Alabama Cattlemen's Association

What’s Going On Wednesday: August 28, 2019

Just like that, we have approached the end of yet another month and are really fired up to enter the fall season! Not only will the weather hopefully offer a slight break in the heat but it’s a busy time, and we enjoy getting out on the road! As October Beef Month creeps in, sale season fires up and the those fall calves start to his the landscape…there’s lots to be excited for int he world of beef! We were thrilled to host over 40 counties at last week’s August Board Meeting and enjoyed the opportunity to award the 10 counties who went “Over the Top.” It was also a tru joy to unveil The MOOseum project to a group of cattlemen who are so engaged in the Alabama beef industry. Speaking of being engaged, keep reading to learn more about what’s happening this week at the Alabama Cattlemen’s.

BEEF 101 at Sysco Central Alabama

This past Friday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell spent the day at Sysco Central Alabama for a beef cutting training with sales representatives. Barney Wilborn with the Auburn Meats Lab did a demonstration over cutting the Round primal, and Ali gave an overview of the entire beef industry as well as a run down on beef labeling. ACA and YCLP members, Scott McElfresh, his wife Sarah McElfresh and Amanda Engle were in attendance as well!

And the Bama’s Best Burger Fiery Four Finalists Are…

SUCH-n-SUCH (Decatur) Heart Attack Burger
R & R Burgers (Springville) The Jealous Grandma Burger
Heards BBQ & Soul Food (Maplesville) Surf-n-Turf Burger
Brickstone Burgers & Brews (Eufaula) Brickstone Burger

Big Fun at the Pike County Catttlemen’s Rodeo

ACA Director of Field Services Morgan Pounds spent this past weekend out and about as she joined the team lead by President Jim Shaver and Director Ed Whatley at the Pike County Cattlemen’s 27^th Annual Rodeo. Morgan competed in the celebrity mechanical bull contest that Friday morning at Santa Fe Steakhouse and she enjoyed getting to visit with cattlemen, vendors and watch the show that evening with staffer Ali Cantrell.

Beef Fest Coming to Town

ACA is hosting Beef Fest at SweetCreek Farm Market in Pike Road October 12 -13. Make a road trip to the farm market for fun games, a beef chili cook-off and a coloring contest for kids. ACA staff and volunteers will be present to tell the pasture to plate story while serving up some delicious beef chili samples. This event will be held in conjunction with the venue’s annual pumpkin festival, so join us for a big day of family fun! Learn more on the event page on our website.

Stopping by Stockyards

Staffer Morgan Pounds headed to Brewton, AL for a Saturday sale this past weekend. There she met the owner Dale Anderson and enjoyed watching the sale. She also enjoyed meeting the staff, buyers, sellers and local cattlemen. As sale season kicks into high gear, Morgan will be at Uniontown on Friday for the Herdbuilder Replacement Female Sale at Alabama Livestock Auction.

Junior Pasture to Rail Registration Open

If you’re interested in teaching your youth about marketing cattle on the grid and retained ownership, we’ve got just the program for you! Youth are invited to register their animals into the Junior Pasture to Rail Program where they’ll ship calves in November, participate in a few pasture to plate educational opportunities, then receive the carcass data on their animals after harvest. To learn more about program requirements and to register, visit www.BamaBeef.org/JP2R.

YOU’RE INVITED: CATTLEMEN’S BEEF 201

The ACA is hosting a Cattlemen’s BEEF 201 at Auburn University’s Beef Teaching Unit and Meats Lab on Friday, September 13. We invite all cattlemen to explore the beef industry from pasture to plate. Features of this program will include live animal evaluation, carcass evaluation and fabrication. Please sign up at www.bamabeef.org/beef201 or contact Ali Cantrell to get registered for the program. There are only 15 spots left!

Vendor Registration Now Live

Trade show vendor rgistration is open for the 77th annual ACA Convention Trade Show happening in downtown Montgomery! Please contact Ali Cantrell if you would like to be a vendor at the 2020 Convention or visit www.BamaBeef.org/Convention to register 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.

Back to School with Beef Jerky

By Elesha Ergle, RDN

The summer heat continues to bear down, and it seems impossible that it is time for the kids to go back to school already. Whether your baby is just starting kindergarten this year, or your “baby” is starting high school, there is no doubt you have given some thought about how to help your kids power through the day.

Children need proper nutrition to keep their growing bodies fueled for learning throughout the school day. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast are able to pay attention better in classes, perform better on tests and have less behavior issues. If you are confused about how to get your family going this school year, beef is here to help.

Beef Jerky at Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! If your kiddos are scrambling to get out the door in the mornings, whip up some Beef Jerky Trail Mix for a healthy meal on the go. Mix it with different dried fruits (no added sugars are best) and nuts, or let the kids make their own mixture to inspire their imagination and get them involved in the kitchen. Loaded with 25 grams of protein per serving, trail mix a great way to get your kids’ school day started off right. It even packs easy into a lunch box for snack time.

After School Treats
Beef Jerky Granola Bars are another great option for on-the-go breakfasts or snacking. Kids who are active in sports and other after-school activities will also love to keep these treats in their packs for busy afternoons. For a delicious snack after they hop off the bus, have some Peanut Butter Chocolate-Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Beef Jerky Cookies to keep the kids powered through homework until suppertime. These beef’d up cookies are sure to be a hit, and you can feel good knowing they have had a nutritious snack packed with protein.

Individually-wrapped beef jerky sticks come in all sizes and flavors and are delicious and handy for those days when you just thought the calendar looked light. You can find these in large quantities online for reasonable prices and have them delivered to your door, saving you time and money. Keep them packed away in the car, backpacks, and athletic bags for a quick and nutritious snack that will keep your scholars and athletes full and focused.

Everyone’s lives are busy, but we can still pack in healthy foods to fuel our active agendas. One serving of lean beef provides 50 percent of our daily protein needs, so while you are busy chasing kids, you can put your mind at ease knowing that their snacks are one less thing to worry about. Visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com to explore all kinds of unique beef jerky and back to school recipe ideas for this busy time of year!

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

What’s Going On Wednesday: August 14, 2019

Well, if it wasn’t hot enough, it just got hotter! With a volatile week of weather and cattle markets, we are happy to bring some news that’s not so dreary. We’ve got a lot coming up and in the works, so keep reading to learn more about what’s happening at the ACA this week!

Tyson Plant Burns

Let’s start with the obvious. The cattle market is the talk of the week as the boards are feeling the effects of a fire that one of Tyson’s beef harvest plants in Kansas suffered over the weekend. The plant processes 6,000 head of cattle a day taking away a landing spot for an already-saturated fed cattle market. Tyson has announced they will rebuild immediately and is working to redirect cattle into their other packing facilities. With the uncertainty so far around this situation, cattle markets have been limit down both Monday and Tuesday. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has had a significant role to ensure the Federal regulatory burden does not make recovery any harder. ACA is working to notify our congressmen and senators in D.C. of the situation so they are aware of the effects this will have on our producers in the coming weeks who are selling feeder calves.

State Ag Board Meeting

Erin Beasley attended the quarterly meeting for the Department of Agriculture and Industries Board on Tuesday in Decatur. She presented the 2018 annual report and financials for the State Beef Checkoff program and received unanimous approval from the board along with several positive comments about the program as a whole.

Bama’s Best Burger Update

Regional semi finalist voting has kicked off for the 2019 Bama’s Best Burger contest! Region 1 and Region 2 semi finalists are duking it out in a a very close first round of Facebook polling. Region 1 semi finalist is SUCH-n-SUCH (Decatur) Heart Attack Burger, while the Region 2 semi finalist is the Bananza Burger from The Strand in Fort Payne! So far the poll has garnered over 1,300 votes with SUCH-n-SUCH leading by only 30 votes. This poll closes in the morning, and the challenge between Region 3 semi finalist J&J Grocery (Bessemer) Cheeseburger and Region 4 semi finalist R&R Burgers (Springville) Jealous Grandma Burger will go live! Be sure to follow the contest to find out who all the regional semi finalists are and VOTE for your local dive.

Wood Fruitticher Sales Meeting

This Thursday, staffer Ali Cantrell is traveling to Trussville for the Wood Fruitticher Sales meeting to kick off the fall beef sales promotion. Barney Wilborn, the manager of Auburn University’s Meat Lab, will be joining Ali during this sales meeting to fabricate and present cuts from the chuck and sirloin to the salesmen. This presentation is meant to educate the salesmen about the cuts they sell everyday and how to better market them to their customers.

Board of Directors Meeting- Next Week!

Board members, be sure to RSVP to Jessica Kennedy for next week’s Summer Board of Directors Meeting! We’ll be giving out “Over the Top” county prizes, giving you all the ACA updates you need and letting you in on an exclusive FIRST LOOK at ALL the new changes in The MOOseum! Don’t miss out.

At the membership desk this week, remittances from our latest mail-out have begun rolling in and the membership number of the day is 8,836! We are so close to 9,000…but the goal is 10,000. Staffers have begun to call non-renewed members, so join us in recruiting!

Beef Systems Short Course

On Tuesday, ACA Director of Field Services stopped in on the first of many Beef Systems Extension Short Courses happening statewide throughout the fall months. Morgan visited the kickoff meeting at the Clanton location and enjoyed the opportunity to visit with cattlemen and get an overview of the content being taught during the four-night course. To find an upcoming course near you and to get registered, visit www.aces.edu/go/1065.

Clay County Cattlemen’s Rodeo

Staffers are looking forward to the opportunity to attend this weekend’s Clay County Cattlemen’s Rodeo happening Friday and Saturday evenings. The team will go to enjoy and support this county cattlemen event and see what all it has to offer! Next week will bring the Pike County Cattlemen’s Rodeo where staffer Morgan Pounds will be taking pride on a mechanical bull and attending the event. If you’ve got an upcoming county event, be sure to let us know about it!

Preparing for Fall Promotions

Ali Cantrell is preparing October Beef Month boxes for county Cattlemen’s Associations. These boxes will be ready for pick up at the Summer Board of Directors meeting on August 22. Please contact Ali if there is a special event this fall that you need promotional material for so she can add it to your box! If you are unable to pick up a box at the board meeting, let Ali know that you want it mailed.

News from the AJCA

If you attended the 2019 AJAC Round-Up, we want to hear your feedback on the event. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/AJCA where you’ll find a link to a survey regarding the event and 2020 upcoming events. We appreciate the time you take to help us improve the Round-Up! We also encourage you to go check out the newest feature of the AJCA, an Instagram! If you use the social app, hop on and give @al_juniorcattlemen a follow. With the guidance of ACA staff, AJCA President Ashlyn Ruf will be running the account during her year of leadership. Let’s show her and our junior association some support!

You’re Invited: Cattlemen’s BEEF 201

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: August 7, 2019

Well, it’s a scorcher out there today. Good thing today’s blog is chock-full of good reads to keep you inside during your lunch break just a liiiitttleee bit longer. As board sale and back-to-school seasons fire up, it’s a busy time for both the worlds of cattle production and beef promotion. All systems are go at our office as we tackle stockyard visits, October Beef Month plans, burger contest, board sales and The MOOseum renovation project. Keep reading to find out more about what’s happening at the ACA this week.

The MOOseum Taking Life

The big news this week is all that’s happening on the first floor of our building! As if it hadn’t already, The MOOseum is truly experiencing a total transformation as the exhibit fabricators are in town performing installation. The images we’ve seen for so long in 2D form are really beginning to take life in 3D and we’re so excited to unveil the new MOOseum!

Save the Date- August Board Meeting

If you’re a Board member, you’re opportunity to see The MOOseum isn’t far off as you’ll get a first-hand look at the August Board Meeting to be held August 22 at 10 a.m. We’ll be celebrating our “Over the Top” counties, enjoying an educational session with Dr. Misty Edmondson and getting all the updates…oh, and touring the new exhibits!! Don’t forget to RSVP to Jessica Kennedy by August 16. We’ll see you there!

Membership # of the Day: 8,770

Out and About at Alabama’s Stockyards

Field services staffer Morgan Pounds has been out and about in Alabama since she started at the ACA in May. She has been to seven yards across the state and hopes to be able to say she has made it out to visit each yard in the state before she has been on our team for a year. So far she’s visited Mid State Stockyards, Montgomery Stockyards, Livingston Stockyards, Opp Stockyards, Sand Mountain Stockyards, Alabama Livestock Auction and Clay County Livestock. For the month of August she has Double A Auction (August 24) and Coffee County (August 29). If you will be at the sale on those days, stop by to meet her and grab a cap!

Trump Signs EU Agreement

The officers of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association were on site at the White House last week for President Trump’s announcement of increased access into the European Union. NCBA President Jennifer Houston said “Today is a good day for America’s cattlemen and cattlewomen. President Trump and his trade team deserve a lot of credit for standing up for America’s cattle industry and securing this important market access to Europe. For many years it has been difficult for us to sell our high-quality U.S. beef to European consumers because of the restrictive tariff and non-tariff barriers, but the establishment of this 35,000 metric ton duty-free quota sends the signal to America’s cattle industry that Europe is ready for U.S. beef. All across America, our beef producers go to great lengths to raise safe and delicious beef products that are enjoyed by consumers around the world. It is exciting to know that European families will enjoy more of the delicious U.S. beef that we feed our families. And this would not have happened if it were not for the effort of President Trump and his trade team.”

Consider being a member of NCBA to support the efforts in Washington, join here www.ncba.org.

Fall Promotional Boxes

Next week, ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell will be preparing October Beef Month boxes for county cattlemen’s associations. These boxes will be ready for pick up at the Summer Board of Directors meeting on August 22. Please contact Ali if there is a special event this fall that you need promotional material for so she can add it to your box. If you are unable to pick up a box at the board meeting, let Ali know that you want it mailed. Email Ali

AJCA Leadership Retreat

ACA Director of Field Services Morgan Pounds will be headed to the 4-H center Friday with our 2019 2020 Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association (AJCA) Board. On this retreat, she hopes the juniors build relationships with each of their fellow board members and grow closer together as a team. The AJCA Board works to serve the Junior Cattlemen of Alabama. Over the weekend, they will have multiple meetings discussing upcoming AJCA events, evaluating 2019 Round-Up (be on the look out for a survey to give us your own evaluation of 2019 Round-Up), and looking at ways they can better serve in their districts as directors.

Board Sales Galore!

It’s board sale season! Staffers Erin Beasley, Kayla Greer, Ali Cantrell, and Morgan Pounds will be attending the Producers Feeder Calf Sale in Autaugaville tonight. The staffers look forward to fellowshipping with fellow cattlemen. On Thursday, Ali Cantrell and Morgan Pounds will head to the SAFE Feeder Calf Sale hosted in the Wiregrass Area.

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.