Alabama Cattlemen's Association

Welp…here we are. October 17 and it’s still hot as blue blazes outside. Mother Nature sure has it out for us outdoor workers this year! On another note, it has been two whole jam packed weeks since the last blog, so we have got a lot to catch up on this week. Keep reading to learn more about all that’s happening around Alabama’s beef cattle industry.

Hurricane Michael Devastates Wiregrass

Our hearts, our thoughts, our prayers go out to cattlemen in the Wiregrass, Florida Panhandle and Georgia’s southwest corner who bore the path of Hurricane Michael during his landfall last week. Knowing catastrophe all too well, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association has opened a Hurricane Relief Fund through the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation to purchase materials and supplies needed most by cattlemen affected by this historic weather event. Donations can be made online at www.BamaBeef.org/HurricaneRelief.

ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley attended a producer meeting in the Wiregrass on Tuesday to discuss hurricane relief and strategy to assist farmers in the affected area.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) is encouraging Alabama farmers to to work with their local county Extension officers to document agricultural damages to crops, livestock, structures and infrastructure. Farm and damage information includes: crop yields harvested before the storm, estimated crop yields after the storm, livestock losses, damages to equipment and farm buildings. Note that the damage assessment form requests pictures and video of the damage if available. Extension asks that all damage reports be submitted to County Offices no later than Friday, October 19 at 5:00 p.m. Next week, ACES will submit the state summary to FSA, state and federal leaders in an effort to obtain federal relief dollars. All producers are encouraged to complete the ACES 2018 Damage Assessment Form to help assess damage in the Wiregrass. It can also be found at michaelrecoveryinfo.com. Damage reports, pictures and video can be submitted HERE . Reports can be submitted from your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer.

Important info for producers who had death loss on cattle- these cattle likely qualify under the Livestock Indemnity Program with Farm Service Agency. Contact your local office to file and have pictures available if possible. Contact Erin with any questions.

CHECKOFF REFERENDUM VOTE- NExt Wednesday

Cattle owners across the state will vote on October 24, 2018 to continue the $1.00 Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Voting will take place for the referendum in every county Extension office in the state and will be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on October 24. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is essential for beef promotion efforts, issues management, producer programs and youth involvement carried out each year throughout the state. The program has been in place since 1962 as one of the first in the country and was reactivated in 2004 as cattle numbers declined. To date, the program has contributed to thousands of youth being involved in the cattle industry, multiple generations of producers taking part in educational programs and enormous return on investment from research efforts focused on beef cattle production. The wide array of programs available for funding through the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program can be found at www.BamaBeef.org/Checkoff. For questions about how your dollars are used, contact the ACA office.

Partners in Action Conference

Last week, three members of Team Beef headed to snowy Denver for an update from the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner team about what to expect in the 2019. Throughout the week, Erin Beasley, Kayla Greer and Ali Cantrell got to visit and brainstorm with fellow state beef council staffers, learn about new programs and initiatives in the works for the Beef brand and gain insight on tools the national office offers state beef councils to help achieve goals and monitor activity happening around the cattle industry and beef products. It was a great time of learning…and enjoying some cooler temperatures! We’re just sorry we couldn’t bring them back with us!

Membership FYI

County leaders: changes to membership statement return addresses need to be sent in by THIS FRIDAY. Once the list is sent off to the printer, changes can not longer be submitted. 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.

Pike County Students Visit ACA

On Monday, ACA Vice President Larry Reeves along with ACA staffers Ali Cantrell and Michael Agar hosted 70 high school students from Pike County at the ACA office. While here, the students enjoyed hearty beef brisket for lunch, toured The MOOseum to learned more about beef through a fun round of “Who Wants to Be a Beefonaire?” The students also got news of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship program while here just in case any qualified! Special thanks to Vice President Reeves and his daughter, Amanda, who helped coordinate this visit as part of her teaching internship.

Kudos to Counties- October Beef Month Fun

County Cattlemen’s chapters across Alabama have been getting out and celebrating October Beef Month! We’re very proud of all their hard work and wanted to highlight all the events we’ve been made aware of either by email, phone, shared photos or on social media!

Jefferson County Cattlemen’s Association members fired up the grill with Western Supermarkets at the Birmingham Food & Wine Festival!
Clay County Cattlemen’s Association served up steak sandwiches and all-beef hotdogs at the Hackneyville Fall Festival and have participated in several Cowboys in the Classroom programs with the help of their local treasure, Silver the Bull.
The Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association Cook Team grilled up steak sandwiches at Eva Frontier Days!
Chambers County Cattlemen’s Association kicked off their social media footprint by creating a Facebook page to promote beef online!
Miss Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association doned her Cattlemen’s gear at local events and the county chapter is gearing up for their high school cook-off next Saturday!
Choctaw County Cattlemen’s Association is offering up beefy giveaways to celebrate October Beef Month as well as promoted beef at Butler Fest!
The Blount County Cattlemen’s Association promoted beef from pasture to plate at the Blount County Fair!
The Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association donated a steer to Family & Consumer Science programs at the county’s high schools just like they do every single year. Great work!!
The Limestone County Cattlemen’s Association sold ribeye steak sandwiches at the annual Fiddlers’ Convention in Athens!
The Colbert County Cattlemen’s Association is gearing up for their annual Beef It Up event at the Colbert County High School football game this Friday night followed by a Ribeye Steak Sandwich Sale at Rural King on Saturday!
The Cullman County Cattlemen’s Association hosted their annual county High School Beef Cookoff and gave away a Yeti cooler at their Cullman County Fair booth to one lucky winner!
Lauderdale County cattlemen have hit local elementary schools in Rogersville with the Cowboys in the Classroom program!
The Elmore County Cattlemen’s Association fired up the grill to help serve ribeye steak sandwiches at the Beef Day event!
On Saturday, the Lee County Cattlemen’s Association will promote beef at the Pioneer Days event in Loachapoka.

…and the list goes on! This is just what we know about!! If your county has been at work promoting beef, hosting events or getting involved, let us know about it by tagging us on social media or giving us a call or email to the state office!

October Beef Month “Beef Day”

Today is an exciting day as we will be hosting Beef Day at the Teague Arena in Montgomery along with Commissioner John McMillan and his team at the Alabama Department of Ag and Industries! This is a special time as we not only get to promote beef, but we get to honor a special group and highlight their work and their achievements. Today, we will be honoring the First Responders of Montgomery, including the Montgomery Police Dept, Montgomery Fire & Rescue, Emergency Communications and Emergency Management Agency. We will be serving them ribeye steak sandwiches cooked by the Elmore County Cattlemen’s Association to thank them for their service and dedication to the community. We look forward to this fun event each year and can’t wait to enjoy good food and good company!

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS- NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATION

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. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

Tune in for Beef

On Tuesday, ACA staffer Ali Cantrell appeared on Talk of Alabama on ABC 33/40 in Birmingham along with industry partner Comedienne Joy to teach viewers how to serve up Nacho Beef Dip at their next tailgate and to talk about all that’s happening with October Beef Month! Also on Tuesday, ACA staffer Kayla Greer visited WSFA in Montgomery to film a Business Break with the River Region news station that will air on Monday, October 22 during the 6 a.m. news. During the segment, Kayla will be discussing who the association is, the origins of October Beef Month and discussing the impact of the beef cattle industry in Alabama.

BEEF 101

Fall BEEF 101 programs are happening all in the midst of the many October Beef Month events that have staff burning up the highways! This Thursday, staffer Ali Cantrell is excited to host students from the University of North Alabama with the help of Lauderdale County Cattleman and UNA alumni Jim Akin. This is just one of many BEEF 101 programs happening at Auburn’s Beef Teaching Unit and Meats Lab throughout this busy month!

Fort Payne Stockyard Visit

ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar has been on the road visiting stockyards in north Alabama. Recently, the stockyard in Fort Payne was purchased buy Perry, Matt and Tim Gibbs from previous owners Glean and Mary Plunkett. We would like to thank the Plunkett family for over 20 years of market work serving Alabama cattle producers. The Gibbs family has renamed the auction, Fort Payne Livestock, Inc. and have already made great improvements to the barn. Wednesday featured a full house and nearly 800 head of cattle sold through the barn. We wish them the best as they take on this new endeavor!

Beefin’ Up Rick & Bubba

Ask and you shall receive! At last year’s Checkoff Task Force Meeting, producers expressed their interest in beefin’ up the Rick & Bubba Show during October Beef Month! Well, the time has finally come, and THIS FRIDAY we invite you to tune in as Bibb County cattlemen and YCLP graduate Ashton Cottingham and staffer Ali Cantrell team up to beef up the popular morning talk show. The duo will be talking beef, cattle production and firing up the grill to serve up delicious steak and eggs for breakfast. They’ll be on air all morning, so be sure to tune in and hear the conversation about our favorite protein, beef!

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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