue to show our customers the strong commitment we have to food safety and animal care.”

     Special quality assurance training sessions will be hosted at the 2017 World Pork Expo on Wednesday, June 7, and around the state this summer. The expo session will be hosted in room A-2 of the Varied Industries Building on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Interested individuals should pre-register by contacting Carla Vanderheiden at (800) 372-7675 or cvanderheiden@iowapork.org. Pig farmers also can register at www.iowapork.org.

     All district locations offer TQA from 9:30 a.m. to noon and PQA Plus from 1 to 4 p.m. All sessions are sponsored by IPPA and the Pork Checkoff. Producers are encouraged to pre-register to allow adequate space and materials. To pre-register or for more information, contact Carla Vanderheiden at (800) 372-7675 or cvanderheiden@iowapork.org, or visit www.iowapork.org. The form can be found under “Producers” and “Quality Assurance Programs.”

     PQA Plus and TQA are part of the industry-aligned We Care responsible pork initiative, which establishes ethical principles for pork producers to produce safe food, protect and promote animal well-being, protect public health, safeguard natural resources, provide a safe work environment and contribute to a better quality of life in their communities.