The UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff welcomed its new Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Coordinator Jesse Fulton on Nov. 2.

Fulton recently worked for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in Denver but was looking to move out of the city. His wife Brittany was originally from Scottsbluff, and when the BQA position opened up at the Scottsbluff extension, he applied.

Fulton has spent the past five years as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Director of Producer Education. He assisted in developing National Beef Quality Assurance educational materials and training programs and managed the National Cattlemen’s College, Cattlemen’s Webinar Series, and the 2016 National Beef Quality Audit.

“Beef Quality Assurance is a very important program. It helps producers tell their story of how they care for cattle to the everyday consumer,” Fulton said. 

BQA is focused on the health and welfare of the animal. Fulton said they focus on low-stress handling of animals. The program follows the best management guidelines set forth by National BQA.

While there are no new aspects of beef quality assurance, sustainability is becoming more important in the program.

“We are starting to teeter into the environmental stewardship portion when it comes to how we raise our cattle. It is one thing we are starting to pay more attention to and making our producers more aware of what they can be doing to ensure the stewardship of their land,” Fulton said.

The position is a partnership among UNL, Nebraska Cattlemen, and the Nebraska Beef Council.  

Fulton has a master’s degree in animal science from South Dakota State University. He received his undergraduate degree, in animal and agricultural science, from Morehead State University in Morehead, Ky.  

Fulton replaces UNL associate professor Dr. Rebecca Funk. She had been serving as interim Beef Quality Assurance Coordinator since June.  

For more information on the Beef Quality Assurance program, visit bqa.unl.edu.