If you eat beef anywhere in Washington or in the U.S. for that matter, consumers can be pretty sure that red meat is in good shape and was grown under stringent animal care standards, thanks to the Beef Quality Assurance Program.  Josh White at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association says BQA ensures animals get the top care available.

"We offer a lot of guidelines around vaccinating calves as they are growing on those ranches.  So they are super healthy throughout their lives.  We also have guidelines around nutrition."
White added the supply of beef cattle grown under BQA standards continues to grow.
"We can verify over 85% of the supply at this point is grown on BQA certified farms and ranches.  So, that's a huge win for the industry."
White said the 30-year-old BQA program is now available in nearly every state in the country.  In the Evergreen state, Washington State University helps coordinate the program.

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