Ah September— and the slightest hint at fall weather. Well, for a minute anyway! It was nice while it lasted, but as things continue to stay fired up on the farm, we also are fired up about upcoming fall events! While you turn your focus to fall calving, hay season and the holidays…our eyes are on bull sales and beef. Keep reading to learn more about what the ACA is up to this week.
Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program
Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded $26 Million of CARES Act Funds to assist Alabama Agriculture impacted by COVID-19. Funding will be used to establish the Alabama Agricultural Stabilization Program (AASP). No funds may be utilized for salaries, building projects, or capital improvements. Commissioner Rick Pate reminds everyone that the Cattle Producer Applications for the Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program (AASP) will be available online beginning Tuesday Sept. 8, 2020, at 9 a.m. Applicants should visit crf.alabama.gov or agi.alabama.gov to apply.
In order to be eligible for cattle relief funds:
- You must be an Alabama resident
- You must be able to provide documentation that you sold cattle during the date range of April 16, 2020 through May 15, 2020. Slaughter cattle and bulls do not qualify for payment.
- If claiming payment for Dairy Production, you must have been eligible for USDA’s CFAP program for Dairy Production and you must provide the total amount of the CFAP payment you received for Dairy Production.
- Need a copy of your W-9
- Require successful submission of this application and signed certification and assurances form
- Must submit bank account information for electronic payment
- Must provide of a voided check or a memo from your bank with account number and routing number.
Maximum “per head” payments for beef cattle:
Less than 600 lbs. x $69/head
600-900 lbs. x $106/head
Fed cattle (Fats) (over 900 lbs.) x $181/head
If you have any questions regarding eligibility, please call 334-240-7100 or email: aasp-questions@agi.alabama.gov
Stopping by Stockyards
ACA Director of Field Services Morgan Pounds is headed to South Alabama Stockyard’s weekly sale today in Brundidge. She looks forward to seeing the sale and cattlemen from that area. She will also be stopping by Montgomery and Mid-State to put out flyers explaining how to sign up for the Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program. Stockyard owners be on the lookout for letters in the mail explaining this program as well as providing you with a flyer to put up in your yard.
Membership Update
As of today, our statewide membership number is at 9,203 members. We can almost taste that 10,000….so keep recruiting! In case you need a little help along the way with incentives, we are now offering weekly giveaways featuring excellent ACA items and gear to those who join. This week’s item is a grilling set, perfect for the tailgating season that’s soon to kick off! For members who join today (Wednesday) through Sunday, Sept. 13, they’ll automatically be put in the pot to win this prize. We’ve got more items on the horizon, including more cutting boards, custom ACA leather gloves and swag baskets. Stay tuned and recruit!!
Also, county presidents and secretaries who went “Over the Top,” please submit your coat and shirt sizes into Jessica Kennedy at the office so we can get those Over the Top prizes ordered!
The MOOseum- Last Chance to Vote!
The MOOseum is in a contest to be named the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Impact Maker! Hop over to the website today to vote for The MOOseum as this week is your last chance! We sure are proud of our children’s educational center, and you should be too. Website: https://www.montgomerychamber.com/mgm-impact-makers
Bama’s Best Beef Update
This past Sunday ended our last of four photo challenges featuring our eight semifinalist restaurants and dishes! Gather (Atmore) Train Wreck dish took home the seat in the Final 4 against Preston’s Ribeye in Troy. That being said, that means our four finalists are: Bama Bucks (Sardis City) Trophy Mount Ribeye; Jeff’s Place (Roanoke) Steak Sandwich; Diamond Jim’s & Mrs. Donna’s Famous Ribeye; and Gather (Atmore)’s Train Wreck field dish. Now, as the judges head out with their marching orders to anonymously taste test each of the finalist dishes, the fun continues on Facebook as we’ve launched the People’s Choice contest. Click here and give your hometown finalist dish a LIKE to earn them the title of Bama’s Best Beef: People’s Choice!
Foundation Scholarships Now Open
Applications for the 2021-2022 Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarships are now open online at www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarships. The ACF is proud to award over $65,000 in scholarships annually to Alabama’s youth in livestock and those who are the children or grandchildren of longtime members. We offer a variety of scholarships with a range of requirements— there’s truly something to fit any student! We appreciate those who purchase the Cowboy vanity car tag that help fund these scholarships, as well as the generous families who have endowed scholarships through our foundation. Applications CLOSE on November 6 at midnight, so be sure your favorite student(s) submits today!
Where’s the Beef? Contest
The “Where’s the Beef?” Cook-off contest is going on as usual at the Alabama National Fair. ACA will be sponsoring the contest and providing the judges. It will begin at 7 p.m. on October 16 in the Creative Living Center at the Garrett Coliseum. If you are interested in participating, visit the Alabama National Fair website.
Beef Up the Blood Supply
Speaking of October, this year, the ACA is going to “Beef Up the Blood Supply” throughout Alabama with LifeSouth Blood Bank. To celebrate Beef Month, we will be hosting a week of blood donations across Alabama starting in Dothan on October 12! If you live in the Dothan area, have blood, and love a good steak please reach out to us about donating blood that day and you will receive a discount on a Conestoga Steak for your donation. Then the beef mobile will be driving to Decatur Morgan Hospital in north Alabama for two straight days of blood donation and giving away steak sandwiches and beef meal vouchers. We will return to the MOOseum on October 15 for blood donations in the Montgomery area and then we will wrap up the week at the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association center in Troy, AL. Please contact our staffer, Ali Cantrell, about getting signed up for these blood drives if they are near your area!
SLE Update
The Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) Rodeo Board of Directors is meeting today to approve some business items before being brought the membership at its annual meeting happening September 24 at the Wetumpka Civic Center. Members please RSVP to Sydney Dougherty at our office if you plan to attend.
Save the Date- Beef Checkoff Task Force Meeting
The Alabama Beef Checkoff Task Force meeting will be held Thursday, October 29 at the Cattlemen’s building in Montgomery. ANY cattlemen in Alabama interested in attending this meeting is welcome to do so by contacting the ACA office at (334) 265-1867. It is a way to get completely involved in the process and having a say in how beef checkoff dollars are spent in the state. The ideas that come out of the task force meeting will be put into a marketing plan and presented to the Beef Checkoff Council for approval and budgeting. Contact an ACA officer or the office today to get more information on the meeting.
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.