Alabama Cattlemen's Association

What’s Going On Wednesday: November 28, 2018

‘Tis the season for a very Merry Cowboy Christmas!

We are settling down for the holidays here at the ACA, but not before we check our list twice and make sure all is silent before the big night! Ok, ok….enough with the Christmas puns.

We hope you and yours had a wonderful, filling Thanksgiving Day celebration and have traded out your fall leaves and turkeys for garland and prime rib! It’s the most wonderful time of the year…because beef is the centerpiece at holiday tables everywhere! We’ll be promoting beef for the holidays and closing in on the 2018 year over the next month, so keep reading to learn more about what’s going on at the ACA this week.

76th annual aca convention & trade Show

We’re beefin’ up the ‘Ham…Birmingham, that is! Join us at the 2019 ACA Convention & Trade Show at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) February 15-16, 2019. There are endless activities, learning opportunities and networking experiences awaiting your registration including dynamic and educational Cattlemen’s Colleges, a trade show with the industry’s elite equipment, tool and nutritional names, a menu of delicious beef meals and fun for the whole family at Friday evening’s Boots & BBQ event and Saturday’s Awards Banquet!

We look forward to the 76th annual ACA Convention and Trade Show, and you should too! REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN at www.BamaBeef.org/Convention. Mail-in forms will be available in your December issue of the Alabama Cattleman or on the site listed above.

New Year Advertising Special

Screenshot 2018-01-10 10.57.02 Listen up, advertisers! You’ll want to hear this! The Alabama Cattleman magazine is offering a discounted rate in the January and February issues if you reserve a full-page, four-color ad in both issues. The February issue is also our convention ssue and will be distributed at convention in addition to the regular mailing. If you are interested in reserving a full page color ad in both of these issues at the reduced rate of $850 per insertion, contact Production Coordinator Nicky Bechard by December 7th. P.S.- This is a $150 savings!

County Meetings Near & Far

Unknown-5 On Tuesday, Ali Cantrell attended the Blount County Annual Meeting about checkoff programs and Association updates. She reported a great meeting and one where she had the opportunity to meet and talk with new members of Blount County and explain how their checkoff dollars are being utilized. Ali will continue on her county meeting train on Thursday as she attends the Lowndes County Annual Meeting.

Unknown-6 We’ve enjoyed seeing the highlights from the Talladega, Clay, Lauderdale, Lawrence and Butler county meetings and love to see the hard work of counties executed in their annual meeting. As a reminder, leading up to your county’s annual meeting, please contact Jessica Kennedy in our office to inform herof the date, time and location and to request a speaker! Remember, the earlier you get those dates to us, the earlier we can get them on our website and in the magazine!! Following the meeting, send Jessica any officer updates in order to update our system with corrected contact information for 2019.

Also, as you’re collecting membership information to put into the system, remember how important phone numbers and email addresses are! It is essential to county leaders and to us here at the state to be able to contact our members when needed. It helps everyone in the long run. Also, as a reminder, the three-year member dues have changed to $120 with $82 coming back to the state office.

Transportation Update: Extending the Electronic Logging Devices Delay for Livestock Haulers

TRUCKS Contributed: NCBA

Livestock haulers across the country are currently exempt from implementing electronic logging devices (ELDs). The question is: For how much longer? A few months ago, NCBA worked closely with allies in Congress to secure a temporary exemption through December 7, 2018. With less than 10 days to go before that exemption expires, NCBA has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill to remind lawmakers that a further extension is necessary.

“The livestock industry needs additional time to work with Congress and the Administration on a long-term solution to overly-restrictive Hours of Service rules,” said Executive Director of Government Affairs Allison Rivera. “Extending the ELD implementation delay for livestock haulers will give us more breathing room while that process moves forward.”

A draft fiscal year 2019 government spending bill includes a provision that would delay ELD implementation for livestock haulers until September 30, 2019. Keeping that provision included in any spending bill is an immediate priority. NCBA is also looking forward to further conversations with the Department of Transportation (DOT) on the recent petition that requests flexibility for livestock haulers on Hours of Service (HOS) requirements. Authored by industry groups including NCBA and the Livestock Marketing Association, the petition asks for increased drive time for livestock haulers and includes a plan for working with the DOT on additional fatigue-management practices. The petition has already garnered bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress (read the letters of support here and here). As a next step, DOT is expected to open a public comment period on the petition.

A VERY MOOEY CHRISTMAS

Each Christmas season, The MOOseum and the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program looks forward to a time of giving back to the community with a cowboy-themed MOOey Christmas event! Local care centers bring their classes for Christmas cookies, The MOOseum tours, a look at live animals and, of course, a sit on Cowboy Clause’s lap. This year we are excited to host this event on Friday, Dec. 21 and invite you to bring your little ones out to experience the magic of Christmas…with a Western flare!

SLE RODEO TICKETS

The 62nd annual SLE Rodeo will come bucking back to town March 14-16 for the best show on dirt east of the Mississippi! Rodeo ticket sale open up for Elite Buyers on Tuesday, Dec. 4 so if you qualify, give Kara Coplin a call at 888-2RODEO2. Don’t forget to save the dates!

MARKETING PLAN

As a result of this month’s Checkoff Task Force, executive committee and board of directors meetings, we are proud to report that the 2019 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan has been approved. You can check out the marketing plan on the website now at www.BamaBeef.org/Checkoff.

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, Twitter or Instagram.

What’s Going On Wednesday: November 21, 2018

We cattlemen are in a unique position. In a time of year when others are slowing down enough to stop and be grateful for their many blessings, we cattlemen don’t have to do that. You see, we cattlemen practice gratefulness every single day already. It’s basically in our job description. We’re thankful for each newborn healthy calf and each mama with a full bag. We’re thankful for sunshine, and we’re thankful for rain. We’re even thankful when it stops raining. We’re thankful for a barn full of hay; heck, we’re even thankful for leftover baling twine when the old chain around the gate decides to finally break. We’re thankful for each generation of children who work beside us, and we’re thankful for those who have gone on before us and paved our way in this industry. We’re thankful when the market prices are strong, and we’re thankful when a day of working cows goes smoothly. We’re thankful for sunrises, for sunsets, for green grass and for the natural ponds and waterways that paint our farms. We’re thankful for leather gloves when rusty fence posts are downed on a hot, summer day, and we’re thankful for a warm coat on frosty mornings when the cows still need to be fed. We’re thankful for old farm trucks, loyal dogs, the kind of neighbors you can only find in the South…the ones who would give us the shirt off their backs…and mostly, we’re thankful for the opportunity to live and work on the land with the animals our Good Lord gave us. If we’re not in the business of gratefulness, then what are we in?

Just like your long list of daily thanks, we here at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association are thankful, too. We are thankful for you. We’re thankful for your work. We’re thankful for your leadership, and most importantly, we’re thankful for the impact you have in feeding our world. No matter where you enjoy your meal- whether it be around the table, in the seat of a harvester or far from the comforts of home- we send you and yours our warmest Thanksgiving wishes!

2019 ACA Convention & Trade Show

We look forward to the 76th annual ACA Convention and Trade Show, and you should too! Registration opens online Monday, November 26 at www.BamaBeef.org/Convention. Mail-in forms will be available in your December issue of the Alabama Cattleman or on the site listed above.

Budgets & Marketing Plan

As a result of this month’s Checkoff Task Force, executive committee and board of directors meetings, we are proud to report that the 2019 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan and all major budgets have been approved. Next year brings a whole new round of exciting projects, programs and procedures to act as a roadmap for staff here at the ACA to follow, thanks to the input of Alabama’s cattlemen and our outstanding volunteer leaders. We are grateful to all who played in a role in this month’s activities!

You can check out the marketing plan on the website beginning in January at www.BamaBeef.org/Checkoff.

Sec. Perdue Visits the Wiregrass

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited Alabama last week to visit with farmers and assess damage from Hurricane Michael. ACA staffer Ali Cantrell filled in for Erin as she was with the officers in Georgia for another meeting of the Southeastern cattlemen’s associations. The Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation is still collecting money for disaster relief and we are happy to report that the excavator has been moved into southeast Houston county to begin helping cattlemen in the area move debris and clear fence rows.

Fake Meat Update

Last week, USDA announced the following regarding lab-grown meat. “We have concluded that both the USDA and the FDA should jointly oversee the production of cell-cultured food products derived from livestock and poultry. Drawing on the expertise of both USDA and FDA, the Agencies are today announcing agreement on a joint regulatory framework wherein FDA oversees cell collection, cell banks, and cell growth and differentiation. A transition from FDA to USDA oversight will occur during the cell harvest stage. USDA will then oversee the production and labeling of food products derived from the cells of livestock and poultry. And, the Agencies are actively refining the technical details of the framework, including robust collaboration and information sharing between the agencies to allow each to carry out our respective roles.”

This announcement essentially means that USDA will have primary jurisdiction over the most important facets of lab-produced fake meat. It is certainly an important step in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of work to do on this issue to ensure that real beef producers and consumers are protected and treated fairly. We encourage cattlemen to file official comments before the new deadline of Dec. 26. Contact Erin for help on where to file a comment and how.

County Annual Meetings

County meetings are off to a very strong start! We’ve had the pleasure of attending serval county events lately and love to see the hard work of counties executed in their annual meetings. As a reminder, leading up to your county’s annual meeting, please contact Jessica Kennedy in our office to inform her of the date, time and location and to request a speaker! Remember, the earlier you get those dates to us, the earlier we can get them on our website and in the magazine!! Following the meeting, send Jessica any officer updates in order to update our system with corrected contact information for 2019.

A Very MOOey Christmas

SLE Rodeo Tickets

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, Twitter or Instagram.

Low & Slow: It’s Beef for the Holidays

By Elesha Ergle, RDN

Changing colors. Changing seasons. Changing wardrobes. Hallmark Christmas movies. Pumpkin-spice everything.

It’s that time of year where we embrace the coming of fall and winter holidays and the going of yet another year. Most of us cattle farmers in Alabama are done with calving season for the year and are busy preparing our herd to be bred back for fall calving next year while others prepare for spring calves soon to arrive.

While Thanksgiving may be dubbed “Turkey Day,” as a beef producer and dietitian, I wanted to change it up a bit and highlight some amazing, nutritious ways we can use beef during this holiday season. Let’s try some new things, bring up some memories and maybe even start some new traditions!

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

In Alabama we may or may not experience a cold winter…but when it’s cold, it’s COLD (to us Southerners anyway). When the cold weather starts to come, there’s always the first pot of chili. Whether it’s stove top, pressure cooker or in a slow cooker, a good, hearty chili is the love language that will warm you up from inside out. Most of us have a chili recipe we love that might spark a childhood memory or two…maybe it’s grandma’s recipe, or maybe you remember it from your first Iron Bowl tailgate. I love to make chili in an electric pressure cooker (EPC) and keep it warm in a slow cooker as the flavors continue to marry. If you’re like us and have plenty of frozen ground beef, use you’re EPC to thaw and cook. Place the frozen meat (approximately one pound) in the EPC along with about one inch of water. Close the lid and seal, pressure cook on high for 22 minutes. Quick release the pressure and drain water. Turn the EPC on sauté, chop the meat into crumbles and continue cooking to 160 degrees. Now all you have to do is add the other ingredients and your chili will be ready to go! Don’t have a good chili recipe? Give this easy Chili Recipe from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner a try!

Cooking for a Crowd

Before sitting down to celebrate “Turkey Day,” as family starts to pile in, get a hearty pot of beef stew together. Whether you like the ease and quick cooking of the EPC or cooking it low and slow in the slow cooker, greet your family with the smell of a home-cooked beef stew. If you decide to go the EPC route, this recipe from Family Fresh Meals is a great one to try. Taste of Home has a great slow cooker Beef Stew recipe that you will want to use over and over again. I love to serve beef stew with a good crusty bread to top off a quick and easy meal. Stock your pantry with ingredients for these recipes and maybe even some disposable bowls for easy clean up! You can grab a quick bowl of stew while you’re still prepping items for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving Day meal.

Beefy Sides

It’s Thanksgiving Day. Your mom cooks the turkey, your grandma makes the dressing, Aunt Betty makes the pies. What are YOU bringing to the table? These easy beef recipes will give you time to sit down and watch the Macy’s parade or check the Black Friday sale papers. Try this easy One-Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes Supreme in your EPC. Put everything in your EPC and let it do all the work. One-pot means little to no mess, which is a win-win if you ask me! Start a new Thanksgiving mac and cheese tradition with this Slow Cooker Beefy Mac and Cheese that you will want to add to your regular recipe collection or add a Shepherd’s Pie to the Thanksgiving spread that even the pickiest of kids will love! Set it and forget it in the slow cooker to have an easy, beefy and delicious dish that is sure to please even the biggest turkey lover.

Lasso Those Leftovers

The day after Thanksgiving is a coveted day for many. I have been Black Friday shopping one time…but never again. I have tons of friends who will deny themselves sleep and maybe even throw a punch to get a hand mixer for $5. Not me. I opt to stay home, watch a Christmas movie, shop online or go hunting. Whether you’re planning your shopping strategy or getting your camouflage ready on Black Friday Eve, look ahead to the morning with this easy slow cooker Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole recipe from Pillsbury, substituting the bacon for a pound of cooked Basic Beef Country Breakfast Sausage. Using lean beef instead of bacon will lower the fat and calorie content as well as giving it that beefy protein boost. Loaded with flavor and protein, it will be the perfect fuel after a long morning of power shopping, decorating or hunting.

War Eagle, Roll Tide

The end of Black Friday marks a State of Alabama tradition in two words…Iron Bowl. Those words inevitably stir up some sort of memory in all of us. It is said that we Alabamians declare at birth whether we will yell “War Eagle” or “Roll Tide.” My brother and I grew up in a house divided. As much as my parents loved each other, the Iron Bowl was the time that my dad was on one side of the house and mom on the other. With Eli Gold on the radio and televisions muted, watching the Iron Bowl was always fun no matter what side of the house we were on. My mom loved to cook, and beef was often a staple of our Iron Bowl gatherings. Beef is the perfect food for the Iron Bowl, providing 12 percent of our daily value of iron per 3-oz serving.

What beefy foods do you think about for the Iron Bowl? How about some beefed up cheese dip? Give this Slow Cooker Cheese Dip a try at your next tailgate- it is sure to be a keeper. Beef up your Iron Bowl party with this amazing recipe for Brisket Cowboy Nachos. Cook the brisket in a slow cooker instead of the oven and hold on low. Set up other toppings and ingredients for a delicious beefy nacho buffet that your friends will want a repeat for the playoffs. Finally, what could be better for the Iron Bowl than using some flat iron steaks!? Flat iron steaks are packed with flavor and plenty of protein to keep you going through the entire game. This recipe for Slow Cooker BBQ Flat Iron Steak Sandwiches will be your new Iron Bowl tradition. Serve as suggested on a hoagie roll, or grab some Hawaiian sweet rolls to serve in smaller portions for your guests to graze during the big game.

While the holidays are usually a time of indulging and often associated with packing on the pounds, you can cut down on calories and increase your intake of protein, vitamins and minerals by using lean beef. Lean beef is a protein powerhouse that provides 25 grams of protein per 3-oz serving with only 173 calories.

So let’s get this season started by grabbing some of these great beef recipes or visit Beef It’s What’s For Dinner for even more recipes and learn all about beef from pasture to plate. Happy Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Iron Bowl and Fall Y’all!

This article was funded by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Progam. Paid for by Alabama beef farmers and ranchers.

What’s Going On Wednesday: November 7, 2018

Just as quickly as it came, it left! October is now in our rear view mirror, and our sites are set on a big holiday season ahead. BUT WAIT! Before we get there, we’ve got two very important things that must happen first…(1) We have to have our November Board Meeting and (2) we have to pull together and have the board approve the 2019 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan. No small feat, right?! Don’t worry. We’re up to the task. In fact, we’re up to many tasks, so while we work on that, we’ll be working on lots more so keep reading to learn what’s happening at the ACA this week.

Election Results are in!

Last night’s election results were fascinating to watch at the national level. The Democrats took control of the US House of Representatives and the US Senate grabbed a few mores Republican seats. In Alabama, the GOP held onto every statewide office and did so in an overwhelming fashion. The AL Congressional races were won easily by incumbents garnering anywhere from 62%-80%. The state senate kept a Republican super majority. The ACA would like to congratulate Governor Kay Ivey, Lt. Governor-Elect Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, State Auditor Jim Zeigler and Secretary of State John Merrill for their convincing victories last night.

Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program Heads North

An exciting weekend is ahead as the YCLP Class V will meet for the fourth time this year in north Alabama for an industry tour. The group will be exposed to several different types of unique operations such as Lookout Mountain Genetics – a bull stud facility- Clay Kennamer’s backgrounding yard, Lake Majestik Farms and Tennessee River Music. We thank our hosts in advance for offering their time to visit with our young leaders and look forward to a weekend full of fun, leadership development and industry networking.

Hurricane Michael Relief Fund

The hurricane relief fund is still collecting donations and would like to thank all that have contributed so far. The funds are being used to rent equipment to help producers clean fence rows and debris left behind from the hurricane. To start, the equipment will be in southeast Houston County, which is the most severely affected area of the state. We are working with the county leadership and Extension to identify cattle farms in need. To donate, visit www.BamaBeef.org/HurricaneRelief.

American Cancer Society Wellness Forum

Today the ACA is hosting the American Cancer Society for their wellness forums on our third floor. They will be discussing workplace wellness programs as well as their legal requirements along with an overview of HIPAA, ADA and GINA Wellness Program Regulations. We’re proud to host these influencer groups and get beef on their minds as they walk through our doors!

November Board Meeting- Just Around the Corner

Next week brings in chilly weather, so come bundled up to our November Board of Directors meeting happened next Thursday, November 15 beginning at 10 a.m. Don’t forget to submit your RSVP to Jessica Kennedy. We will have a warm, delicious meal for you, and we’ll cover a lot of important business quickly in order to get you back home in time to feed! We look forward to seeing our Board members at next week’s meeting…and the last of 2018!

MEMBERSHIP CORNER

County leaders: county renewal statements have officially been sent out. Be on the lookout as renewals begin coming in and 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

On Friday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell will join cattle producers Jason & Dr. Misty Edmondson as they work together to host another BEEF 101 program with culinary students from Wallace State Community College and Calhoun County Career Academy. This will be the last program of the the fall season, but spring programs are already in the works!

BEEF ON IBOTTA

October Beef Month may be over, but our Ibotta campaign is not! 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 the holiday months. Download the app and start shopping today!

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, Twitter or Instagram.