Quality Assurance

QUALITY ASSURANCE UPDATE

General QA Information

All youth who plan to enter and exhibit (breeding and market) livestock (cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, goats, rabbits, poultry, alpacas/llamas) at the Shelby County Junior Fair must attend a Shelby County Quality Assurance (QA) program or successfully “test out” of the program. At least one parent or legal guardian must also attend a QA program. Exhibitors and parent/legal guardian do NOT have to attend the same program.

Attendance at a QA program by the exhibitor and a parent/legal guardian is required each year unless the exhibitor meets the “test out” requirements.

Every session will certify or re-certify youth swine exhibitors under the Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQAPlus) Program. The programs do NOT meet adult PQAPlus certification requirements. Exhibitors and parents/legal guardians must attend an official Shelby County Fair Board sponsored QA program. Youth/adults will not satisfy Shelby County Junior Fair QA requirements by attending quality assurance programs held outside of Shelby County or conducted by another organization.

Participants must be prompt and stay for the entire program to meet the attendance requirement. It is the responsibility of all participants (youth and parents/guardians) to sign-in on registration sheets, to complete all required paperwork, and to have that paperwork signed by the appropriate officials before leaving the program. The exhibitor and/or parent/legal guardian must arrive before the review of the ten good production practices is completed and be seated by the time the first speaker begins. Late arrivals will not receive their QA certification and must arrange to attend another session in order to exhibit at this year’s Fair.

Youth who do not follow these requirements WILL NOT BE PERMITTED to enter or exhibit at the Shelby County Junior Fair or the Ohio State Junior Fair. If participants arrive late at the QA program, or leave early, this attendance requirement will not have been met.

Upcoming 2009 QA Dates

General Session: Sunday, April 19, 2009; 2:00-4:00 p.m.; Ft Loramie High School. Testing begins at 1:00 p.m.

First Time Exhibitors: Wednesday, May 13, 2009; 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Activity Center, Shelby County Fairgrounds. This session will feature a tour of the fairgrounds, discussion on what to bring to the Fair, Skillathon introduction, and QA certification; Targets parents and youth who are first time exhibitors.

Make Up Session: Wednesday, May 20, 2009; 6:30-8:30 p.m., Ag Service Center Meeting Room; $25 per person. Participants will view 2 hour video from August Quality Assurance/Carcass Review.

Test-Out Option

There is a QA “test-out” option for exhibitors age 12-14 (Intermediate) or 15-18 (Senior). Youth who pass the test will be exempt from annual QA re-certification until they move to the next age bracket or until they are no longer eligible to exhibit in the Junior Fair (When they are nineteen years of age or older by January 1st.) Tests will be administered an hour before regularly scheduled QA programs in August and April. Official state-approved tests will be used. Each test includes 50 questions; 35 must be answered correctly to pass.

Tests can only be taken once each program year. Exhibitors who show both large and small animal species may choose which test to take. Parents/legal guardians of exhibitors who have successfully tested out will also be exempt from the QA recertification until their child moves to the next age bracket.

Several of the county’s vocational agriculture teachers are offering QA testing before, during, or after school at some point during the school year. Check with your vo-ag teachers to learn more about this option. Tests must be taken prior to start of the April QA session. Tests may not be taken after the April session in lieu of attending the Make Up.

Carolyn Belczyk
Extension Educator
4-H Youth Development