Alabama Cattlemen's Association

Savory Springtime Salads

By Elesha Ergle, RDN

Photo: BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com

Baseball, softball, proms, and graduation invitations…all things that tell us that summer is about to be upon us. Will your summer plans include a beach, cruise, mountains or hiking? Or will it be like a lot of us cattle farmers, life as usual…just a lot hotter? No matter what your summer plans are, you can include beef as a part of your healthy diet whether you are looking forward to swim suit season or just keeping it real around the farm.

Most people immediately think of salads when they think of healthy eating. Salads can bring a variety of fruits and vegetables to our diets, but can also be deceiving by the amount of calories they pack in due to the addition of high-calorie items such as dressings, cheeses and high-fat meats. Pack your salads with lean beef to cut down on calories and ramp up the protein!

Sprout up your Salad

Check out this Four Seasons Beef and Brussel Sprouts Chopped Salad from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner. There are several variations listed in the recipe, one that is sure to fit all your preferences, and at only 360 calories and 32 grams of protein per serving, you couldn’t ask for a better meal. The addition of nutrient-dense brussel sprouts is a great way to pack in extra vitamins and minerals!

Meat and Potatoes

Are you a self-proclaimed “meat and potatoes” person? How about turning that passion in to a salad? Food Network’s Steak-and-Potato Salad is one to give a try. Full of a variety of ingredients, but simple and easy. Here’s a Warm Steak and Potato Salad that might be the keeper for your family. Try something different with it and substitute your favorite salad greens instead of the mixed baby salad greens.

Taco Tuesday

On Taco Tuesday, you don’t always want a salad…try this Beef Confetti Taco Salad that has only 220 calories, 31 grams of protein and is certified by the American Heart Association as a Heart-Healthy Meal. Delicious and easy to prepare, it is sure to be your new Taco Tuesday ritual!

Salad Tips

Remember to keep the variety going no matter what kinds of salads you enjoy. Try different recipes and salad dressings to keep from getting “burned out” on the same things. Try dressing the entire salad and tossing it rather than taking a portion out on a plate and then adding the dressing. You will find that you will use less dressing (thereby cutting down on calories) because the ingredients are more fully coated when tossed.

Not Sold on Salad

If you are just not sold on salads, or your body just cannot tolerate the roughage, no worries…it doesn’t mean you’re not healthy! All food is fit, and you can get in your lean beef and vegetables in many other ways. Cook up your favorite lean beef recipe and add your favorite cooked vegetables as your sides.

For more information on beef nutrition, recipes and to learn more about beef from pasture to plate, visit www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. On your Amazon or Google Home devices be sure to check out the new “Chuck Knows Beef” platform that can answer all your beef questions and look up quick recipes for you.

Happy Spring!!

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

What’s Going On Wednesday: April 24, 2019

Oh, happy day! The temps are warm. The grass is green, and grills are lit! It’s an exciting time of year as we sneak into the summer months and all that come with them. For now, we’ll enjoy the spring and hold tight to those cool, dewey mornings. While you enjoy those outside days, your state staff is inside on the grind as we plow through beef promotions, membership, producing a magazine and playing a watchdog role for you in the state house. Keep reading to learn more about what’s happening in our neck of the woods this week!

Bama’s Best Beef Competition Fires Up

We’re proud to announce this year’s Bama’s Best Beef finalists:

Smokin’ on the Boulevard (Florence) Beef Brisket
Roadside ‘Que (Fort Payne) Bourbonzola Brisket Burger
The Anatomy of Pi Food Truck (Jasper) Steak & Mushroom Pie
Little Savannah Restaurant & Bar (Birmingham) Spicy Coffee Rubbed Cowboy Ribeye

Screenshot 2019-04-24 08.30.36 This week’s Facebook poll challenge has the Steak & Mushroom Pie going head-to-head with the Bourbonzola Brisket Burger, and so far, the burger has got the lead! Walker County folks- get voting! And great work to Jackson County fans on pushing your local dive so far to the lead! Next week’s contest will put our other two finalists in a dual…then the two winners will duke it out for the title! Head on over to the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page to participate in the voting!

BEEF 101 Spring Programs Wind Down

Last week, ACA hosted Trenholm University Culinary students in Auburn for a BEEF 101 and AJCA members, Chelsea and Chandler Langley, joined in as part of their Junior Pasture to Rail program. It was a successful day full of beef industry knowledge and hands-on experience with live cattle evaluation and fabrication of a beef carcass. Chelsea and Chandler have 10 head of cattle in the Junior Pasture to Rail program where they retain ownership of their cattle and learn how to market cattle on the grid. Throughout the time of the program, they are asked to attend educational programs that will explain the how their feeder calves are expected to perform in the feedlot and how they should manage their expenses and herd health. Great work, juniors!

Youth Production Field Day Postponed

Screen Shot 2019-04-24 at 3.23.52 PM It may come as no surprise to you- especially you parents out there- as kids these days are just busy! Due to so many spring activities lining up on top of each other here at the end of another school year, we decided it best to reschedule the Spring Youth Production Field Day scheduled for this Friday, April 26 in Atmore to a later date! Between important FFA eliminations, sporting events, a judging clinic and end-of-year activities, youth have too much on their calendars for now! We look forward to getting down to south Alabama for this field day later on in the year.

National Report in the Works

It is required each year that the Beef Checkoff publish a report of checkoff Checkoff_Funded by Beef Farmers and Ranchers activities! Your state checkoff team is at work pulling numbers, putting our writing caps on and evaluating programs from 2018. After the report comes together, it will take a trip to Denver for design and approval then come back just in time for the June issue of the Alabama Cattleman magazine. Be on the look out and get last year’s report in the palm of your hand!

Samford University Nutrition and Dietetics Advisory Board

ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell has been invited to be on the Samford University Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Advisory Board where she will be an integral part of the counseling body for the department. She will be traveling to Samford University on Thursday for the first Advisory Board meeting to learn more about her new role and advocate for the beef industry. Ali will provide advice, leadership and support for continued development of high-quality academic programs in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. We are excited about this new relationship with Samford University!

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

The membership count of the day is 7,544 members and counting! County secretaries, be sure to be submitting that information to the i4a membership software or here to our state office! Hopefully by now, renewals are flooding your mailboxes as renewal statements were sent in the past two weeks. Board Members, be sure to save the date for our upcoming Board Meeting to be held Thursday, May 16 at 10 a.m. We’ll see you there!

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: April 10, 2019

The word of the week is BEEF! Between the BEEF Cook-off, BEEF 101, the BEEFit 5k and Bama’s Best BEEF…you could say we are amping up springtime BEEF promotions here at the ACA. Not to mention the upcoming youth field day, an ongoing legislative session and membership activity on the move. It’s a busy time here at the Cattlemen’s office, so keep reading to learn more about all the exciting events taking place in Downtown Montgomery this week!

ACA’s newest Staffer

We’re excited to announce that Morgan Pounds has joined Team ACA as Director of Field Services. A River Region native, Morgan will complete her degree in communications at Troy University next month and begin work full-time at the association on May 13. She will be working part-time throughout the month of April.

Morgan is a product of the AJCA program as she was an active showman in the state and very involved in the American Junior Brahman Association. She is passionate about youth leadership development and has some innovative ideas for the Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program. She is no stranger to stockyards and sales as she grew up attending these events with her family, notably her grandfather Dr. Robert Barlow of Mathews in south Montgomery County. She brings passion, enthusiasm and an outgoing personality to our team. If you would like to welcome Morgan to the staff she can be reached at mpounds@bamabeef.org.

ALABAMA JR. AND SR. HIGH SCHOOL BEEF COOK-OFF

We enjoyed hosting over 30 students from all over the state of Alabama to come and show off their best culinary skills. The cook-off took place this past Saturday morning at Carver High School in Montgomery. The students brought a cooked recipe to present to the judges, and WOW did they impress! While judging took place, the students participated in learning activities with Chef Loren Lunde from Trenholm Community College and Alabama Beef Checkoff- contracted Registered Dietician Elesha Ergle. Check out this year’s winners and view their dishes by clicking here.

Overall Best in Beef

Dylan Dozier, Russell County, Ribeye Steak with Baked Potato

Junior North

First Place: Abby Grace Tuck, Jefferson County, Rosemary Thyme Filet Mignon
Second Place: Lauren Jones, Chilton County, Beef & Bean Roll Up
Third Place: Alexia Mugovero, Shelby County, Creole Steak Sheet Pan Supper

Senior North

First: Genesis Smoke, Jefferson County, Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs
Second: Anna Gunderman, Franklin County, Low Carb Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers
Third: Allison King, St. Clair County, Italian Beef Salad

Junior South

First: Savannah Loper, Washington County, Taco Rings
Second: Elise Belmar, Baldwin County, Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Skillet
Third: Jalan Jenkins, Montgomery County, Pancake Burgers

Senior South

First: Dylan Dozier, Russell County, Ribeye Steak with Baked Potatoe
Second: Acadia Thomas, Dallas County, “Philling” Philly Cheesesteak
Third: Shelby Singleton, Washington County, Shelby’s Pot Roast

CATTLEWOMEN’S 5K

The Alabama CattleWomen’s BEEFit 5k is THIS SATURDAY, April 13 in downtown Montgomery, and we’re excited to launch Team Bama Beef at this event. Team Bama Beef will be comprised of beef-loving fitness enthusiasts and will be supported by the beef checkoff. We’re looking for people who are committed to living an active, healthy lifestyle and who love eating beef! If you’re interested in being a part of Team Bama Beef, contact Ali Cantrell by phone or email to get some more information.

Registration for the event is now live on the CattleWomen’s website, http://alabamacattlewomen.com/beefit/.

Bama’s Best Beef Kicks Off

Know of a beef dish that’s worth writing home about? WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT during this year’s Bama’s Best Beef contest. We kicked off our nominations round on the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page, this Monday, and we want to hear about your favorite unique beef dish served up at an Alabama restaurant or food truck. Submit those nominations by commenting on the post link above. You have until this Sunday, April 14 at midnight!

A Busy Beef 101 Season

Staffer Ali Cantrell hosted a BEEF 101 yesterday for Coastal Community College Culinary students and Junior Pasture to Rail participant, Jay Collins. The Junior Pasture to Rail program had 26 feeder calves that were sent to Hy-Plains Feedyard back in November and should be getting results from that program in the next couple of months. As part of the program, the participants are asked to attend a Beef 101 and a BQA session in order to enhance their knowledge of cattle production in all sectors.

There will be two other BEEF 101 programs on this Thursday, April 11 and on Monday, April 15 with Bishop State Community College Culinary Program and Trenholm Community College Culinary department. Chelsea and Chandler Langley who are also Junior Pasture to Rail participants will be in attendance at the April 15 program.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

The membership count of the day is 7,401 members and counting! County secretaries, be sure to be submitting that information to the i4a membership software or here to our state office! Be on the lookout for more renewals as dues statements will be sent to all non-renewed members soon. BIG congrats to our Early Bird Drawing winners:

Prize of $250: Bryan Cooper of Flat Rock, AL
Prize of $150: TJ Riner of Tuscumbia, AL
Prize of $100: Cole Cranford of Auburn, AL

ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley looks forward to traveling to Sumter County Thursday evening for its annual meeting at the Livingston Community Center! She’ll get to enjoy a Diamond Jim’s steak and catch up with a few of our west Alabama Cattlemen!

2019 SPRING YOUTH PRODUCTION FIELD DAY

We’re proud to announced that the Alabama Beef Checkoff will be hosting its Spring Youth Production Field Day on Friday, April 26 at Perdido River Farms in Atmore! The event will be held this year on a weekday as voted on by the Junior Board as a way to be more inclusive to FFA groups and agriscience classes who have a hard time obtaining permission and/or logistics for weekend field trips.

Join us for a day of interactive, hands-on learning about timely topics including hay testing, soil sampling, figuring stocker capacity, annual cow checks, handling and administering vaccines and a farm tour of Perdido River Farms! Registration is now open online for this FREE event at www.BamaBeef.org/FieldDay.

Working with Wood Fruitticher

Ali will also be traveling to South’s Finest Meats in Tuscaloosa on Friday to learn about the Beef products that they provide to the Foodservice company, Wood Fruitticher. This is in order to create a Beef 201 program for Foodservice reps that have already graduated from the Beef 101 program. This will be a program that goes into more detail about the different cuts of beef and how their sales reps can market their product in more versatile ways.

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: April 3, 2019

Oh say can you see…all the boots on the Hill! Legislation is the word this week as our state leaders are in Washington D.C. attending the NCBA Legislative Conference and meeting with Alabama delegation about important issues and topics in the cattle industry. But that’s not all that’s happening, so keep reading to learn more about what’s going on at the ACA this week.

Alabama Jr. and Sr. High School Beef Cook-Off

IT’S BEEF COOK-OFF WEEK! ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell is gearing up for almost 40 students from all over the state of Alabama to come and show off their best culinary skills. The cook-off will take place this Saturday morning at Carver High School in Montgomery. The students are asked to bring a cooked recipe with beef being the main ingredient to be evaluated by a panel of judges. While judging is taking place, the students will participate in learning activities with Chef Loren Lunde from Trenholm Community College and Alabama Beef Checkoff- contracted Registered Dietician Elesha Ergle. It’s going to be an exciting day full of delicious beef! Stay tuned for the winners.

Alabama BCIA Annual Meeting Success

We were thrilled this past weekend to host the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association (AL-BCIA) Annual Meeting & Awards Program at our building in Downtown Montgomery! The large group gathered for a business meeting, awards ceremony, live auction to benefit the foundation and an interactive educational component with American Simmental Association Executive Vice President Dr. Wade Shafer.

We hope to have the opportunity to host this group again. Be on the lookout for information regarding award recipients!

Membership Update

The membership count o’ the day is 7,241 members and counting! County secretaries, be sure to be submitting that information to the i4a membership software or here to our state office! Be on the lookout for more renewals as dues statements will be sent to all non-renewed members next week.

Producer Communication E-Blast Sent

As written in the Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan with the goal of keeping cattle producers informed about the work of the association and the beef checkoff here in Alabama, we’ve issued the Cattle Call producer communication e-blast to over 10,000 inboxes this week. This piece featured a wrap-up of all that has gone on during Q1 of 2019- January, February and March. If you did not receive the Cattle Call in your email inbox, but would like to see it and receive it for future issues, please contact ACA Director of Social Media & Communications Kayla Greer on our staff at kgreer@bamabeef.org.

Boots on the Hill

ACA President Chris Langley, President-Elect Larry Reeves and Vice President Clay Kennamer will join Erin Beasley at the NCBA Legislative Conference next week in Washington D.C. They will also be joined by Region 2 Policy VP Jimmy Holliman and Evelyn Greene, American National CattleWomen president-elect. Today is full of Hill visits with the Alabama delegation to discuss cattle industry issues!

Beef Promo Firing Up

The next couple of weeks are going to be filled with Beef 101 programs at the Auburn University Beef Teaching Unit and Meats Lab. Staffer Ali Cantrell will be hosting three pasture-to-plate programs on April 9, April 11 and April 15 with culinary students from Coastal State Community College, Bishop State Community College and Trenholm Community College. If you would like to come and participate in any of these Beef 101s please contact Ali Cantrell at acantrell@bamabeef.org or call our office at (334) 265-1867.

2019 SPRING YOUTH PRODUCTION FIELD DAY ANNOUNCED

Lowndes County Cattlemen Tour Golden State Foods

The Lowndes County Cattlemen’s Association took a unique trip at the end of last week to the Golden State Foods plant in Opelika to learn about how McDonald’s quarter pound beef patties are processed! This plant does an excellent job with tours and is an awesome way to learn about what happens to your beef when it leaves the farm. We appreciate Golden State Foods for being such gracious hosts and send kudos to Lowndes County for offering its members this educational opportunity!

BAMA’S BEST BEEF READY TO FIRE UP

Know of a beef dish that’s worth writing home about? WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT during this year’s Bama’s Best Beef contest. Kicking off with a nominations round on this upcoming Monday, April 8 on the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page, we want to hear about your favorite unique beef dish served up at an Alabama restaurant or food truck. Get ready to submit those nominations beginning April 8!

CATTLEWOMEN’S 5K

The Alabama CattleWomen’s BEEFit 5k is April 13 in downtown Montgomery, and we’re excited to launch Team Bama Beef at this event. Team Bama Beef will be comprised ofbeef-loving fitness enthusiasts and will be supported by the beef checkoff. We’re looking for people who are committed to living an active, healthy lifestyle and who love eating beef! If you’re interested in being a part of Team Bama Beef, contact Ali Cantrell by phone or email to get some more information.

Registration for the event is now live on the CattleWomen’s website, http://alabamacattlewomen.com/beefit/.

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.