Animal Husbandry & Quality Assurance

AH&QA 2025 is open!

About the AH&QA Program

The Maryland and West Virginia 4-H and FFA Animal Husbandry & Quality Assurance (AH&QA) Program is an on-line training program which enables youth to fulfill the Quality Assurance training requirement via internet from their home, school or local library. This program is offered to help youth who participate in 4-H and FFA animal projects in Maryland and West Virginia learn about the importance of caring for, grooming and showing their animals in safe and ethical ways. The program has two levels based on the member’s age as of January 1, 2025; a Junior Level is presented for members who are ages 8-10 and an Intermediate/Senior Level is presented for members who are ages 11-21(see below for breakdown).

2025 Program Requirements for West Virginia 4-H Exhibitors

• All 4-H members enrolled in alpacas, beef, dairy, goats, horse and pony, llamas, poultry, sheep, swine and rabbits are required complete the training to be eligible to exhibit their project animals in 2025 West Virginia County 4-H and State 4-H Shows.
• 4-Hers are required to complete the on-line training program when they reach each 4-H age division (Juniors (ages 8-10), Intermediates (ages 11-13), Seniors (ages 14-21) – all as of January 1 of the current year)) OR when as Intermediates and Seniors, they are new to an animal science project listed above. Thus, each time a member enters a new age division, they will be required to complete the training PLUS if an Intermediate or Senior 4-H member chooses to show a new species since last completing the program within an age division, they must return to the program and complete the program for the new species area.

You must complete the online AH&QA training if:

• This is your first year with a livestock project in WV (regardless of your age) OR
• You were 11 as of January 1, 2025; OR
• You were 14 as of January 1, 2025; OR
• You are 11 or older as of Jan 1st and added a new (or changed to a different) livestock species to show and/or sell

There are two different Levels to the program. Members will be automatically taken to the appropriate Level according to the birthdate entered on the registration screen:

• Junior AH&QA Level
  • There is one part to the Junior Level.
  • There are no species-specific information sections (as there are with the Intermediate /Senior Level of the program).
• Intermediate and Senior AH&QA Level
  • There are two parts to the Intermediate/Senior Level:
  • Part 1 is completed by all intermediate and senior members.
  • Part 2 contains specific information for each animal species – members will need to complete Part 2 of the program for each species project they are enrolled in and wish to exhibit.

The deadline for completing the training will be July 25th!

Upon registering for the program, members are assigned a PASSCODE. Members who previously completed the program should use their previously-assigned passcode. Passcodes may be retrieved by clicking on the “Forgot Your Passcode” link on the AH&QA homepage.