Youth's self assessment of the Nebraska 4-H Quality Assurance Program

The purpose of the study was to allow 4-H youth, ages 15-18, to self-assess their knowledge, attitudes, and behavior with regard to six components of the Nebraska Quality Assurance (NQA) program. Research questions answered were: 1) Did youth knowledge of general care and management, prevention, animal handling, carcass quality and animal health products increase as a result of NQA, 2) Did youth knowledge of NQA program improve their attitudes about responsibility as a producer of livestock for human consumption, and 3) Did youth change or improve their management practices to be consistent with the information taught by the NQA program in regards to general care and management, prevention, animal handling, carcass quality and animal health products? Results indicated youth significantly increased their knowledge, positively changed their attitudes and implemented better management practices upon completing the three year rotation, and similarly, as a result of the Quality Assurance Program.