Livestock exhibitors are required to complete the Quality Assurance Ethics Course (QAEC) program if exhibiting at either the County or State Fair in the following project areas: Beef, Dairy, Goats, Horse and Pony, Poultry, Sheep, or Swine. Training need be completed in one specie only. To complete, please visit: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/qaec/. Certification must be completed by June 1 of the current 4-H year.

Youth For The Quality Care of Animals Certification (YQCA)  - this training is currently not available.  Trainings will be available late winter/early spring.

NEW CERTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR YOUTH EXHIBITING LIVESTOCK All IL 4-H members exhibiting animals entering the food production system will be required to complete the Youth for the Quality Care of Animal certification (YQCA). This will replace former trainings: PQA and QAEC. This is what we know so far:

•  This program is the industry-standard certification and is the only program accepted by packers.
•  This will be mandatory in order to exhibit at any show and all fairs.
•  This certification may be taken online or in person.
•  4-Hers will need to re-certify every year.
•  There will be a $12 fee/ person/year for all online courses. f you choose to take the certification class in person there will be a $3/per person/per year fee. You will NOT be charged          this fee for each species.

4-Hers who exhibit only posters will not be required to complete either the YQCA or the QAEC.

A classroom style training will be offered sometime in in the late winter/early spring. This will be offered ONE time in each County each year and participants will be asked to preregister and pay in advance. There will be more communication as we get more information.

In the meantime, if you are taking the goat, sheep, swine, beef, and dairy projects please note that all future communication regarding the YQCA will apply to you.

Be on the lookout! Horses, dogs, poultry, rabbit, and cats will still be required to take the Quality Assurance and Ethics (QAEC) training. This training is only required once in the member’s career in each species.

THE DEADLINE TO COMPLETE ALL MANDATORY CERTIFICATIONS WILL BE JUNE 1.