12/01/05 Beef quality assurance workshops

It started earlier this week in Lewiston. It continues next Monday in Caldwell and more is to come in the first six months of 2006. The University of Idaho extension is holding a series of workshops for beef producers with an emphasis on two topics, animal identification and beef quality assurance. U of I's Jason Ahola says two of the 15 stations they set up deal with beef quality issues. AHOLA "Things like injection sites, and bruising, handling of animals, preventing disease." In Lewiston about 60 producers passed the beef quality assurance test earlier this week which certifies them for three years. Its hands on, working with animals, producers don't sit around and watch slides. That's it for this year. AHOLA "But we've got one scheduled up in Salmon in January. We've got one tentatively scheduled in North Idaho at the end of January and then we're just going to continue to move throughout the state in the spring and summer The Caldwell workshop is from 130 to 6 pm with a roast beef supper to follow. If you haven't reserved a spot you can still do so by calling Ahola at 459-6365. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scot