Happy Halloween! We hope this update is the least scary part of your day and that you can take just a few minutes to enjoy what all it has to say. With October Beef Month wrapping up, the checkoff referendum passed and ___, our sights are now set on sales, 2019 checkoff planning, the last board meeting of 2018 and the upcoming holiday season and all the beef promotion that comes with the most wonderful time of the year! We know you’re busy, too, with calving season, the beginning of feeding season and wrapping up a busy harvest for many of our diversified producers, so we’ll make this short and sweet. Keep reading to learn about what’s happening at the ACA this week.
Alabama Cattlemen Checked yes!
Thank you to all producers and volunteers that helped (and voted yes!) with the Alabama Beef Checkoff Referendum last Wednesday. We are thrilled to report that we successfully passed the referendum with over 97% of cattle owners in favor of continuing the program for another five years. The vote total was 662 YES to 23 NO votes. The referendum passed in all 67 counties! Thanks again for your hard work and for electing to continue the work of the beef checkoff in Alabama.
ACF SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS CLOSE TOMORROW!
The Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation provides over $70,000 annually to 
qualified high school and collegiate students, courtesy of funds raised through the purchase of the Cowboy vanity car tag and generous endowments. Scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 school year are NOW AVAILABLE online at BamaBeef.org/Scholarship.
Applications will close at midnight on November 1- TOMORROW!. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!
Hurricane Michael Relief Fund
The disaster relief money being collected through the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation will be used to rent heavy equipment to assist producers in the affected areas of Hurricane Michael. The equipment will help clear debris and fence rows for cattlemen to begin building back their farms. Please consider making a donation today at www.BamaBeef.org/HurricaneRelief. Thank you to all individuals and county cattlemen that have donated time and resources to help those in need!
MEMBERSHIP Corner
County leaders: county renewal statements go out Thursday, Nov.1. Be on the lookout as renewals begin coming in be vigilant to update them in the i4a system to ensure memberships are being renewed and kept us as the member expects! If you need to make secretarial changes or need a refresher on the i4a membership software program as we enter into county meeting season, contact ACA Membership & Producer Contact Coordinator Jessica Kennedy.
Speaking of county meetings, we’d love to hear about yours! Let us know when, where and what time your county annual meetings are, and we’ll add them to our online calendar and get a staff person or officer there in attendance. That’s the perfect time also to make your napkin and placemat requests, too! Following the meetings, send your updated officer information to Jessica (email above) so we can update that information in our system and ensure that the new president and secretary gets pertinent information they need.
BEEF 101 Teaches About Beef From Pasture to Plate
Last week, ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell hosted two 
BEEF 101 programs with the help of cattlemen and the staff at the AU Meat Lab and Beef Teaching Unit. On Monday, FACS teachers from all over the state of Alabama attended to learn more about the beef industry, while on Thursday, salesmen from Wood Fruitticher and FACS students from Jefferson County High school came out as well. Fall BEEF 101 programs are quickly wrapping up, and the spring calendar is already in the works!
Cattle Sales
On Saturday, October 20, staffer Kayla Greer made the haul to West Point, MS to represent Alabama Cattlemen at the Town Creek Brangus & Ultrablack Sale. Over 130 Brangus and Ultrablack bulls averaged $5,108 while 244 commercial bred heifers averaged $2,004. Beautiful facilities, gracious hosts and fine cattle made for a great trip west. We enjoyed seeing so many familiar Alabama faces and meeting new ones, too!
Last Friday, staffers Michael Agar, Erin Beasley and Kayla Greer headed just south of town to attend the CK Cattle Headquarters Sale in Hope Hull. They were joined by a whole host of producers, but two special guests included ACA President Jack Batts and President-Elect Chris Langley. The livestock performed great as Angus bulls averaged $4,070, ChiAngus bulls averaged $4,129 and SimAngus bulls averaged $5,400. Congratulations to the Madaris/Evans families on successful sale!
ACA President-Elect Chris Langley and staffer Ali Cantrell attended the Debter Hereford Sale in Horton this past Saturday. With 103 bulls averaging $5,257, bred Hereford heifers averaging $2,932, open Hereford heifers averaging $1,756 and commercial bred heifers averaging $1,875, congratulations to the Debter family are in order for another successful cattle sale.
ACA staffers Erin Beasley and Michael Agar headed north to Fort Payne for Tennessee River Music’s High Cotton Angus and Hereford Bull Sale on Monday. Thirty-three Angus bulls averaged $3,660 while 21 Hereford bulls averaged $3,171 and one commercial Angus bull averaged $3,000. We would like to congratulate the TRM family for yet another successful sale and thank them for their hospitality.
Checkoff Task Force to Gather in Montgomery
Tomorrow the Alabama Beef Checkoff Task Force will meet at the ACA headquarters in Montgomery to begin working on the 2019 Marketing Plan. This group of 40 cattlemen, stakeholders and industry partners will brainstorm ideas for programming. Those ideas will then be put into a draft marketing plan for the Executive Committee and Board of Directors to approve later in November. We look forward to hearing the recommendations of producers about how they would like to see their checkoff dollars put to work!
BCIA Board Meeting
Last Thursday, ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs 
Michael Agar attended the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association’s (BCIA) Fall Board Meeting. While there, Michael gave an ACA update to the board and discussed ways that the checkoff can further support producer education in the state. The ACA will look forward to hosting Alabama BCIA on March 30, 2019 in Montgomery for their annual meeting.
Save the Date- General Elections Nov. 6
Just in case you haven’t heard or seen enough political ads across Alabama, here is ONE MORE reminder to head to the polls next Tuesday and cast your vote in the Alabama General Election. As with any, this vote is very important as it will seat the political representatives we will work closely with over the next four years to protect the best interests of beef cattle producers in Alabama. Your vote matters, so take a short break from your work next Tuesday and head to the polls!
BEEF ON IBOTTA
Calling all Ibotta shoppers! The popular consumer app now has a rebate for any fresh beef products at most Alabama retail chains that offers $0.25 back on your beef purchases. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is excited to offer this incentive for shoppers as a way to encourage increased beef sales throughout October Beef Month. Download the app and start shopping today!
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