The Ohio Department of Agriculture mandates that youth exhibiting livestock at a county fair must attend a QA session.

If you plan to exhibit one of these projects at county or state fair, you need to complete QA:

  • Beef (market, breeding, feeder calf, dairy market steer)

  • Dairy (cows, heifers)

  • Goats (pygmy, dairy, utility [pack], market, breeding market)

  • Llamas/Alpacas

  • Poultry (ducks, geese, turkey, pullets, fancy, broilers)

  • Rabbits (breeding, market)

  • Sheep (breeding, market)

  • Swine (breeding, market)

Test-out Option

As required by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, all youth exhibiting livestock at a county fair must attend a QA session. At the discretion of OSU Extension, or Ohio agricultural education, an exhibitor may pass a test based on the appropriate skill level for their age (12-14 or 15-18) under the supervision of OSU Extension or Ohio agricultural education before exhibiting terminal or partial terminal market livestock, including market poultry, lactating dairy cattle, and lactating goats in a junior livestock show. Youth who pass the test will be exempt from annual QA re-certification until they move to the next age bracket or they are no longer a junior exhibitor (19 years of age or older on January 1 of their last year).

If a youth does not pass the test, they must attend a face-to-face QA session. Youth are only given one chance to pass the test annually.

If any member is interested in this option, please contact Kiersten to schedule a time before March 31, 2023.

State Event Quality Assurance

Youth may attend QA at the following events. No other out-of-county events are acceptable.

  • YQCA (online only - see more information, below)
  • Ohio Beef Expo, Columbus, March 17, 12:30 PM

Upon completion, member must:

  1. Turn in proof of attendance to the county Extension office no later than 4:00 p.m. May 12, 2023.
  2. Obtain county-specific packet from the Extension office. A signature will be required when materials are received.

 

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA)

NOTE: If a member completes YQCA for their county QA requirement, they MUST obtain the county-specific QA packet from the Extension office AND email their completion certificate to armstrong.133@osu.edu. A signature is required when materials are received.

 

Some national shows are going to be requiring that youth exhibitors complete Youth for the Quality Care for Animals (YQCA) training in order to exhibit. OSU Extension 4-H Youth Development program, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has endorsed the following option for youth who are officially enrolled in a 4-H and/or FFA livestock/food animal project.

Youth who intend to show their project animal(s) at exhibition (e.g., county or state fair) have the option to complete an online YQCA session. The Tuscarawas County Senior Fair Board has deemed this acceptable for Tuscarawas County’s QA requirement. For the training to meet the Ohio Youth Food Animal QA requirement for the project year:

•Youth MUST be 12 years or older as of January 1 of the current year (4-H age).

 

Note: DISCLAIMER: All Tuscarawas County 4-H members may take YQCA to complete their annual QA requirement. Please note that this is NOT be the only option. This course has a fee. This is not OSU’s program, therefore, this fee cannot be waived. It is, however, the only online QA that is approved through the Ohio Department of Agriculture. County fairs are not guaranteed, though we hope they will continue as planned so it is you and your family’s decision to complete this course understanding the circumstances.

 

Click here for information on the new YQCA process.

 
  1. All other online courses do not meet the Ohio Youth Food Animal QA certification requirements (i.e., BQA, PQA, BEST, etc.).
  2. Youth can go to the following website to take the age-appropriate online module:  yqcaprogram.org/login/index.php
  3. The cost is $12.
  4. Youth and their parent/guardian must create and login to a YQCA account.
  5. There is no test-out option for YQCA.

Should a Tuscarawas County youth choose to pay the fee of $12 and take the YQCA course, keep these items in mind:

  1. The course must be completed by May 12, 2023.
  2. There are no study guides.
  3. We have been told it takes a minimum of 90 minutes to complete.
  4. If the member does not pass the test at the end, the member will have to wait a minimum of one hour before taking the test again.
  5. If a member completes YQCA for their county QA requirement, they MUST obtain the county-specific packet from the Extension office AND email their completion certificate to armstrong.133@osu.edu. A signature is required when materials are received.

QA Sessions for 2023

It's time for 2023 Tuscarawas County Livestock Quality Assurance. Members who will be showing multiple species at the 2023 Tuscarawas County Fair only need to attend ONE QA session (this is not new). If you attend more than one, only your first attended QA will be counted.

The only projects that do not need to complete QA are dogs and pet rabbit. Horses have their own version with Safety & Ethics.

All sessions begin at 6:30 PM with registration at 6:00 PM unless otherwise stated. Doors close 10 minutes after the session begins; no admittance after that time. These are the only QA dates for 2023.

Exhibitors must:

  • Be on time!
  • Sign-in for attendance to be recorded.
  • Stay for the complete seminar.

QA Dates:

  1. Tuesday, February 28, 6:30 PM, Tuscarawas Valley Middle School
  2. Monday, March 6, 6:30 PM, Dover Middle School
  3. Wednesday, April 12, 6:30 PM, Port Washington Elementary
  4. DAIRY SPECIFIC SESSION - Sunday, April 23, 2:00 PM, Union Hill UMC (Registration begins at 1:30 PM)
  5. Thursday, April 27, 6:30 PM, Buckeye Career Center
  6. Thursday, May 11, 6:30 PM, Claymont High School

Click here for the 2023 QA Brochure