October 16, 2024
Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) New Program Year Launched on October 1
The national, multi‐species youth livestock quality assurance program, Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA), launched the new program year on October 1. Therefore, a new set of educational modules are now available for youth to complete. The system is now open for extension agents and ag teachers who requested to become certified instructors to complete the necessary training to host in-person classes. The training is completed entirely online, through an instructor’s account. Once the certification process is complete, the teaching materials will become available to the instructor on the online platform and they may begin scheduling and hosting classes.
Members who would like to participate in an online training should complete the web‐based course. Youth interested in an instructor-led course can find the in-person courses available by registering through the platform. Youth may complete the online training for $12/child or participate in an instructor‐led session for $3/child. The test‐out option is only available for youth who are 12 or 15 as of January 1. All participants must register and pay through the YQCA site, regardless of the type of training. A young person’s YQCA certification is valid for one year, so youth need to re‐certify annually. The Kansas State Fair Grand Drive and KJLS are expected to continue requiring all exhibitors to complete YQCA to be eligible to exhibit in the 2025 shows. Youth will need to re‐certify prior to ordering state nomination envelopes in the early spring (for market animals and commercial females) or entry (those only showing registered breeding females). Since certification is valid for one year, exhibitors who take the course this fall, or in early winter, will be set for the 2025 year.
The YQCA staff has also developed Help Documents and videos to guide families through the process, from registration through downloading and printing the completion certificate. Many families found these resources incredibly helpful last year. For more information about the YQCA program, contact your local extension office or Lexie Hayes (adhayes@ksu.edu; 785‐532‐1264).