Month: July 2018

We sure missed getting to update you last week, but as you can imagine, with a Round-Up on the way and much to do in preparation for the big event, the blog got the boot last week! That’s alright, though. All that means is you’ll get a bang-up double feature this week, so keep reading to learn more about what’s happening this week (and last!) at the ACA in downtown Montgomery! 

Junior Cattlemen Rocked the Round-Up

We are still in our seats from being knocked down by how much our Junior Cattlemen ROCKED the Round-Up. This year’s event ran seamlessly, had excellent participation and brought big reward for those who came and worked hard! Major kudos goes to ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar for organizing such an outstanding event and special thanks to all our sponsors and judges that made the weekend possible! Parents, you also deserve a round of applause for making sure your kids rocked the show.

Congratulations to Grand Champion Market Animal winner Anniston Bolding of Chilton County and to Supreme Champion Breeding Heifer winner Dow Boyd of Coffee County. We’d also like to commend Supreme Junior, Intermediate and Senior Competitors Rex Harrison (Cullman), Victoria Thompson (Lee) and Logan Strock (Autauga). Congratulations on a job well done all all our Junior Cattlemen participants!

Runoff Elections ✅

We had an important event happen in our state last week as the runoff election results showed that Rick Pate will be the next Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries winning by a margin of 57% over Gerald Dial.

Several key republican races were also finalized during the runoff including Congresswoman Martha Roby for the 2^nd congressional district, Will Ainsworth for Lieutenant Governor, Steve Marshall for Attorney General, Chris McCool for Court of Criminal Appeals, Christy Edwards for Court of Civil Appeals and Sarah Stewart for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

The general election for the state will be Tuesday, November 6.

Deep South Stocker Conference

The state beef checkoff sponsored the Deep South Stocker Conference in Greensboro and welcomed over 100 cattlemen for a day of educational programs. This conference rotates each year between Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia and provides pertinent information to attendees related to market conditions, nutrition and herd health for the stocker industry. Hats off to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System for a well-attended, informative program for producers.

BCIA Board Meeting

Last Tuesday, the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association (BCIA) held a board meeting to handle general business and provide a quarterly financial update. ACA’s Michael Agar attended on behalf of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association and was given the mic for a few moments to provide an ACA update. During his discussion, he reminded board members about the upcoming checkoff referendum vote on October 24, put in a plug for the  August Board Meeting, gave a Round-Up update to mention our youth in livestock and and informed them about our upcoming Cattlemen’s Bus Tour.

Bama’s Best Burger

Nominations are open now through THIS SUNDAY in the 2018 Bama’s Best Burger contest! If you’ve got a favorite burger joint with a jam-up burger worthy of a title, CLICK HERE to nominate it now. During this contest’s nominations process, the number of nominations matters most. Our committee won’t be studying the dishes to find the most unique like they do in the Best Beef contest, but instead, shear number of nominations is what will propel restaurants forward into the semifinals. Check out the eight regions of this year’s contest and out timeline of events!

• Region 1: Lauderdale, Limestone, Colbert, Lawrence, Morgan, Marion, Winston and Cullman counties
• Region 2: Madison, Jackson, Marshall, Dekalb, Blount, Etowah and Cherokee counties
• Region 3: Lamar, Fayette, Walker, Pickens, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson and Bibb counties
• Region 4: St. Clair, Calhoun, Cleburne, Shelby, Talladega, Clay, Cleburne and Randolph counties
• Region 5: Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Chilton, Autauga, Choctaw, Marengo, Wilcox and Dallas counties
• Region 6: Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Elmore, Lee, Lowndes, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock and Russell counties
• Region 7: Washington, Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile and Baldwin counties
• Region 8: Butler, Crenshaw, Pike, Barbour, Covington, Coffee, Dale, Henry, Geneva and Houston counties

Timeline

• July 23-29: Nominations
• July 30- August 3: Obtain Semifinalist Photos
• August 6-12: Region 1 vs Region 2 Facebook Poll
• August 13-19: Region 3 vs Region 4 Facebook Poll
• August 20-26: Region 5 vs Region 6 Facebook Poll
• August 27- September 2: Region 7 vs Region 8 Facebook Poll
• September 2-28: Anonymous Judging
• October 2: Winner Announced

CLICK HERE to NOMINATE TODAY!

Southeast Alabama Regional Meeting

On Tuesday of this week, Regional Vice President Rodney Logan held a working lunch for his five counties (Houston, Henry, Dale Coffee and Geneva) at McLin’s Steakhouse in Daleville. The lunch invited the county leadership from those counties to visit with Rodney and ACA staffers Erin Beasley and Jessica Kennedy to discuss association business and build stronger relationships with those counties. Hats off to Rodney for having a representative from all of his counties at the lunch!

Trump Announces Aid in Trade War

President Trump has announced a $12 billion aid for farmers who have been affected by the trade wars. NCBA released the following statement yesterday:

“NCBA appreciates the efforts of the Trump Administration to ease the pain of retaliation on U.S. farmers and ranchers. For many years, U.S. beef has been a target for high tariffs and restrictive trade policies from notorious actors like China and the European Union. We support a vigorous approach to tearing down trade barriers, including non-tariff barriers that are not based on science. Trade agreements and trade enforcement are the most effective long-term solutions to the challenges faced by U.S. beef producers. Removing China’s highly-restrictive barriers on U.S. beef exports could unlock the full potential of that market and result in $4 billion in annual sales.”

Fall BEEF 101 Programs Get Fired Up

On Thursday of this week ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell and the Auburn Meats Lab staff will host a BEEF 101 for the Alabama School Nutrition Association. The program will give the association the basics  of meat science including insight to the harvesting process, carcass evaluation and fabrication.  This checkoff-funded program will teach the story about beef from “pasture to plate” and kicks off a busy fall with a full calendar of similar events with high school and collegiate culinary students!

Cattlemen’s Bus Tour

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
COST: $325/PERSON (Includes lodging, food and transportation)
FORM & FEE DUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Join us on a 3-day, 2-night tour of the beef cattle industry across Georgia, Florida and Alabama! This tour is a true “pasture to plate” experience as it starts off with a tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika where McDonalds burger patties are produced followed by a stop at Buckhead Beef in Atlanta, Georgia where wholesale beef cuts are further processed into cut steaks ready for the restaurant.

After learning what happens to beef once it leaves the farm, we’ll stop for a visit at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and then tour Chatel Farms, an FPL feeding facility, in Reidsville, Georgia. We will then head south to tour the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC, wake up to tour the North Florida Research & Education Center and round out the tour at Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, Florida.

BUS TOUR AGENDA

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Things are heating up around the Cattlemen’s Building in Montgomery…and we don’t just mean the temperatures! With the end of July comes the AJCA Round-Up and an already-busy fall season filled with cattle sales, regional meetings, beef promotion and Cattlemen’s events. We look so forward to getting out on the road again as we visit with our favorite folks, Alabama’s cattle producers. Keep reading to learn more about where you’ll find us this week and next! 

AJCA Round-Up next week

It’s not hard to tell that the AJCA Round-Up is just around the corner…in fact, it’s next week! ACA Director of Industry Relations & Youth Programs Michael Agar’s desk is drowning in a sea of white paper, the library is packed with prizes, phone lines are buzzing with parents calling to confirm registrations and staff is at work helping Michael put on this premier youth cattle event! Beginning next Thursday, the AJCA Directors and ACA staff are thrilled to welcome over 150 junior cattlemen, 60+ steers and 150+ heifers to the Garrett Coliseum as we ROCK THE ROUND-UP! Participants will battle it out in their respective age division throughout the weekend in 14 different contests and cattle shows. It’s sure to be a good time…and a really hot one!

If you’re in the neighborhood next Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, stop by the Garrett Coliseum livestock barns to show your support of Alabama’s Junior Cattlemen and this state checkoff-funded event. We’re proud to see our next generation hard at work developing career skills and learning more about Alabama’s beef cattle industry.

Roby hosts Rep. conaway in south alabama

Last Thursday, July 5, following a patriotic holiday, ACA staff joined cattlemen and farmers from across Alabama’s House District 2 as Congresswoman Martha Roby hosted House Ag Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX) to her home turf. The duo discussed the Farm Bill status and challenges we face getting final passage before September 30. Following the meeting, which was hosted by the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association and welcomed by Pike County President Jim Shavers, industry leaders, including ACA Vice President Larry Reeves and Exec Erin Beasley, joined Rep. Roby and Rep. Conaway in Dothan for a fundraiser luncheon at the Alabama Peanut Producers Association.

Get Out And Vote!

Speaking of politics, don’t forget to go vote in the runoff election next Tuesday, July 17. Turnout will be a huge factor as voters decide many key positions across the state. Of note, Alabama will know its next Ag Commissioner next Tuesday night as there is no Democratic opponent in that race.

Cantrell Visits AU Meat Lab and Beef Teaching Unit

On Tuesday, Ali Cantrell toured the Auburn University Lambert- Powell Meat Lab and the Auburn main campus. She got to meet with Barney Wilborn, meat lab manager, and George Richburg, manager of the beef unit, to plan for the fall BEEF 101 programs. As director of education and outreach, she will be working closely with the meat science staff at Auburn in order to put on BEEF 101 programs as part of the National Checkoff program. BEEF 101 is  great opportunity for foodservice representatives, retailers, and culinary students to learn about beef from “pasture to plate.” Are you interested in getting involved with a BEEF 101 program this fall? Email Ali

Board Memo

Board of Directors: Save the date for Thursday, August 9 and join us in Montgomery for the Summer Board Meeting! It’s going to be a good one as we award all of our Over the Top presidents their iconic Cattlemen’s red coats, sponsored by AgriLabs, hand out “Top Hand Club” prizes, courtesy of Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit, and draw for the John Deere Gator, sponsored by  SunSouth, John Deere and TriGreen Equipment!

You are not going to want to miss this meeting if you are a Board member. Be on the look out for a Board Memo coming in the mail your way and don’t forget to sell those Gator tickets. If you need some to sell, call Jessica at (334) 265-1867 today!

Beef Tips with Lawson State Community College

On Thursday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell will be traveling to Lawson State Community College in Birmingham to give a beef industry presentation to culinary students. She will describe how cattle are raised within the state of Alabama and how the harvesting process works to create a safe and wholesome beef product. At the end of the presentation she will then demonstrate how to cook a simple tenderloin recipe from the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner website.

SUMMER GRILLING CAMPAIGN ON PANDORA RADIO

If you’re a Pandora Radio fan, you may just hear the sound of the sizzle on your next advertisement. As of Friday, June 15, the Alabama Beef Checkoff is sponsoring a two-month-long summer grilling promotional campaign that puts beef on consumers’ minds. The ad is targeted to reach millennial consumers in Alabama’s four main media markets including Madison, Jefferson, Montgomery and Baldwin counties and those who are out and about doing all the fun activities of summertime. The ad features the voice of the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. campaign and the iconic “Hoedown” tune nostalgically humming in the background. Display imagery will accompany the radio ad and features steak, the BIWFD logo and the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association logo. It is projected to reach over 68,000 around twice weekly throughout the lifetime of the campaign.

JUNIOR PASTURE TO RAIL PROGRAM- REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Learn more about the Junior Pasture to Rail program today by visiting www.BamaBeef.org/JP2R. The 2018 Junior Pasture to Rail program will be managed through the AJCA in conjunction with the current Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) Pasture to Rail program. Youth will learn how to retain ownership on their cattle and how to market cattle on the grid. There will be four (4) educational programs beginning in fall 2018 to educate the participating youth about the cattle industry from pasture to plate.

Cattle will be gathered at central locations around Alabama and shipped to Hy-Plains Feedlot in Montezuma, KS. Ear notches will be pulled for BVD-PI testing and calves will be tagged, weighed and graded at that time (frame/muscle score, BCS). Data/results will be provided at the awards presentation for the 2018 Pasture to Rail program. Awards will be given to the top three (3) youth based on profitability in two categories: individual profitability of one (1) calf and the average profitability of a pen of three (3) calves.

Data provided will include carcass data as well as feedlot performance, medical expenses, feed costs, etc.

Program Requirements:

• Youth must be of age 21 or younger by January 1, 2018 to participate
• Youth must be an AJCA, FFA or 4-H member
• Steers are preferred, heifers can be entered but will be at a disadvantage for the program.
• Cattle must be 600-lbs. at minimum on the day of shipment, be weaned and pre-conditioned for 60 days (castrated, dehorned and healed, dewormed) and be vaccinated/boostered for Blackleg, PI3, BVD, BSRV and IBR (modified live).
• A $200 participation fee will be incurred for pens of three (3) or less. A $75/head fee will be added for additional entries.
• Youth must attend a minimum of three (3) of four (4) educational programs to be eligible for any awards.

Calves will be shipped at specified dates between August 2018 to March 2019. In order to ship, calves must meet the aforementioned pre-conditioning requirements. Ship dates and locations as well as educational programs will be communicated as determined.

Registration will close August 31 at midnight.
This program is sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program.