All youth planning to show Beef at the Dane County Fair must meet these species specific educational requirements:
- Attend at least one approved education event (listed below)
- Education Requirement Card – Complete this card after attending a species-specific education meeting/event to confirm attendance. The completed card should be uploaded by the deadline date listed on the online portal that opens in April.
- To upload the education card, please save the document as a JPG, TIFF, or PDF. Youth can take a picture of the education card to upload.
- Complete Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) certificate between 9/1/2025-6/1/2026.
- Complete all training, and submit education card and YQCA certificate by the deadline date listed on the ONLINE PORTAL - OPENS in APRIL. Failure to submit this card will make you ineligible to show your animal at the Dane County Fair.
- If showing in more than one species, youth must complete and submit the requirements for each species separately.
2026 Approved Education Offerings - MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED AS APPROVED
- 12/4/2025 – Two Clinics at Badger Brawl at Alliant Energy Center (AEC) listed below; attend either one or both. All Beef Department youth are invited to attend. For clinic questions, contact Badger Brawl. Parking may be charged by AEC.
- 5:00 pm - StockShowU (Show Supply Clinic) by Sullivan Supply (Pavilion 1)
- 6:00 pm - Sunglo Feed Clinic (Pavilion 1)
Online Education - Approved options for Beef education; certificate of completion is required for any online education option.
- Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) for Producers – www.bqa.org
- Beef University - Free sessions (Grades, Cuts and Preparation; Beef Nutrition; and Raising Beef) for beef certification. Must include certificate of completion for one of the sessions with your Education Card. Sessions listed at: https://www.beefu.org/
- Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) - https://mba.beeflearningcenter.org/course/ - course
consists of five lessons
(MUST complete all 5 for certificate) in beef advocacy, including:
- The Beef Community - Context of raising beef from pasture to plate focusing on the community of people involved throughout the beef lifecycle.
- Raising Cattle on Grass - An introduction to the first step in the beef lifecycle and the many benefits of raising cattle on our country’s vast grass pasture resources.
- Life in the Feedyard - A discussion on the role of feedyards, including animal care, nutrition and environmental stewardship, at this important step in the beef lifecycle.
- From Cattle to Beef - An in-depth look at the slaughter process and the humane handling and safety measures in place at today’s beef processing facilities.
- Beef. It's What's For Dinner. - A primer on choosing and cooking the right cuts of beef and the important role of beef in a healthful diet.
The online lessons address environmental sustainability, beef nutrition, animal welfare and beef safety while taking advocates through the beef lifecycle, from pasture to plate. The course also offers historical context on the evolution of the U.S. beef industry from the time the first cattle were brought to North America to today.
Upon completion of five interactive online lessons, advocates will be equipped with the communication skills and information to be confident in sharing beef stories on social media and in our communities to help others better understand how cattle are raised and how beef belongs as part of healthy, sustainable diets.
- Independent Study “Educate the public about Beef Cattle” – must be pre-approved
- FFA Curriculum
- FFA Livestock Evaluation Contest - have your advisor sign the education card
Complete the form below or contact the Fair Office at info@danecountyfair.com to receive approval for educational opportunities not listed. Forms can be submitted with 30 days of the education session and by June 1.
NEW EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY REQUEST FORM
Dane County Fair Meat Animal Sale (MAS) Information
The Dane County Meat Animal Sale is managed by the Dane County Meat Animal Sale Association. This association is an organization of interested persons whose purpose is the organization and operation of the Dane County Meat (Large) Animal Sale. This is an independent association and is not connected to the Dane County Fair Board, Dane County 4-H Leaders Association, UW-Extension Office, or any other group. For questions, contact DaneCountyMeatAnimalSale@gmail.com or 2026 Sale Chair, Blayne Outhouse at (608) 669-0105.
The Meat Animal Sale will be held at the Dane County Fair on Friday, July 17, 2026 at 6:45 PM in Pavilion 2.
Beef Weigh-in & Tag Pick Up is January 3 (January 10 is weather backup date) at Alliant Energy Center - Pavilion 2. This is for Market Steers & Market Heifers. Contact John Hornung at 608-698-1823 or Trina Pauli 608-345-1877 or email DaneCountyMeatAnimalSale@gmail.com if you have questions.
2025 MAS Scholarship Application (Due by June 15) - coming soon