AMES, Iowa – The national Pork Quality Assurance Plus program works on a continuous improvement three-year cycle, which allows for new research and collected data from site assessments to help shape focus areas for the next version. The next version of the program, PQA Plus 6.0, will be released at the 2025 World Pork Expo in June.

State trainers are receiving their training and education this spring, and will be able to begin certifying PQA advisors in May. Because the content of this newly revised program has changed significantly, advisors who are currently certified also must successfully complete a 6.0 session to maintain that certification, according to Iowa State University Extension swine veterinarian Chris Rademacher.

“All current PQA Plus advisor certifications will expire on August 31 of this year, regardless of when the advisor most recently certified through the 5.0 program,” Rademacher said. “These advisors can either complete the recertification online or at an in-person training.”

People with expired PQA advisor certification status and those who wish to become certified for the first time will need to attend an in-person session.

To help meet this industry need, Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC) has scheduled three advisor certification sessions for 2025 led by certified PQA Plus trainers Rademacher and ISU animal science professor Anna Johnson.

May 19 and Sept. 8 sessions are offered virtually, the June 20 session is in-person in Ames. All sessions will run approximately six hours including final exam, with registration at 8:30 a.m. Central time and the session beginning at 9 a.m. Central time. Six management CEUs have been approved by the Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine.

No individual spot is guaranteed until the application is approved and payment is accepted by IPIC. The cost is $100 per person and is due upon notice of approval.

Please see the schedule, qualifications, and links to session application forms on the PQA page on IPIC’s website.

This article was written by IPIC student communications assistant Lauren Beyer.

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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.