These are crazy times we live in, folks, but with all the uncertainty we face, one thing remains certain. Your ACA staff is at work for you representing your right to farm! We’re proud to represent Alabama’s cattle producers and your top-quality product. Just like you, we continue to work. Keep reading to learn more about news and updates from the ACA this week!
ACA Co-Hosts “Tele” Town Hall with NCBA
In the evening hours of January 12, cattlemen from across Alabama hopped on the phone with ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley, NCBA CEO Colin Woodall and NCBA VP of Government Affairs Ethan Lane for a state and national cattle industry update. Thanks to all 75+ members that participated in this informative and engaging “tele” Town Hall event. For those interested in joining NCBA, visit www.ncba.org to sign up. If there are any follow-up questions about topics covered, cattlemen can call Erin Beasley at the office to discuss or shoot her an email at ebeasley@bamabeef.org.
ACA Convention & Trade Show
Join us in Jefferson County as we’ll be Branding Up Birmingham during our 76th annual ACA Convention & Trade Show. We’ve got excellent industry speakers including Elanco’s Dr. Sara Place and the United States Meat Exports Federation President Dan Halstrom. They’ll be bringing you all the news on beef sustainability and global beef marketing. Aside from the education, our event will feature a jam-up trade show, youth contests sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program and, of course, delicious beef meals.
Get your seat at the table and be sure to join us March 5-6 by registering online now, and don’t forget to book your stay at the Westin Hotel online or by calling (205) 307-3600 and using code ACA. If you would like to be a vendor in our trade show, contact ACA’s Ali Cantrell to reserve your space or register online by clicking here.
Youth Contests at Convention
Our Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Board of Directors look forward to welcoming youth from across the state to convention to compete in career-centered contests! We will be bringing back public speaking, career development and quiz bowl to ACA Convention. The contests are all sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program and are free for youth to compete, while offering scholarship prizes. We look forward to seeing youth compete in these contests on Saturday, March 6 in Birmingham. Please visit our convention webpage to register and view the rules on these youth contests.
SLE Rodeo Tickets Now on Sale
We are 71 days out from the first performance of 2021! Buck on over to www.SLERodeo.com/Tickets now to secure your seats at the greatest show on dirt! This year’s show is sure to please as we’re featuring freestyle bullfighting, the best stock in the PRCA, all kinds of children’s events and hometown rodeo clown, Trent McFarland! We’ve got some awesome ticket deals available for you to take advantage of, so don’t wait. Get on over to www.SLERodeo.com or call 888-2RODEO2 to learn more about all that SLE Livestock Week offers and to purchase your tickets today!
Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program: Apps Now Open
We are now accepting Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program Class VIII applications. This program is funded by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program and offers young producers a chance to tour Alabama farms, meet industry leaders, and network with young producers from across the state. Throughout the program, young cattlemen will meet six times and walk away with connections, knowledge, and leadership skills that will aid in their day-to-day operations. Please visit our YCLP application form to read more and see if this program is something that interest you! Apply here for YCLP Class VIII
Conservation Commission Meeting
ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley will be involved with a board meeting for the Alabama Ag and Conservation Development Commission Wednesday afternoon. This commission oversees many programs within NRCS and Soil and Water Conversation. Some programs that may be familiar to cattlemen are feral hog control and riparian buffer programs. ACA serves on many boards to represent the cattle industry for our producers!
Bringing the Beef to Birmingham
This Saturday, the Alabama Steak Championship will take place at Oak Mountain State Park! There will be 73 steak cooks competing for the title of Alabama Steak Champion and 30 cooks will be competing in the “Anything Soupy” contest. Jefferson County Cattlemen Jeb Tate and Vice President Berry Jenkins, as well as Colbert County Cattlemen Will Gotcher, will be judges for the “Anything Soupy” contest as part of our sponsorship of the event. The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association is the steak sponsor for this event and staffer Ali Cantrell will be on site with a booth with giveaways as well as ACA gear to sell.
For those interested in attending, it is a cash-only fee to enter Oak Mountain State Park for those not staying at the campground, and it is $5 per adult (age 12 +), $2 per child (age 4-11), $2 per Senior (age 62+) and free for ages 3 and under.
2021 Membership Update
We are starting on strong in January as to date, the ACA is home to 4,548 current members. County leaders, please submit your county annual meeting information to Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy by THIS Friday in order to make the cut for next month’s magazine. Even if you haven’t nailed down a date, we’d love to know if you’re postponing your normal meeting, so we can make note of that for your members! Also, leaders, you should be receiving membership renewals in the mail, and as a reminder, please get those entered or sent in by the 15th of each month for those members to receive the following month’s magazine. Those mailing sending in updates to the state office need to do so earlier to allow time for processing!
Legislative Update
The legislative session in Alabama is set to begin on February 2. Legislators will be looking at a very different session as they navigate how to tend to business safely. ACA’s Erin Beasley visited with Sen. Greg Reed, President Pro Tem, this week about topics that will be covered during the session and safety procedures to conduct the business. The ACA building has been offered to both the House and Senate to be used for committee and caucus meetings this session due to space limitations at the State House.
AJCA News
New year, new ideas! We are excited to announce we will be sending out a quarterly e-newsletters to anyone who would like to stay updated on junior events and opportunities! Subscribe today to our Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association quarterly newsletter, and get the latest on updates from your AJCA Board of Directors! https://www.bamabeef.org/ajcanews
Membership & Checkoff Ads Firing Up on Facebook
With the new year comes a new plan to implement advertising on Facebook for both ACA membership and checkoff-related content. Currently, a “Your Dollar Does” producer communication piece is running as well as a month-long membership campaign. A Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner protein advertisement just wrapped up, and another beef-and-health-based ad is set to launch next week. This effort comes as an attempt to keep rolling advertisements through our social media accounts so our page remains relevant, we increase followership, increase clicks to our website and reach Alabamians who don’t currently follow us. These ads will run continuously year round and so far are receiving great feedback!
Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook or Instagram.