The livestock industry has historically been the largest source of demand for corn and has continually seen an upward trend as as the demand for meat products increases. The year 2006 marked the beginning of a radical change in the economy of this sector. Animal feed costs have more than doubled and price variability has greatly increased. The main driver of this change has been the demand for corn used for ethanol production. The price of animal feed rose so quickly that finished animal prices could not keep up, and cattle producers suffered record losses. Further compounding the problem is that increased ethanol production has diverted cropland use away from other feed sources such as soybeans. Additionally, the Energy Independence and Security Act, signed into law in December 2007, requires automobile fuel to be blended with certain quantities of ethanol and allows the ethanol industry to pay any price necessary to obtain sufficient corn to fulfill its mandate. As a result, not only animal feed prices have increased significantly, but also fuel prices. This again affects producers and also reduces consumer spending income, which has been shown to reduce consumer demand for beef. (Wisner, 2008) It is difficult to predict the future use of technology in the feedlot industry. Some consumers want to see a reduction in the use of technology, particularly food additives such as antibiotics and beta-agonists, as well as growth hormones, even though these technologies generate some of the highest returns on investment of any growth technology. feedlot. However, the use of animal identification technologies and product traceability will likely continue to increase. Improvements in feed milling and delivery that reduce labor, as well as reducing animal health problems, should also continue to be used and improved. (Galye...... middle of paper ......ucers. Beef quality assurance (BQA) incorporates topics related to the quality and efficiency of beef production, which will increase producer profitability through meat premiums BQA provides guidelines on animal care, proper handling, storage and use of animal feed, animal health products and their use, maintenance. records, carcass quality management, livestock marketing, biosecurity and transportation (Dale et al, 2009) progress has been demonstrated in improving the quality of beef products over the past 20 years. , but there is still room for improvement The 2005 National Beef Quality Audit indicated a total loss of $55.58 per head due to undesirable quality and yield. weight of carcasses, skin and offal Much of this lost value could be recovered if producers followed the BQA guidelines (Radunz).)., 2010)