Alabama Cattlemen's Association

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: January 27, 2021

The staff around our office looks like a bunch of ping pong balls in some kind of arcade game! Or at least that’s the analogy we’ve been using all week to describe ourselves. We’re bouncing from beef promotion, to rodeo, to convention, to media buys, to video production, to magazine articles…the fun never ends, and we’re a busy crew! Keep reading to stay updated with the work here at the ACA.

ACA Convention & Trade Show

Join us at the Sheraton Hotel as we’ll be Branding Up Birmingham during our 76th annual ACA Convention & Trade Show. Please note, the event will take place at the Sheraton Hotel but housing will be provided by The Westin, due to COVID-19 procedures. We’ve got excellent industry speakers including Elanco’s Dr. Sara Place and the United States Meat Exports Federation President Dan Halstrom. They’ll be bringing you all the news on beef sustainability and global beef marketing. Aside from the education, our event will feature a jam-up trade show, youth contests sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program and, of course, delicious beef meals.

Get your seat at the table and be sure to join us March 5-6 by registering online now, and don’t forget to book your stay at the Westin Hotel online or by calling (205) 307-3600 and using code ACA. If you would like to be a vendor in our trade show, contact ACA’s Ali Cantrell to reserve your space or register online by clicking here.

SLE Rodeo Tickets Now on Sale

We are 71 days out from the first performance of 2021! Buck on over to www.SLERodeo.com/Tickets now to secure your seats at the greatest show on dirt! This year’s show is sure to please as we’re featuring freestyle bullfighting, the best stock in the PRCA, all kinds of children’s events and hometown rodeo clown, Trent McFarland! We’ve got some awesome ticket deals available for you to take advantage of, so don’t wait. Get on over to www.SLERodeo.com or call 888-2RODEO2 to learn more about all that SLE Livestock Week offers and to purchase your tickets today!

ACA Director of Rodeo Programs Lauren Wilson is fervently on the hunt for new sponsors. If you, your business or your friend’s business would like to sponsor this year’s event, contact Lauren at the office at (334) 265-1867.

Slicing into Prime Rib

ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell along with two Auburn University meat science graduate students will be traveling to Moody High School on Saturday to be judges for their ProStart Invitational. They will be judging the fabrication of a whole Prime Rib as well as the culinary competition for the students. This is the first event hosted by Moody High School in order for their students to have an opportunity for scholarships and experience, since most culinary competitions have been cancelled due to COVID. The ACA is very excited to be a part of this event and show support to culinary programs such as this one that go above and beyond for their students!

County Meetings & Calf Shows

While she’s halfway there, staffer Ali Cantrell will be stopping in at the Colbert County Cattlemen’s Annual Meeting. ACA’s Erin Beasley visited Lowndes and Russell counties meetings recently, and the checkoff trio— Ali, Kayla and Morgan— will be helping with events at the Montgomery County Livestock Expo this coming Sunday. Last weekend the trio also attended the Crenshaw County Belt Buckle Classic in Luverne. While there, Morgan promoted our upcoming junior events in 2021 and raffled off tags, hats and beef gear. Hats off to Ashley Catrett and her behind-the-scenes team for a successful event! We take pride in Alabama’s youth and look forward to watching the next generation grow.

Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program: CLOSING SUNDAY!

We are now accepting Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program Class VIII applications. This program is funded by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program and offers young producers a chance to tour Alabama farms, meet industry leaders, and network with young producers from across the state. Throughout the program, young cattlemen will meet six times and walk away with connections, knowledge, and leadership skills that will aid in their day-to-day operations. Please visit our YCLP application form to read more and see if this program is something that interest you! Apply here for YCLP Class VIII by this Sunday, January 31.

AJCA News

New year, new ideas! We are excited to announce we will be sending out a quarterly e-newsletters to anyone who would like to stay updated on junior events and opportunities! Subscribe today to our Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association quarterly newsletter, and get the latest on updates from your AJCA Board of Directors! https://www.bamabeef.org/ajcanews

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 or Instagram.

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update | January 20, 2021

It’s a big day in America as we observe Inauguration Day this January 20, 2021. While things may be transitioning in D.C., you can be assured that “all systems are go” in Montgomery at the Cattlemen’s Headquarters. We are full force headed into Convention and Rodeo season, and we’re excited to see all our people soon. Until we meet again, please continue to enjoy our weekly updates!

ACA Convention & Trade Show

Alabama Steak Championship

This past Saturday, the Alabama Steak Championship took place at Oak Mountain State Park in Jefferson County. There were 71 steak cooks competing for the title of Alabama Steak Champion, and 46 cooks will be competed in the “Anything Soupy” contest. Jefferson County Cattlemen Jeb Tate and Vice President Berry Jenkins as well as Colbert County Cattlemen Will Gotcher were the judges for the “Anything Soupy” contest as part of our sponsorship of the event. The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association was the steak sponsor for this event and staffer Ali Cantrell was on site with a booth with giveaways as well as ACA gear to sell. Stacey Croft from Moultrie, GA was the official winner of the steak competition. Congrats!

Audit Underway

The annual audit for the ACA has started this week which reviews the Association, Alabama Beef Checkoff, National Beef Checkoff and Foundation accounts. The audit is being conducted by Carr, Riggs and Ingram and will take about two weeks of on-site work to complete. The audited financial statements and reviews will be provided at the ACA Convention and Trade Show during the annual membership meeting on March 6.

SLE Rodeo Tickets Now on Sale

Alabama Ag Coalition Resumes Meetings

On Friday of this week, the Alabama Ag Coalition— which maintains all the stakeholders in Alabama’s ag industry— will resume meeting at the ACA Building in preparation for the upcoming Legislative Session. The group will be discussing any upcoming legislation on the table pertaining to agriculture and aim to assume the Watchdog role come February 2 when the session kicks off.

Stopping by the Crenshaw County Belt Buckle Classic

Staffer Morgan Desselle will be attending Crenshaw Belt Buckle Classic this weekend to promote our 2021 AJCA events. We cannot wait to welcome youth from across the state to convention! We will be bringing back public speaking, career development and quiz bowl to ACA Convention. The contests are all sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program and are free for youth to compete, while offering scholarship prizes. We look forward to seeing youth compete in these contests on Saturday, March 6 in Birmingham. Please visit our convention webpage to register and view the rules on these youth contests.

Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program: Apps Now Open

2021 Membership Update

County leaders, please submit your county annual meeting information to Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy ASAP. Even if you haven’t nailed down a date, we’d love to know if you’re postponing your normal meeting, so we can make note of that for your members! Please also send in officer updates, with emphasis on cell phone and email addresses so we can keep them in the loop. Also, leaders, you should be receiving membership renewals in the mail, and as a reminder, please get those entered or sent in by the 15^th of each month for those members to receive the following month’s magazine. Those mailing sending in updates to the state office need to do so earlier to allow time for processing!

AJCA News

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 or Instagram.

Protein-Packed Immune Defense | Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.

Beef is here to help you get your New Year off to a great and healthy start!

By Elesha Ergle, RDN

Happy New Year! We made it to 2021…now what? Getting started every year most people want to resolve to eat healthier, lose weight, or exercise more. While these can all be positive things, making small changes to your lifestyle and diet can help more than trying to change everything.

Beef is here to help you get your New Year off to a great and healthy start!

Protein Packed

Beef’s protein is one of its most valued assets. One 3-ounce serving of beef provides 25 grams of protein with only 173 calories! The proteins in beef contain all 9 essential amino acids, helping our bodies build muscle and stay healthy and strong. Get some beef jerky on your next grocery order and keep it on hand in the car or gym bag for quick snacking. If you want to try your hand at your own jerky, Trisha Yearwood’s Oven Jerky is a great recipe to try.

Immune Health

While protein may take the driver’s seat of the beef car, zinc would be calling shotgun. Beef is an excellent source of zinc, which aids the immune system and metabolism. A 3-ounce portion of lean beef can provide up to 80% of your daily value of zinc! No supplements needed here, just a healthy dose of beef and a good recipe. Get your day going with some Beef Breakfast Burritos and load up on 38 grams of protein and 70% of your daily value of zinc.

Vitamin D is very important for our immune health as well as mental health. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to weakened immune response as well as depression. While lean beef does not contain high amounts of Vitamin D, beef liver is a good source. Not only is beef liver a good source of Vitamin D, it is an excellent source of vitamin B-12, Vitamin A, and Iron, making it a nutrient-dense super food. Although it is usually not the beef on everyone’s shopping lists, liver can be cooked in many different and delicious ways. Try the classic Liver and Onions or Beef Boudin Boulettes recipes from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner.

Whatever your New Year looks like, resolve to eat more beef! Beef is a versatile, healthy choice that can fit any budget or lifestyle. For more recipes, nutrition information, or information on beef from pasture to plate, visit Beef It’s What’s For Dinner.

Goodbye, 2020, we probably won’t miss you! Happy, healthy 2021, everyone!

This article was funded by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Brought to you by Alabama beef farmers and ranchers. Photo courtesy of BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: January 13, 2021

These are crazy times we live in, folks, but with all the uncertainty we face, one thing remains certain. Your ACA staff is at work for you representing your right to farm! We’re proud to represent Alabama’s cattle producers and your top-quality product. Just like you, we continue to work. Keep reading to learn more about news and updates from the ACA this week!

ACA Co-Hosts “Tele” Town Hall with NCBA

In the evening hours of January 12, cattlemen from across Alabama hopped on the phone with ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley, NCBA CEO Colin Woodall and NCBA VP of Government Affairs Ethan Lane for a state and national cattle industry update. Thanks to all 75+ members that participated in this informative and engaging “tele” Town Hall event. For those interested in joining NCBA, visit www.ncba.org to sign up. If there are any follow-up questions about topics covered, cattlemen can call Erin Beasley at the office to discuss or shoot her an email at ebeasley@bamabeef.org.

ACA Convention & Trade Show

Join us in Jefferson County as we’ll be Branding Up Birmingham during our 76th annual ACA Convention & Trade Show. We’ve got excellent industry speakers including Elanco’s Dr. Sara Place and the United States Meat Exports Federation President Dan Halstrom. They’ll be bringing you all the news on beef sustainability and global beef marketing. Aside from the education, our event will feature a jam-up trade show, youth contests sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program and, of course, delicious beef meals.

Youth Contests at Convention

Our Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Board of Directors look forward to welcoming youth from across the state to convention to compete in career-centered contests! We will be bringing back public speaking, career development and quiz bowl to ACA Convention. The contests are all sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program and are free for youth to compete, while offering scholarship prizes. We look forward to seeing youth compete in these contests on Saturday, March 6 in Birmingham. Please visit our convention webpage to register and view the rules on these youth contests.

SLE Rodeo Tickets Now on Sale

Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program: Apps Now Open

Conservation Commission Meeting

ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley will be involved with a board meeting for the Alabama Ag and Conservation Development Commission Wednesday afternoon. This commission oversees many programs within NRCS and Soil and Water Conversation. Some programs that may be familiar to cattlemen are feral hog control and riparian buffer programs. ACA serves on many boards to represent the cattle industry for our producers!

Bringing the Beef to Birmingham

This Saturday, the Alabama Steak Championship will take place at Oak Mountain State Park! There will be 73 steak cooks competing for the title of Alabama Steak Champion and 30 cooks will be competing in the “Anything Soupy” contest. Jefferson County Cattlemen Jeb Tate and Vice President Berry Jenkins, as well as Colbert County Cattlemen Will Gotcher, will be judges for the “Anything Soupy” contest as part of our sponsorship of the event. The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association is the steak sponsor for this event and staffer Ali Cantrell will be on site with a booth with giveaways as well as ACA gear to sell.

For those interested in attending, it is a cash-only fee to enter Oak Mountain State Park for those not staying at the campground, and it is $5 per adult (age 12 +), $2 per child (age 4-11), $2 per Senior (age 62+) and free for ages 3 and under.

2021 Membership Update

We are starting on strong in January as to date, the ACA is home to 4,548 current members. County leaders, please submit your county annual meeting information to Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy by THIS Friday in order to make the cut for next month’s magazine. Even if you haven’t nailed down a date, we’d love to know if you’re postponing your normal meeting, so we can make note of that for your members! Also, leaders, you should be receiving membership renewals in the mail, and as a reminder, please get those entered or sent in by the 15^th of each month for those members to receive the following month’s magazine. Those mailing sending in updates to the state office need to do so earlier to allow time for processing!

Legislative Update

The legislative session in Alabama is set to begin on February 2. Legislators will be looking at a very different session as they navigate how to tend to business safely. ACA’s Erin Beasley visited with Sen. Greg Reed, President Pro Tem, this week about topics that will be covered during the session and safety procedures to conduct the business. The ACA building has been offered to both the House and Senate to be used for committee and caucus meetings this session due to space limitations at the State House.

AJCA News

Membership & Checkoff Ads Firing Up on Facebook

With the new year comes a new plan to implement advertising on Facebook for both ACA membership and checkoff-related content. Currently, a “Your Dollar Does” producer communication piece is running as well as a month-long membership campaign. A Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner protein advertisement just wrapped up, and another beef-and-health-based ad is set to launch next week. This effort comes as an attempt to keep rolling advertisements through our social media accounts so our page remains relevant, we increase followership, increase clicks to our website and reach Alabamians who don’t currently follow us. These ads will run continuously year round and so far are receiving great feedback!

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 or Instagram.

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: January 6, 2021

Happy New Year! Hindsight is 20:20…thank goodness! As we head into a new year, things may look very different, but one thing that remains the same is our busy calendar. The first quarter of the year is jam packed for our association as we tackle convention, the SLE Rodeo and attend as many county meetings as possible. We’re also working to lay the groundwork for the year to come, so grab a seat and keep reading for a look as what’s happening at the ACA this week.

ACA Convention & Trade Show

SLE Rodeo Tickets Now on Sale

2021 Membership Drive

It’s a new membership year, and we are now recruiting for 2021! ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is working to mail out county supply boxes this week, so county leaders, be on the look out for those! Reporting for 2021 is now updated, and we are working to get all those that renewed or joined online during the holidays updated in the system. We encourage county secretaries to begin submitting members who renewed from the first mail out now. Let’s make 2021 the best yet! If you have any membership questions, contact Jessica Kennedy at our office by calling 334-265-1867.

YCLP Class VII to Hold Last Session

The Young Cattlemen’s Program Class VII will be headed off to their final session this weekend. The class will be going out with a BANG! From farm tours at Town Creek, Mike Dee’s and Eric Smith’s to touring Mississippi State Meat Lab and speaking with NCBA Executive Colin Woodall, this session is no doubt one for the books. This year’s class has had the opportunity to build on their knowledge of the beef industry, networking skills, and enhance their natural leadership abilities.

If you are interested in joining next year’s YCLP class applications are open until January 31^st at https://www.bamabeef.org/f/101. We look forward to graduating YCLP Class VII at Convention in Birmingham!

ACA and NCBA “Tele” Town Hall Call-In Meeting

Next Tuesday, January 12 at 5:30 p.m. CST, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association will be joining forces with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association to host a call-in “town hall” for members of the ACA. ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley will supply a state cattle industry and policy update, while NCBA CEO Colin Woodall will do the same on the national level. NCBA’s Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane will also be on the call to cover news on the national policy forefront. If you’re a member of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, you are invited to call-in and have your questions answered! You must pre-register for this event in order to receive further calling instructions. Register Now

Junior Cattlemen Update & Save the Dates

The Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Board of Directors have been hard at work planning and brainstorming for 2021 events. We are excited to announce this year we have not one but two field days on the calendar. We also will be bringing career centered contest back to ACA Convention this year. Please register now online for public speaking, career development, and quiz bowl at https://www.bamabeef.org/Contests. We are also excited to host two ZOOM trainings on building Junior Cattlemen’s county chapters. Lastly, we of course, will continue on the tradition of Round-Up in July!

Please see below events and mark them on your calendar. Stay tunned for more details on the below events!

Deadline to register for Convention: February 15^th
AJCA Convention Contest: March 6^th Birmingham, AL
Spring Field Day: April 17^th Quail Valley Farms – Oneonta, AL
Building County Junior Cattlemen’s Programs Zoom: May 25^th or May 27^th at 7:00 pm ONLINE
Round-Up: July 15-18^th Montgomery, AL
Fall Field Day: September 18^th Covington County Arena Andalusia, AL

Alabama Steak Championship

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association is proud to be the steak sponsor for the Alabama Steak Championship happening at Oak Mountain State Park on January 16! We’re very excited to be a part of this event and happy that Jefferson County Cattlemen Jim Miller and Tim Tate will be joining us as judges for the “Anything Soupy” contest! ACA will have a booth at the location with fun Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner recipes and giveaways.

Beef Cooking Segments in the Works

Speaking of beef, Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell is also getting a jump start on contracts with news stations for cooking segments for 2021. Be on the lookout for cooking segments brought to you on your local tv news station throughout the course of 2021!

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.