Released Sept. 17, 2007

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Cattleman’s Association have launched a new program that adds value to livestock educational programs and recognizes producers’ management and marketing efforts.

The Ohio Professional Beef Producer Program enables producers to assist OSU Extension and the Ohio Cattleman’s Association in livestock programming, marketing and education across the state, while earning credits from program participation equivalent to many Master Cattleman program requirements in other states.

To qualify, producers must attend at least 24 hours of educational schooling, complete the Ohio Beef Quality Assurance Program, and complete the Ohio Livestock Environmental Assurance Program (LEAP). To maintain status, producers must continue educational programming over a two-year period.

“Over the past seven years, over 700 cattle producers have attended cow-calf, feedlot management, heifer development and Beef 509 schools, sponsored jointly by OSU Extension and the Ohio Cattleman’s Association,” said Bill Doig, an OSU Extension and Ohio Cattleman’s Association beef program specialist. “The Ohio Professional Beef Producer Program was established to recognize the educational programs that Ohio’s beef producers have attended, and to use these schools as the prerequisites for additional hands-on educational programs dealing with advanced management and marketing issues.”

Doig said that over 300 of the 700-plus livestock producers have qualified for participation in the Ohio Professional Beef Producer Program, and have been recognized with a certificate of recognition and a farm sign. In addition, each qualifying producer receives the Ohio Professional Beef Producer Program logo that can be used on farm signs and in advertisements. Producers are also listed in the Ohio Cattleman magazine and will be recognized at all Ohio Cattleman’s Association activities. Such visibility is meant promote the work of producers and add value to their efforts and their farming operations.

For more information about the program, or for questions regarding qualification, contact Bill Doig at (614) 873-6736, e-mail doig.7@osu.edu, or log on to http://bdoig@ohiobeef.org.

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http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~news/story.php?id=4291

Contacts: Candace Pollock, (614) 292-3799, pollock.58@cfaes.osu.edu

Bill Doig, (614) 873-6736, doig.7@osu.edu