The Alabama Beef Quality Assurance Program (BQA) is an educational program provided by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System with support from the National Cattleman's Beef Association and voluntary check-off funds from Alabama's beef producers.

BQA is not a herd health program, but a comprehensive effort to insure a safe, wholesome supply of beef. Cattle managed under BQA guidelines will be less likely to contain a violative residue, contain injection site tissue damage, or foreign metal such as a broken needle.  They are cared for using science-based procedures to insure proper care and well-being.  Beef producers trained under Alabama BQA agree to use common sense, appropriate management tools and accepted scientific knowledge to avoid product defects at the consumer level and provide the best animal care possible.

Assuring the consumer that cattle shipped by Alabama beef producers are healthy, wholesome, safe and properly cared for is the primary goal of the BQA program.