AMES, Iowa – The application deadline for Iowa Pork Industry Center's first 2024 Pork Quality Assurance Advisor certification session is approaching, and those interested in attending should submit their application soon. The session date is Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, and the application deadline for this virtual session is Friday, Jan. 12.

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. Approved applicants will receive connection information prior to the session.

Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Central time on Jan. 23 and the session begins at 9 a.m. Connection information will be shared with approved applicants closer to the session date.

IPIC has two more certification dates in 2024 on May 14 and Oct. 28, and people can register for those at any time prior to the respective session deadline. Veterinary CEUs will be 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.