As we head boldly into October Beef Month, the weather seems to be flipping into the fall season with us! As temperatures drop, trees change color and those beautiful fall calves start painting the landscape, we are excited about the busy month ahead!! It’s our favorite time of year here at the ACA, and we look forward to getting out and about to promote beef to consumers and visit with producers at local events. Keep reading to learn more about what your state staff has on their to-do lists.
Beef at Talladega SuperSpeedway
If you are a NASCAR fan and will be attending the Talladega 500 this coming weekend, keep a look out for our Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. signage as checkoff funding went into advertising beef to NASCAR fans attending the event! We are excited to be sponsoring the race this year and and look forward to some social media cross-promotions, as they share a throwback photo of the old Beef Wagon at the race and some “Nicely Done, Beef” digital advertising pieces on their social media outlets. Keep a lookout and be sure to share it when you see it!
AASP Deadline Soon!
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) are now available and close soon on October 9, 2020. 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
USDA Releases CFAP 2 Program
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture opened application for a second round of COVID assistance relief through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), or CFAP 2. Key details include:
Cattle Payments: The CFAP 2 payment rate for eligible beef cattle is $55 per head. Payments will be based on the maximum owned inventory of eligible livestock, excluding breeding stock, on a date selected by the producer, between Apr. 16, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2020.
Signups began Monday, September 21 and will run through December 11, 2020.
More CFAP 2 details are available on USDA’s website: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/livestock.
Beginning Beef Month Promotions
This week, ACA Director of Education & Outreach and October Beef Month Extraordinaire Ali Cantrell will be kicking off October Beef Month in north Alabama. On Thursday, she will be traveling to Limestone County for the Limestone County Cattlemen’s Steak Sandwich Sale. Steak Sandwiches will be served from 10:30am – 12:45pm at the Limestone Farmers Co-op in Athens. Then, on Friday, Ali will be joined by ACA Director of Rodeo Programs Lauren Wilson as they travel together to the Odenville Rodeo in St. Clair County to promote both Beef Month and the 2021 SLE Rodeo. They will have a booth set up to sell merchandise for both nights of the rodeo on October 2 & 3.
The Land Show
Speaking of October, today ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley will participate in a pre-recorded radio interview with The Land Show, planned to air this weekend! The group will discuss October Beef Month activities, cattle programs associated with COVID-19 and update listeners on the work of the association throughout the pandemic. Tune in this weekend to hear what all Erin has to say!
SLE Annual Membership Meeting
Last Thursday, the officers and staff of the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) enjoyed welcoming the membership to the Wetumpka Civic Center for a meeting and the annual banquet. New officers were installed and include Randy Davis, president; Frank Ellis, president-elect; Linwood McClain, vice president; LD Fitzpatrick, treasurer; and Erin Beasley, executive director. We honored outgoing directors— Joe Nicholas, Stinson Ellis and Michael Gallops‚ and welcomed Tina Hammonds, Doug Smith and Dr. Nealy Barrett in to fill their shoes. The group also voted to welcome new members Bart Smith, Caroleene Dobson, Brad McClain and Len Jones into the the organization. Big things are to come with the 2021 rodeo season, so saddle up and enjoy the ride!
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!
Membership Update
As of today, our statewide membership number is at 9,484 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 an ACA swag basket featuring ACA imprinted leather work gloves, a cap, an ACA tumbler and goodies from Priester’s Pecans. For members who join today (Wednesday) through Sunday, October 4, they’ll automatically be put in the pot to win this prize. We’ve got more items on the horizon, including more cutting boards, grilling sets and more baskets. Stay tuned and recruit!!
Beef Up the Blood Supply
OCTOBER IS BEEF MONTH IN ALABAMA! 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 Backyard Brisket Burger vouchers from SUCH n SUCH Burgers and Tacos. 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!
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.
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