Sysco Highlights the Value of Beef Quality Assurance
Sysco’s involvement with Certified Angus Beef’s Raised with Respect™ cattle care initiative helped earn them national recognition at CattleCon 2026.
March 26, 2026
The Raised with Respect program represents the partnership between Certified Angus Beef and Sysco, now in its third year of expanding awareness of Beef Quality Assurance principles and supporting education across the industry. [Photos courtesy CAB.]
by Briley Richard for Certified Angus Beef LLC
The best beef is raised the right way. Joe Don Eilers, vice president of merchandising for Sysco, reinforced that message as a panelist during the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Producer Forum at CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tenn.
Representing one of the nation’s largest foodservice distributors, Eilers shared how best practices in cattle care and beef production influence the beef product ultimately reaching consumers’ plates at restaurants and kitchen tables.
“At the end of the day, quality beef is a safe, wholesome product for our participants to use,” Eilers said, adding the ultimate goal is delivering a mouth-watering steak that keeps customers coming back for more.
Industry collaboration is key to delivering this eating experience, and programs like BQA help ensure consistency from pasture to plate. For decades, BQA has provided science-based guidelines and education to help family farmers and ranchers improve cattle care, product quality and consumer confidence.
The commitment to advancing best practices and helping to ensure beef demand recently earned Sysco national recognition as NCBA named the company the 2026 BQA Marketer of the Year.
“We believe in the value that the BQA program has brought to the industry for decades,” Eilers said. “That mission to bring knowledge about best practices and innovations to producers across the industry has resulted in a better product that we’re able to purchase and ultimately serve to consumers.”
The commitment to cattle care and continuous improvement is also reflected in the Raised with Respect™ program, a partnership between Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) and Sysco, now in its third year. The initiative helps expand awareness of BQA principles while supporting educational resources for ranchers and additional collaboration across universities, extension systems and industry partners.
“This campaign is really about bringing another level of awareness to the work BQA has done over the years,” Eilers said, “and creating more opportunities to communicate what can be improved in beef production.”
Joe Don Eilers, vice president of merchandising for Sysco, alongside fellow panelists at the BQA Producer Forum during CattleCon 2026.
The commitment to advancing best practices and helping to ensure beef demand recently earned Sysco national recognition. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) named the company the 2026 BQA Marketer of the Year at CattleCon. This award highlights leaders who go above and beyond to promote BQA and support responsible cattle care across the beef industry (see “2026 Beef Quality Assurance award winners announced” below.).
“As a primary producer-facing program, BQA has been providing guidelines and resources to help cattlemen improve their cattle and resulting beef for decades,” said Josh White, senior executive director of producer education and sustainability for NCBA. “It’s exciting to see this work done on farms and ranches across the country and also lends value for how a large beef seller, like Sysco, tells the beef production story.”
For Eilers, those efforts also help build trust with consumers who want greater transparency about how their food is raised.
“Customers and consumers today want more and more information about the products they’re buying and eating,” he said. “The BQA program really helps us talk about best practices around animal husbandry and environmental stewardship, and that builds confidence in the beef producers raise.”
Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, Vol. 18, No. 4-A
2026 Beef Quality Assurance award winners announced
Winners of the 2026 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards were announced Feb. 3 during the 2026 Cattle Industry Convention (CattleCon 2026) in Nashville, Tenn. The BQA Awards annually recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers and educators who best demonstrate animal care and handling principles as part of day-to-day activities.
“BQA continues to be the cattle industry’s leading education program for animal care and handling,” said Buck Wehrbein, NCBA president. “We are excited to recognize these award winners who exemplify the BQA program and share their commitment with others.”
2026 BQA Cow-Calf Award:
East Foundation Ranches LLC, Hebbronville, Texas
East Foundation Ranches, located in South Texas, traces its origins back to the 1900s when Tom East began his cattle operation. Today, the ranch spans 217,000 acres across six ranches in separate locations encompassing diverse native rangeland. The ranch is dedicated to advancing land stewardship through ranching, science and education. The mission is to do what’s right for the land and the life that depends on it.
2026 BQA Dairy FARM Award:
Singing Brook Farms, Imler, Pa.
Founded in 1951, Singing Brook Farms is a thriving dairy operation housing 300 cows and 250 replacement heifers, along with 3,000 acres of land. BQA and FARM animal care standards are crucial components within the farm’s operations, shaping its unique production environment and business structure. By adhering to these standards, the farm aims to achieve optimal animal welfare, higher productivity and financial sustainability. These standards emphasize continual employee training and meticulous recordkeeping, ensuring the well-being of the cattle and the overall success of the dairy operation.
2026 BQA Feedyard Award:
Ordway Cattle Feeders, Ordway, Colo.
Ordway Cattle Feeders is invested in the care and comfort of its cattle, having expanded and updated the feedlot to better accommodate different sizes, ages and feeding stages of cattle. The feedyard brings in university BQA experts to provide all employees with foundational training on best management practices, and works closely with expert nutritionists, veterinarians and industry professionals to assess their daily production practices, which provides outside perspectives to foster continuous improvement.
2026 BQA Marketer Award:
Sysco Corp., Houston, Texas
Founded in 1969, Sysco Corp. is the world’s largest foodservice distributor and a major provider of animal protein products for consumers around the globe. The company is dedicated to driving improved animal welfare practices while upholding stringent standards for all Sysco Brand animal products. Part of this commitment is driving awareness of BQA and making it the standard with their sales team for discussing cattle care and sustainability with chefs and restaurant customers.
2026 BQA Educator Award
Jerry Yates, West Virginia University, Wardensville, W.Va.
Born and raised in West Virginia on a small Jersey dairy farm, Jerry Yates was an active member of 4-H and FFA growing up. He graduated with a degree in animal science from West Virginia University and worked as an Ohio extension agent before returning home to manage one of West Virginia University’s research units. For nearly three decades, Yates has been involved with BQA, and his greatest passion is helping producers improve their operations through implementation of BQA practices.
The national BQA Awards are sponsored by Cargill and Sam’s Club. Award winners are selected by a committee comprised of BQA-certified representatives from universities, state beef councils, sponsors and affiliated groups, who assess nominations based on their demonstrated commitment to BQA practices, their service as leaders in the beef industry and their dedication to promoting the BQA message. Click here for more information about each of the award winners.
Topics: Award winner , Events , Industry News , Management , News , Success Stories
Publication: Angus Beef Bulletin
Related Content
