While the weather stays chilly, things around town are heating up! The legislature is in session. The convention is T-minus one month away, and the rodeo is just 43 days away! That’s not all that’s happening— although it feels like enough! We’re still promoting beef, educating, putting together new YCLP classes, providing scholarships, interacting on social media and SO MUCH MORE. Keep reading for your weekly ACA update.
NCBA Tailgating Tournament- Vote Now!
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is hosting a tailgating tournament to highlight delicious beef recipes for the SuperBowl, NASCAR and the upcoming baseball seasons. Alabama Junior Cattlemen Mason and Mackenzie Smith of Marshall County filmed a video and THEY NEED YOUR VOTE. If announced the winners, the Smith Family as well as our association will be awarded a Traeger Pellet Grill for use at beef promotions across the state. Click THIS LINK and hit “Vote” to cast your ballot. Let’s support these excellent junior cattlemen in their beef promotion efforts! Thanks, Mason and Mackenzie, for highlighting your talents and to their parents, Kirk and Tonya Smith, who encourage their children to be excellent beef industry advocates!
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 43 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.
NCBA Virtual Winter Meeting
NCBA Virtual Policy Meetings are taking place this week. ACA leadership is participating in these meetings to carry votes for Alabama. These will wrap up Thursday evening with the virtual Board of Directors meeting where Larry Reeves and Clay Kennamer will be voting for Alabama.
Alabama Legislative Session Begins
The Legislative Session kicked off yesterday and the ACA hosted the Ag Coalition along with Senate and House Ag Committee Chairs. The group discussed topics for the upcoming session along with how protocols will work with limited access for lobbyists in the state house. Today will be a full day of committee meetings with several important bills being considered. These include the Business Immunity bill (SB30) in Senate Judiciary committee and the income tax exclusion for any Coronavirus money received (SB98) bill in Senate FT&E committee. The Ag committees will not meet this week. ACA will be monitoring bills this session that could be negative to our industry.
In federal news, on Tuesday, Tom Vilsack was confirmed by the Senate Ag Committee to assume the role as Secretary of Agriculture. The confirmation will now go before the Senate body. Vilsack previously served in this position for eight years under the Obama administration.
Alabama Junior & Senior High School Cook-Off Happening in 2021
The Alabama Jr. & Sr. High School Beef Cook-Off will be on April 24 at a new location! Jefferson State Community College has been gracious enough to host the Beef Cook-Off and we thank the culinary education staff for the support. If your county has hosted a local beef cook-off, be sure to get your winners registered on our website at https://www.bamabeef.org/cookoff by March 26! If your county is unable to have a cookoff due to COVID restrictions, counties are permitted to submit 2020 county cookoff winners for the 2021 contest. This event will be held at Health Sciences and Culinary Institute building at Jefferson State and registration is FREE! Please contact me if you have any questions.
YCLP: Selecting Class VIII
Our Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Council will meet tomorrow to discuss several topics. The council will be reviewing Class VIII applications, discussing alumni opportunities for 2021, and involvement during convention. YCLP Class VIII applications are closed. Our current YCLP Class VII will be graduating Saturday night of Convention. We look forward to watching these young cattlemen over the next years as they become leaders of our industry.
Membership Update
As of today, the ACA is home to 5,421 members and counting as county meetings are happening (in some form) across the state! Secretaries, be sure to get those new and renewed members updated in the system by February 15 in order for them to get the March magazine and PLEASE send your county leadership changes to Jessica Kennedy at jkennedy@bamabeef.org.
AJCA News
February brings excitement to our juniors as they get closer to convention! The AJCA Board of Directors will be meeting this month to discuss convention and all the behind the scenes work. The AJCA Board of Directors are excited to host career-centered contest at Convention sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Deadline to register for quiz bowl, career development, and public speaking in February 15! Register today at: https://www.bamabeef.org/Convention
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