What Round-Up. Those masks were hot, and the sunshine was hotter…but boy oh boy, what a weekend it was! Despite all the curveballs COVID-19 threw our way, ACA Director of Field Services Morgan Pounds handled the changes with grace and pulled off an awesome youth event! We hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did. But, now that the 2020 Round-Up has ridden off into the sunset, we are turning our eyes to the fall months and all the fun that brings os saddle up for this week’s update and let us know if we can do anything to help you!
ROUND-UP WRAP UP
We were thrilled to welcome over 115 youth and 150 cattle to the Garrett Coliseum fairgrounds this weekend for several youth educational contests and three cattle shows. Congrats to all who competed, won and took home big prizes. This year’s overall Top Junior Competitor was Mackenzie Smith of Marshall County. The Overall Intermediate Competitor was Victoria Thompson of Lee County, while her big sister Jewel Thompson took home the Overall Senior Competitor buckle. The Supreme Champion Breeding Heifer was exhibited by Annabelle Wesley of Pike County, while Caleb Fields of Morgan County took home the Grand Champion Market Animal buckle. The Bred & Owned Champion was Audra Graves of Blount County. Stay tuned for the September issue of the Alabama Cattleman magazine for a line-up of ALL the weekend’s winners.
We are also thrilled to introduce you to the 2020-2021 Board of Directors.
President: Hannah Maddox, Dekalb
Vice President: Will Meadows, Houston
Secretary: Hannah Grace Childress, Chilton
Treasurer: Russell Jordan, Clay
Ex- Officio: Ashlyn Ruf, Limestone
District 1: Corley Williams, Marshall
District 2: Brooke Ginn, Calhoun
District 3: Jewel Thompson, Lee
District 3: Victoria Thompson, Lee
District 4: Matthew Baxley, Geneva
At-Large: Walker Johnson, Cullman
SWEET GROWN ALABAMA DAY
Today, we enjoyed the opportunity to participate in Sweet Grown Alabama Day, a kickoff farmers market-style event that highlighted many members of the new state branding program, Sweet Grown Alabama. Commissioner Rick Pate, Gov. Kay Ivey and a host of other dignitaries installed the program and welcomed visitors to the state branding launch as we celebrated Alabama agriculture and the spoils of our harvest.
We as an association will work closely with this program moving forward as official Supporters and advocates for cattle producers who sell homegrown freezer beef. If you are interested in being a Sweet Grown Alabama member and having your products listed for sale on their database, visit www.SweetGrownAlabama.org.
CHECKOFF SIGNS GRILLING FORECAST SPONSORSHIP WITH WAFF
For those who tune into WAFF for your local news, be on the lookout beginning in August for a Weekend Grilling Forecast, brought to you by BEEF! This will be a very eye-catching campaign, and completes our task of promoting summer grilling statewide. This campaign matches two billboard campaigns in the Birmingham area and east/Central Alabama. We also have radio promotions going in Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham and Huntsville and statewide digital advertising through AL.com. This all matches the advertising we are doing through our own social media properties and the website. Summer grilling has been top of mind as families “STEAK at Home.” Visit www.UnitedWeSteak.com/Alabama to learn more.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
As of today, the ACA is proud to represent 8,723 members of our state association and counting as counties continue to recruit new and renewal members. County leaders- don’t forget the new “Over the Top” deadline has been extended to July 31. Help us get to 10,000 members strong while earning your president an iconic ACA red coat! We also encourage ONE representative to save the date for August 13 as we will be hosting a very limited audience Board of Directors Meeting in Montgomery at the RSA Activity Center.
We also like to highlight our associate members every once in a while, so join us in celebrating our close industry partners of the association.
- ALFA Insurance
- Ritchie Industries
- Alabama Farmers Cooperative
- TriGreen Equipment
- Alabama Ag Credit \ Alabama Farm Credit
- Lake Majestik Farms
- Mix30 by Agridyne
- Corteva
- Southeast Select Sires
- Tucker Milling, LLC
- Mr. Fix-It
- Cargill
ACA AT ALABAMA GROCERS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION
On July 27- 29, ACA’s Ali Cantrell will be headed to Destin, FL to meet with retailers and wholesalers at the Alabama Grocers Association Convention. The convention will have a small trade show during the lunch hour of each day for exhibitors to meet with retailers and host a booth with promotional material. Ali will be speaking with attendees about Beef promotion in the retail sector as well as future educational opportunities with staff and sales such as a Beef 101.
ACES SET TO HOST BEEF SHORT COURSES THIS FALL
Producers new to the cattle business should attend Alabama Extension’s new Beef Systems Short Course. The short course is a multi-night lecture series covering the fundamentals of beef production and is geared for new and limited experience producers.
Producers can take the course at different locations around the state, including Jasper, Hayneville, Texasville and Centre. These are regional meetings and producers should select the location and dates most convenient for them. Over four nights, producers will learn critical information on profitable beef production.
There is a $40 registration fee, and all participants will receive a copy of Extension’s recently updated Alabama Beef Handbook.
Alabama Extension animal scientists developed a concentrated curriculum that is most vital for new cattle producers to master. The course will be taught by Extension regional animal science agent. Learn more and register at www.ACES.edu.
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