Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a national multi-species quality assurance program for youth ages 8 to 21. It is designed as an annual education and certification program focused on food safety, animal well-being, and character awareness for youth producing and/or showing pigs, beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, goats, rabbits, and poultry. YQCA has been designed by extension specialists and national livestock program managers to ensure it is accurate, current and relevant to the needs of the animal industry and appropriate for youth.