Quality Assurance

Per the rules of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, all livestock exhibitors (market and lactating species) must either attend a Quality Assurance (QA) Program or successfully test out of QA in order to exhibit livestock at the Shelby County Junior Fair or the Ohio State Fair. A parent or guardian of all junior exhibitors must also attend one of the sessions. Those exhibitors who take QA out-of-county are responsible for reporting and verifying what session they attended, as well as when and where.

The ONLY on-line QA certification approved by the Ohio Department of Agriculture is the YQCA. PQA, BQA, or Ohio BEST Show online course DOES NOT meet the requirements of Ohio QA certification.

2026 QA Dates (Must be completed by June 1st!):

2026 Quality Assurance Dates

March 2026

  • Wednesday, March 11th at 8:00pm, Hosted by the Russia Livestock 4-H Club at Russia Local School (The Commons)
  • Tuesday, March 17th TBA Hosted by Miami County Extension at Miami County Fairgrounds (Duke Lundgard Building) For more information, contact Jessica Adams at adams.2309@osu.edu. Please RSVP 
  • Friday, March 20th at 9:30 a.m., Hosted by Ohio Beef Expo Youth Beef Quality Assurance Training, Coliseum at 10600 US HWY 42, Marysville, Ohio 43040 Registration Required.
  • Saturday, March 21st, Hosted by 2026 Buckeye Young Shepherds Expo in Columbus - Registration
  • Wednesday, March 25th, 3:15-4:00pm Anna FFA test out session
  • Thursday, March 26th, 7:15-8:00am Anna FFA test out session
  • Tuesday, March 24th during the school day and 3:30-4:00pm, Fairlawn FFA test out session
  • Thursday, March 26th at 7 PM, Hosted by Fort Loramie Livestock at Fort Loramie Elementary School (Cafeteria)
  • Saturday, March 28th at 10am-12pm, at the Logan County Fair Grounds (General Livestock Arena)
  • Sunday, March 29th at 1PM, Hosted at Anna High School (Auxiliary Gym) Doors on the east side of the building will be open.

April 2026

  • Wednesday, April 1st during the school day and 3:30-4:00, Fairlawn FFA test out session
  • Tuesday, April 7th TBA Hosted by Miami County Extension at Miami County Fairgrounds (Duke Lundgard Building) For more information, contact Jessica Adams at adams.2309@osu.edu. Please RSVP 
  • Saturday, April 11th Ohio Youth Poultry Clinic Columbus Campus $25
  • Saturday, April 18th Dairy Palooza 2026 (Must preregister by April 3rd) Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster, Ohio $
  • Sunday, April 19th at 7 PM, Hosted at the Shelby County Fairgrounds (Youth Building/EMA Building)

 

QA TEST-OUT OPTION:

Shelby County Extension and Shelby County Senior Fair Board allows 12-18 year-old (as of January 1st) 4-H and FFA members to test out of their annual Quality Assurance (QA) program.Test-outs can be completed through the school’s FFA advisor OR youth can set up an appointment with the OSU Extension Office to come in and take the test-out at their convenience. Please call 937-498-7239 to schedule a test-out. Test-outs must be taken by June 1, 2026.

  • Youth ages 12-14 (as of Jan. 1) who pass the QA test can test out of their annual QA program for up to 3 years. 
  • Youth ages 15-18 years (as of Jan. 1) who pass the QA test can test out of their annual QA program permanently. 

What will be on the Quality Assurance Test?

This year's (2026) test out will include: 

1. Animal Health

     A. Responsible Drug Use

2. Animal Management

     A. Daily Observation

3. Community

     A. Biosecurity

4. Producer Fundamentals

     A. Record Keeping

Junior Fair Market Animal Tagging & Weigh-In

2026 Beef

  • May 3rd from 1-2 PM at the Shelby County Fairgrounds (Feeder Calf Tag Pick Up and Vaccination Paperwork Check)

2026 Lamb/Goat

  • May 3rd from 12-2 PM at the Shelby County Fairgrounds (Mandatory Tag-In and Optional Weigh-In)

2026 swine

  • May 3rd from 12-2 PM at the Shelby County Fairgrounds (840 Tag Pick Up)

2026 Rabbit

  • June 20th from 8-10 AM at the Shelby County Fairgrounds (Tattoo and Check-In)