AMES, Iowa – If your Pork Quality Assurance Plus Advisor certification will soon expire or if you're interested in becoming certified, consider the May 14 session offered by Iowa Pork Industry Center. The application deadline for this session is May 3 and those interested in attending should submit their application soon.

Iowa State University extension swine veterinarian Chris Rademacher organizes these sessions, and said the session, including exam, will take approximately six hours to complete.

"Anyone whose certification has expired or who is a first time advisor must do a live training like this virtual offering," he said. "Interested and qualified people should complete and return the application form soon."

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.

Rademacher, who also is IPIC associate director, said no individual spot is guaranteed until the application is approved and specific payment is accepted by IPIC. The cost is $85 per person and includes all materials and online access. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Central time on May 14 and the session begins at 9 a.m. Approved applicants will receive connection information prior to the session.

One more 2024 PQA advisor certification is set for Oct. 28, and registrations are accepted anytime prior to that session deadline. Veterinary CEUs are available for all sessions.

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IPIC was established in 1994 as a coordinated effort of the colleges of Agriculture (now Agriculture and Life Sciences) and Veterinary Medicine at ISU. Its mission is to promote efficient pork production technologies in Iowa, maintain Iowa's pork industry leadership and strengthen rural development efforts. IPIC focuses its efforts on programs that are integral and complementary to ISU Extension and Outreach. Through IPIC, Iowa producers receive accurate and timely information to make their operations more efficient and profitable.