Award Timeline and Events

• Applications Due: June 14, 2024
• June 2024: The selection committee meets to determine winners in each award category. The winners are personally notified but not publicly announced.
• July - September 2024: Video crews visit each winner’s operation.
• Feb 4 - Feb 6, 2025: All winners are expected to attend the 2025 Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio, Texas. Travel and registration will be paid by the Beef Quality Assurance Awards program for two attendees. Winners are publicly announced and honored at the BQA Awards Reception.

Nomination and Selection Process

• BQA and/or FARM Practices, Accomplishments and Goals
• Relevant local, regional, and national BQA and/or dairy promotion group or cooperative leadership.
• The promotion and improvement of animal care practices, BQA or FARM program and consumer perception of beef or dairy industries.
• Effectiveness in promoting and implementing BQA.
• Completion of the National Dairy FARM Program Version Animal Care Evaluation and implementation of the program requirements.
• Applications will be judged using a points system totaling up to 100 points.

Applications for the 2025 Beef Quality Assurance Awards are due June 14, 2024. Any individual, group, or organization is eligible to nominate one dairy operation. Individuals and families may not nominate themselves, however, we expect nominees to be involved in the preparation of the application.

Past nominees are encouraged to submit updated versions of previous nominations. Previous winners may not reapply.

The full nomination application and directions for its completion are enclosed in this packet. Along with a typed application, one nomination letter and three letters of recommendation highlighting the nominees BQA and FARM Program efforts are expected.

Application Technical Guidelines

The nomination packet is limited to 20 pages total as follows: 12 pages for the application, 2 pages for each letter of recommendation (total of 6 pages), 2 pages for the nomination letter, and 8 pages for the nominee’s most recent FARM Animal Care evaluation. Photos are encouraged to be included within the nomination, but no more than 5, please. A complete PDF document, submitted electronically, is suggested with all the pieces compiled in a single file. Please do not send nominations in notebooks, binders, or booklets. Please keep to traditional font standards, size 12 point. All applications will be compiled and printed in color for judges to review.

*Dairy nominations are limited to 28 pages to accommodate the 8 page completed FARM Evaluation.

Completed nominations must be received by Midnight, June 14, 2024.