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Kansas 4-H Tip Sheet

December 14, 2018

2019 YQCA Requirement for State Shows

Submitted by Lexie Hayes

YQCA logo

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a new, national, multi-species youth livestock quality assurance program that focuses on food safety, animal well-being, and character development, through age-appropriate educational curriculum for youth 8-21 years of age. This program is an annual certification that grows with a young person, so the learning modules are different every year. The second year of curriculum materials were launched in October 2018, and youth are welcome to begin completing the training at any time.

ALL exhibitors are required to be YQCA certified in order to participate in the 2019 Kansas State Fair Grand Drive and/or Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS). This includes youth who will be showing market animals, commercial breeding females, and/or registered purebred breeding females. Since the program is designed to be a national standard for youth ages 8 and older, 7-year-olds who will be participating in KJLS are exempt from completing this requirement. However, they are encouraged to attend an instructor-led class for the educational value.

Youth may obtain their YQCA certification using one of the following methods:

  • Instructor-led Training - $3/child
  • Online Course - $12/child
  • Test-Out Option – only 12 & 15 year olds eligible; online only; cost varies
  • Valid Youth PQA+ Number – in lieu of YQCA certification

Families must create a user account and pre-register all youth through the YQCA website (www.yqca.org) in order for them to participate in the program and receive a certification number. The program is integrated with 4HOnline, so families need to use their 4HOnline credentials to access the site. They should also register each child for certification by selecting their name from the drop-down menu (currently enrolled 4-H members identified as members of the family should appear as options). This will allow all currently enrolled members who have completed their YQCA training to show up on the LearnGrow report available to local 4HOnline managers.

Families must pay for the instructor-led and online class through the site at the time of registration. It will require a credit card number or coupon code. Extension units may purchase coupons directly from YQCA.

A child’s YQCA certification is valid for one year, from the date they successfully complete the course. Youth will be required to submit a copy of their YQCA or Youth PQA+ (YPQA+) certificate/card as part of the nomination process by attaching it to their Declaration Form. Exhibitors who will only be showing registered purebred breeding females (heifers, gilts, ewes), and therefore do not have to nominate those animals, will be required to submit their number as part of the entry process. Youth need to complete their YQCA certification by June 15, 2019. Certification numbers must be valid through the last day of KJLS (September 29, 2019) to be accepted.

After a child has completed the YQCA training, their certificate will be available on the family’s user account. The certificate will include the child’s name, certification number, and date of expiration. Families may print copies of this certificate, as well as download it to any device, for their records.

For more specific details, please refer to the memo distributed to county offices on 12/6/18. Resources including a flyer, visual guide for families, and coupon order form may be found on the K-State Youth Livestock website, under Youth Livestock Quality Assurance (https://www.asi.k-state.edu/research-and-extension/youth-programs/YQCA.html).

For more details about the YQCA program, please refer to www.yqca.org, or the K-State Youth Livestock Program website. Please contact Lexie Hayes or Pam Van Horn for more information in regards to fulfilling this requirement.