Pork Industry Center to offer quality assurance certification

AMES — The Iowa Pork Industry Center has announced the Pork Quality Assurance Plus Advisor certification sessions for the 2026 year.

With PQA version 6.0 now in effect, training is required to maintain certification. IPIC associate director and extension swine veterinarian Chris Rademacher organizes PQA adviser certification sessions provided by IPIC.

“Advisors with an expired certification and people wanting to become certified for the first time are required to attend a training like this," he said. "Interested and qualified people should complete and return the application form soon.”

The sessions are scheduled to be held virtually via Zoom on the following dates:

Wednesday, Jan. 28. The application deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Tuesday, July 7. The application deadline is Tuesday, June 30.

Monday, Oct. 5. The application deadline is Sept. 28.

For all sessions, registration will start at 8:30 a.m. Central time and the session will begin at 9 a.m.

Rademacher leads the sessions and said it takes approximately six hours, including the exam at the end. No spot is guaranteed until the application is approved and payment is accepted by IPIC. The cost is $100 and includes all materials and lunch. Veterinary Continuing Education Units will be requested for the sessions.

Qualification requirements are listed on the two-page application form, available as both a fillable PDF document and a Word document from the PQA page on the IPIC website. Applicants may use either version.