After a very busy week out of the office, staff are enjoying some much needed time at the desk this week as we look toward plans for 2021. The checkoff team has its eye on the 2021 Checkoff Marketing Plan while the rodeo team is working on the 2021 SLE Rodeo. It’s business as usual— plus some— as we are busy with fall months!! Keep reading to learn more about what we are up to in the bottom half of October Beef Month.
Beef Up the Blood Supply Wrap Up
In partnership with county Cattlemen chapters, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers and local restaurant partners, the ACA promoted October Beef Month through a weeklong series of blood drives across the state. Beginning on Monday, October 12 state staff partnered with the Houston County Cattlemen’s Association and Conestoga Steak House, owned by cattleman Ted Toole, to secure 30 donors in the Dothan area. Volunteer donors were given a burger for lunch, prepared by Houston County Cattlemen, and a $10 gift certificate for a steak dinner at Conestoga— a prize generously donated by the restaurant.
Then on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Blood Mobile and the Beef Truck met at Decatur Morgan Hospital in Decatur where over 90 blood donations were secured. Donors in Decatur were met with a ribeye steak sandwich, prepared by the Morgan County Cattleman Cook Team, and a voucher for a free Backyard Brisket Burger from SUCH n SUCH Burgers & Tacos, former finalists in the Bama’s Best Burger contest.
On Thursday, October 15, ACA staff partnered with Commissioner Rick Pate and the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries as we hosted a blood drive at the ACA headquarters in downtown Montgomery. Thirteen donors were given a burger to-go and a voucher for a free brisket sandwich from Fat Boy’s Bar-B-Que Ranch in Prattville, owned by Danny Loftin.
Then, to close out the week on Friday, the Beef Truck and Blood Mobile set up shop in Troy at Pike County Cattlemen’s Park and Arena. Donors received a burger to-go, prepared by Pike County Cattlemen & CattleWomen, as well as a $2 off voucher for a ribeye steak dinner at Mossy Grove School House Restaurant.
Throughout the week, this October Beef Month celebration helped secured nearly 150 blood donations and promoted beef across Alabama. Special thanks to our county Cattlemen’s chapters for their help and to all our donors who made this event a success!
YCLP Class Prepares for Another Session
YCLP Class VII will be headed to North Alabama this weekend for their third session. This year’s class is halfway through the program. They have been to numerous cattle producers all across the state. This weekend they will be touring ACA President-Elect Clay Kennamer’s backgrounding yard and cow-calf operation. They will also have the opportunity to take a tour at Look Out Mountain Genetics and Lake Majestic. Lake Majestic is owned by one of our YCLP alumni, Nic Cornelison.
The class will graduate at Convention in March. If you are interested in the program or participating next year please contact YCLP Coordinator Morgan Desselle at morgan@bamabeef.org
Staff Gets Out & About
Staffers will be out and about this weekend traveling to county cattlemen’s picnics, sales and the young cattlemen’s tour. Morgan Desselle will be touring farms, coordinating YCLP, enjoying Lake Majestic’s sale and catching Tennessee River Musi’s sale on Monday. Ali Cantrell will be stopping by Marshall County Cattlemen’s picnic, while Erin Beasley will be headed to Debter Hereford Farm 48th Bull Sale in Horton, Alabama. Stop by and say hey to staffers if you will be in area!
Call to Attend: 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.
USDA’s CFAP 2 Program
Late in September, 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 will run through December 11, 2020.
More CFAP 2 details are available on USDA’s website: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/livestock.
Foundation Scholarships : Deadline Soon!
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!
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