AMES, Iowa – With Pork Quality Assurance version 6.0 being released next month, it’s time for current and potential advisors to get certified. Iowa Pork Industry Center associate director Chris Rademacher organizes PQA advisor certification sessions provided by IPIC and said current advisors need to be trained in the new method before the end of August 2025 to maintain their certification.

“Current advisors have the option to renew online, or do a face-to-face training like IPIC is hosting this year,” he said. “Advisors with an expired certification and people wanting to become certified for the first time are required to attend a face-to-face training like this. Interested and qualified people should complete and return the application form soon.”

The next session is Friday, June 20, at an in-person session in Ames, and the application deadline is Friday, June 6. Registration will start at 8:30 a.m. Central time and the session begins at 9 a.m.

Rademacher, who is also the Iowa State University extension swine veterinarian, leads the session 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. Six Veterinary CEUs are available for the session.

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.

IPIC has one more certification session scheduled for Sept. 8. This is an online session. Applications for it can be submitted at any time before the Aug. 25 deadline.

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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.