Alabama Cattlemen's Association

What’s Going On Wednesday: November 21, 2018

We cattlemen are in a unique position. In a time of year when others are slowing down enough to stop and be grateful for their many blessings, we cattlemen don’t have to do that. You see, we cattlemen practice gratefulness every single day already. It’s basically in our job description. We’re thankful for each newborn healthy calf and each mama with a full bag. We’re thankful for sunshine, and we’re thankful for rain. We’re even thankful when it stops raining. We’re thankful for a barn full of hay; heck, we’re even thankful for leftover baling twine when the old chain around the gate decides to finally break. We’re thankful for each generation of children who work beside us, and we’re thankful for those who have gone on before us and paved our way in this industry. We’re thankful when the market prices are strong, and we’re thankful when a day of working cows goes smoothly. We’re thankful for sunrises, for sunsets, for green grass and for the natural ponds and waterways that paint our farms. We’re thankful for leather gloves when rusty fence posts are downed on a hot, summer day, and we’re thankful for a warm coat on frosty mornings when the cows still need to be fed. We’re thankful for old farm trucks, loyal dogs, the kind of neighbors you can only find in the South…the ones who would give us the shirt off their backs…and mostly, we’re thankful for the opportunity to live and work on the land with the animals our Good Lord gave us. If we’re not in the business of gratefulness, then what are we in?

Just like your long list of daily thanks, we here at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association are thankful, too. We are thankful for you. We’re thankful for your work. We’re thankful for your leadership, and most importantly, we’re thankful for the impact you have in feeding our world. No matter where you enjoy your meal- whether it be around the table, in the seat of a harvester or far from the comforts of home- we send you and yours our warmest Thanksgiving wishes!

2019 ACA Convention & Trade Show

We’re beefin’ up the ‘Ham…Birmingham, that is! Join us at the 2019 ACA Convention & Trade Show at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) February 15-16, 2019. There are endless activities, learning opportunities and networking experiences awaiting your registration including dynamic and educational Cattlemen’s Colleges, a trade show with the industry’s elite equipment, tool and nutritional names, a menu of delicious beef meals and fun for the whole family at Friday evening’s Boots & BBQ event and Saturday’s Awards Banquet!

We look forward to the 76th annual ACA Convention and Trade Show, and you should too! Registration opens online Monday, November 26 at www.BamaBeef.org/Convention. Mail-in forms will be available in your December issue of the Alabama Cattleman or on the site listed above.

Budgets & Marketing Plan

As a result of this month’s Checkoff Task Force, executive committee and board of directors meetings, we are proud to report that the 2019 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan and all major budgets have been approved. Next year brings a whole new round of exciting projects, programs and procedures to act as a roadmap for staff here at the ACA to follow, thanks to the input of Alabama’s cattlemen and our outstanding volunteer leaders. We are grateful to all who played in a role in this month’s activities!

You can check out the marketing plan on the website beginning in January at www.BamaBeef.org/Checkoff.

Sec. Perdue Visits the Wiregrass

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited Alabama last week to visit with farmers and assess damage from Hurricane Michael. ACA staffer Ali Cantrell filled in for Erin as she was with the officers in Georgia for another meeting of the Southeastern cattlemen’s associations. The Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation is still collecting money for disaster relief and we are happy to report that the excavator has been moved into southeast Houston county to begin helping cattlemen in the area move debris and clear fence rows.

Fake Meat Update

Last week, USDA announced the following regarding lab-grown meat. “We have concluded that both the USDA and the FDA should jointly oversee the production of cell-cultured food products derived from livestock and poultry. Drawing on the expertise of both USDA and FDA, the Agencies are today announcing agreement on a joint regulatory framework wherein FDA oversees cell collection, cell banks, and cell growth and differentiation. A transition from FDA to USDA oversight will occur during the cell harvest stage. USDA will then oversee the production and labeling of food products derived from the cells of livestock and poultry. And, the Agencies are actively refining the technical details of the framework, including robust collaboration and information sharing between the agencies to allow each to carry out our respective roles.”

This announcement essentially means that USDA will have primary jurisdiction over the most important facets of lab-produced fake meat. It is certainly an important step in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of work to do on this issue to ensure that real beef producers and consumers are protected and treated fairly. We encourage cattlemen to file official comments before the new deadline of Dec. 26. Contact Erin for help on where to file a comment and how.

County Annual Meetings

County meetings are off to a very strong start! We’ve had the pleasure of attending serval county events lately and love to see the hard work of counties executed in their annual meetings. As a reminder, leading up to your county’s annual meeting, please contact Jessica Kennedy in our office to inform her of the date, time and location and to request a speaker! Remember, the earlier you get those dates to us, the earlier we can get them on our website and in the magazine!! Following the meeting, send Jessica any officer updates in order to update our system with corrected contact information for 2019.

Also, as you’re collecting membership information to put into the system, remember how important phone numbers and email addresses are! It is essential to county leaders and to us here at the state to be able to contact our members when needed. It helps everyone in the long run!

A Very MOOey Christmas

Each Christmas season, The MOOseum and the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program looks forward to a time of giving back to the community with a cowboy-themed MOOey Christmas event! Local care centers bring their classes for Christmas cookies, The MOOseum tours, a look at live animals and, of course, a sit on Cowboy Clause’s lap. This year we are excited to host this event on Friday, Dec. 21 and invite you to bring your little ones out to experience the magic of Christmas…with a Western flare!

SLE Rodeo Tickets

The 62nd annual SLE Rodeo will come bucking back to town March 14-16 for the best show on dirt east of the Mississippi! Rodeo ticket sale open up for Elite Buyers on Tuesday, Dec. 4 so if you qualify, give Kara Coplin a call at 888-2RODEO2. Don’t forget to save the dates!

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.

Low & Slow: It’s Beef for the Holidays

By Elesha Ergle, RDN

Changing colors. Changing seasons. Changing wardrobes. Hallmark Christmas movies. Pumpkin-spice everything.

It’s that time of year where we embrace the coming of fall and winter holidays and the going of yet another year. Most of us cattle farmers in Alabama are done with calving season for the year and are busy preparing our herd to be bred back for fall calving next year while others prepare for spring calves soon to arrive.

While Thanksgiving may be dubbed “Turkey Day,” as a beef producer and dietitian, I wanted to change it up a bit and highlight some amazing, nutritious ways we can use beef during this holiday season. Let’s try some new things, bring up some memories and maybe even start some new traditions!

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

In Alabama we may or may not experience a cold winter…but when it’s cold, it’s COLD (to us Southerners anyway). When the cold weather starts to come, there’s always the first pot of chili. Whether it’s stove top, pressure cooker or in a slow cooker, a good, hearty chili is the love language that will warm you up from inside out. Most of us have a chili recipe we love that might spark a childhood memory or two…maybe it’s grandma’s recipe, or maybe you remember it from your first Iron Bowl tailgate. I love to make chili in an electric pressure cooker (EPC) and keep it warm in a slow cooker as the flavors continue to marry. If you’re like us and have plenty of frozen ground beef, use you’re EPC to thaw and cook. Place the frozen meat (approximately one pound) in the EPC along with about one inch of water. Close the lid and seal, pressure cook on high for 22 minutes. Quick release the pressure and drain water. Turn the EPC on sauté, chop the meat into crumbles and continue cooking to 160 degrees. Now all you have to do is add the other ingredients and your chili will be ready to go! Don’t have a good chili recipe? Give this easy Chili Recipe from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner a try!

Cooking for a Crowd

Before sitting down to celebrate “Turkey Day,” as family starts to pile in, get a hearty pot of beef stew together. Whether you like the ease and quick cooking of the EPC or cooking it low and slow in the slow cooker, greet your family with the smell of a home-cooked beef stew. If you decide to go the EPC route, this recipe from Family Fresh Meals is a great one to try. Taste of Home has a great slow cooker Beef Stew recipe that you will want to use over and over again. I love to serve beef stew with a good crusty bread to top off a quick and easy meal. Stock your pantry with ingredients for these recipes and maybe even some disposable bowls for easy clean up! You can grab a quick bowl of stew while you’re still prepping items for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving Day meal.

Beefy Sides

It’s Thanksgiving Day. Your mom cooks the turkey, your grandma makes the dressing, Aunt Betty makes the pies. What are YOU bringing to the table? These easy beef recipes will give you time to sit down and watch the Macy’s parade or check the Black Friday sale papers. Try this easy One-Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes Supreme in your EPC. Put everything in your EPC and let it do all the work. One-pot means little to no mess, which is a win-win if you ask me! Start a new Thanksgiving mac and cheese tradition with this Slow Cooker Beefy Mac and Cheese that you will want to add to your regular recipe collection or add a Shepherd’s Pie to the Thanksgiving spread that even the pickiest of kids will love! Set it and forget it in the slow cooker to have an easy, beefy and delicious dish that is sure to please even the biggest turkey lover.

Lasso Those Leftovers

The day after Thanksgiving is a coveted day for many. I have been Black Friday shopping one time…but never again. I have tons of friends who will deny themselves sleep and maybe even throw a punch to get a hand mixer for $5. Not me. I opt to stay home, watch a Christmas movie, shop online or go hunting. Whether you’re planning your shopping strategy or getting your camouflage ready on Black Friday Eve, look ahead to the morning with this easy slow cooker Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole recipe from Pillsbury, substituting the bacon for a pound of cooked Basic Beef Country Breakfast Sausage. Using lean beef instead of bacon will lower the fat and calorie content as well as giving it that beefy protein boost. Loaded with flavor and protein, it will be the perfect fuel after a long morning of power shopping, decorating or hunting.

War Eagle, Roll Tide

The end of Black Friday marks a State of Alabama tradition in two words…Iron Bowl. Those words inevitably stir up some sort of memory in all of us. It is said that we Alabamians declare at birth whether we will yell “War Eagle” or “Roll Tide.” My brother and I grew up in a house divided. As much as my parents loved each other, the Iron Bowl was the time that my dad was on one side of the house and mom on the other. With Eli Gold on the radio and televisions muted, watching the Iron Bowl was always fun no matter what side of the house we were on. My mom loved to cook, and beef was often a staple of our Iron Bowl gatherings. Beef is the perfect food for the Iron Bowl, providing 12 percent of our daily value of iron per 3-oz serving.

What beefy foods do you think about for the Iron Bowl? How about some beefed up cheese dip? Give this Slow Cooker Cheese Dip a try at your next tailgate- it is sure to be a keeper. Beef up your Iron Bowl party with this amazing recipe for Brisket Cowboy Nachos. Cook the brisket in a slow cooker instead of the oven and hold on low. Set up other toppings and ingredients for a delicious beefy nacho buffet that your friends will want a repeat for the playoffs. Finally, what could be better for the Iron Bowl than using some flat iron steaks!? Flat iron steaks are packed with flavor and plenty of protein to keep you going through the entire game. This recipe for Slow Cooker BBQ Flat Iron Steak Sandwiches will be your new Iron Bowl tradition. Serve as suggested on a hoagie roll, or grab some Hawaiian sweet rolls to serve in smaller portions for your guests to graze during the big game.

While the holidays are usually a time of indulging and often associated with packing on the pounds, you can cut down on calories and increase your intake of protein, vitamins and minerals by using lean beef. Lean beef is a protein powerhouse that provides 25 grams of protein per 3-oz serving with only 173 calories.

So let’s get this season started by grabbing some of these great beef recipes or visit Beef It’s What’s For Dinner for even more recipes and learn all about beef from pasture to plate. Happy Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Iron Bowl and Fall Y’all!

This article was funded by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Progam. Paid for by Alabama beef farmers and ranchers.

What’s Going On Wednesday: November 7, 2018

Just as quickly as it came, it left! October is now in our rear view mirror, and our sites are set on a big holiday season ahead. BUT WAIT! Before we get there, we’ve got two very important things that must happen first…(1) We have to have our November Board Meeting and (2) we have to pull together and have the board approve the 2019 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan. No small feat, right?! Don’t worry. We’re up to the task. In fact, we’re up to many tasks, so while we work on that, we’ll be working on lots more so keep reading to learn what’s happening at the ACA this week.

Election Results are in!

Last night’s election results were fascinating to watch at the national level. The Democrats took control of the US House of Representatives and the US Senate grabbed a few mores Republican seats. In Alabama, the GOP held onto every statewide office and did so in an overwhelming fashion. The AL Congressional races were won easily by incumbents garnering anywhere from 62%-80%. The state senate kept a Republican super majority. The ACA would like to congratulate Governor Kay Ivey, Lt. Governor-Elect Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, State Auditor Jim Zeigler and Secretary of State John Merrill for their convincing victories last night.

Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program Heads North

An exciting weekend is ahead as the YCLP Class V will meet for the fourth time this year in north Alabama for an industry tour. The group will be exposed to several different types of unique operations such as Lookout Mountain Genetics – a bull stud facility- Clay Kennamer’s backgrounding yard, Lake Majestik Farms and Tennessee River Music. We thank our hosts in advance for offering their time to visit with our young leaders and look forward to a weekend full of fun, leadership development and industry networking.

Hurricane Michael Relief Fund

The hurricane relief fund is still collecting donations and would like to thank all that have contributed so far. The funds are being used to rent equipment to help producers clean fence rows and debris left behind from the hurricane. To start, the equipment will be in southeast Houston County, which is the most severely affected area of the state. We are working with the county leadership and Extension to identify cattle farms in need. To donate, visit www.BamaBeef.org/HurricaneRelief.

American Cancer Society Wellness Forum

Today the ACA is hosting the American Cancer Society for their wellness forums on our third floor. They will be discussing workplace wellness programs as well as their legal requirements along with an overview of HIPAA, ADA and GINA Wellness Program Regulations. We’re proud to host these influencer groups and get beef on their minds as they walk through our doors!

November Board Meeting- Just Around the Corner

Next week brings in chilly weather, so come bundled up to our November Board of Directors meeting happened next Thursday, November 15 beginning at 10 a.m. Don’t forget to submit your RSVP to Jessica Kennedy. We will have a warm, delicious meal for you, and we’ll cover a lot of important business quickly in order to get you back home in time to feed! We look forward to seeing our Board members at next week’s meeting…and the last of 2018!

MEMBERSHIP CORNER

County leaders: county renewal statements have officially been sent out. Be on the lookout as renewals begin coming in and be vigilant to update them in the i4a system to ensure memberships are being renewed and kept us as the member expects! If you need to make secretarial changes or need a refresher on the i4a membership software program as we enter into county meeting season, contact ACA Membership & Producer Contact Coordinator Jessica Kennedy.

Speaking of county meetings, we’d love to hear about yours! Let us know when, where and what time your county annual meetings are, and we’ll add them to our online calendar and get a staff person or officer there in attendance. That’s the perfect time also to make your napkin and placemat requests, too! Following the meetings, send your updated officer information to Jessica (email above) so we can update that information in our system and ensure that the new president and secretary gets pertinent information they need.

BEEF 101

On Friday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell will join cattle producers Jason & Dr. Misty Edmondson as they work together to host another BEEF 101 program with culinary students from Wallace State Community College and Calhoun County Career Academy. This will be the last program of the the fall season, but spring programs are already in the works!

BEEF ON IBOTTA

October Beef Month may be over, but our Ibotta campaign is not! The popular consumer app now has a rebate for any fresh beef products at most Alabama retail chains that offers $0.25 back on your beef purchases. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is excited to offer this incentive for shoppers as a way to encourage increased beef sales throughout the holiday months. Download the app and start shopping today!

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.

What’s Going On Wednesday: October 31

Happy Halloween! We hope this update is the least scary part of your day and that you can take just a few minutes to enjoy what all it has to say. With October Beef Month wrapping up, the checkoff referendum passed and ___, our sights are now set on sales, 2019 checkoff planning, the last board meeting of 2018 and the upcoming holiday season and all the beef promotion that comes with the most wonderful time of the year! We know you’re busy, too, with calving season, the beginning of feeding season and wrapping up a busy harvest for many of our diversified producers, so we’ll make this short and sweet. Keep reading to learn about what’s happening at the ACA this week.

Alabama Cattlemen Checked yes!

Thank you to all producers and volunteers that helped (and voted yes!) with the Alabama Beef Checkoff Referendum last Wednesday. We are thrilled to report that we successfully passed the referendum with over 97% of cattle owners in favor of continuing the program for another five years. The vote total was 662 YES to 23 NO votes. The referendum passed in all 67 counties! Thanks again for your hard work and for electing to continue the work of the beef checkoff in Alabama.

ACF SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS CLOSE TOMORROW!

Applications will close at midnight on November 1- TOMORROW!. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

Hurricane Michael Relief Fund

The disaster relief money being collected through the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation will be used to rent heavy equipment to assist producers in the affected areas of Hurricane Michael. The equipment will help clear debris and fence rows for cattlemen to begin building back their farms. Please consider making a donation today at www.BamaBeef.org/HurricaneRelief. Thank you to all individuals and county cattlemen that have donated time and resources to help those in need!

MEMBERSHIP Corner

County leaders: county renewal statements go out Thursday, Nov.1. Be on the lookout as renewals begin coming in be vigilant to update them in the i4a system to ensure memberships are being renewed and kept us as the member expects! If you need to make secretarial changes or need a refresher on the i4a membership software program as we enter into county meeting season, contact ACA Membership & Producer Contact Coordinator Jessica Kennedy.

BEEF 101 Teaches About Beef From Pasture to Plate

Last week, ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell hosted two BEEF 101 programs with the help of cattlemen and the staff at the AU Meat Lab and Beef Teaching Unit. On Monday, FACS teachers from all over the state of Alabama attended to learn more about the beef industry, while on Thursday, salesmen from Wood Fruitticher and FACS students from Jefferson County High school came out as well. Fall BEEF 101 programs are quickly wrapping up, and the spring calendar is already in the works!

Cattle Sales

On Saturday, October 20, staffer Kayla Greer made the haul to West Point, MS to represent Alabama Cattlemen at the Town Creek Brangus & Ultrablack Sale. Over 130 Brangus and Ultrablack bulls averaged $5,108 while 244 commercial bred heifers averaged $2,004. Beautiful facilities, gracious hosts and fine cattle made for a great trip west. We enjoyed seeing so many familiar Alabama faces and meeting new ones, too!

Last Friday, staffers Michael Agar, Erin Beasley and Kayla Greer headed just south of town to attend the CK Cattle Headquarters Sale in Hope Hull. They were joined by a whole host of producers, but two special guests included ACA President Jack Batts and President-Elect Chris Langley. The livestock performed great as Angus bulls averaged $4,070, ChiAngus bulls averaged $4,129 and SimAngus bulls averaged $5,400. Congratulations to the Madaris/Evans families on successful sale!

ACA President-Elect Chris Langley and staffer Ali Cantrell attended the Debter Hereford Sale in Horton this past Saturday. With 103 bulls averaging $5,257, bred Hereford heifers averaging $2,932, open Hereford heifers averaging $1,756 and commercial bred heifers averaging $1,875, congratulations to the Debter family are in order for another successful cattle sale.

ACA staffers Erin Beasley and Michael Agar headed north to Fort Payne for Tennessee River Music’s High Cotton Angus and Hereford Bull Sale on Monday. Thirty-three Angus bulls averaged $3,660 while 21 Hereford bulls averaged $3,171 and one commercial Angus bull averaged $3,000. We would like to congratulate the TRM family for yet another successful sale and thank them for their hospitality.

Checkoff Task Force to Gather in Montgomery

Tomorrow the Alabama Beef Checkoff Task Force will meet at the ACA headquarters in Montgomery to begin working on the 2019 Marketing Plan. This group of 40 cattlemen, stakeholders and industry partners will brainstorm ideas for programming. Those ideas will then be put into a draft marketing plan for the Executive Committee and Board of Directors to approve later in November. We look forward to hearing the recommendations of producers about how they would like to see their checkoff dollars put to work!

BCIA Board Meeting

Last Thursday, ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar attended the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association’s (BCIA) Fall Board Meeting. While there, Michael gave an ACA update to the board and discussed ways that the checkoff can further support producer education in the state. The ACA will look forward to hosting Alabama BCIA on March 30, 2019 in Montgomery for their annual meeting.

Save the Date- General Elections Nov. 6

Just in case you haven’t heard or seen enough political ads across Alabama, here is ONE MORE reminder to head to the polls next Tuesday and cast your vote in the Alabama General Election. As with any, this vote is very important as it will seat the political representatives we will work closely with over the next four years to protect the best interests of beef cattle producers in Alabama. Your vote matters, so take a short break from your work next Tuesday and head to the polls!

BEEF ON IBOTTA

Calling all Ibotta shoppers! The popular consumer app now has a rebate for any fresh beef products at most Alabama retail chains that offers $0.25 back on your beef purchases. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is excited to offer this incentive for shoppers as a way to encourage increased beef sales throughout October Beef Month. Download the app and start shopping today!

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.

Fall in Love with Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

By Elesha Ergle, RDN

Flank steak, short ribs, oxtails, oh my!

If you’re like me, this time of year brings about a new schedule, time to start revamping my cooking style (or lack the thereof from the crazy summer months) and get full-swing into fall recipes. The slow cooker is always at the top of the list to get some cozy meals going for those shorter days and cooler nights.

Here in Alabama, we consider a high of 70ºF as a cold front and start to break out the scarves and sweaters, and of course, make that first pot of chili. While chili is a longtime fall favorite at my house, in celebration of October Beef Month in Alabama, I wanted to draw some attention to a few lesser-known and used cuts of beef to help diversify our recipe portfolios.

We are cattle farmers, so it goes without saying…we eat a lot of beef. Steaks, roasts and ground beef make up the majority of our recipe box. As much as we love beef, though, I rarely stray from my usual routine. We recently took three of our steers to a local processor and were given options of how to have the meat processed. Flank steaks and short ribs would most always make the cut when processing a steer, but we also chose to get the oxtails. Given that I now have these cuts on hand, I Googled, scoured cookbooks, watched YouTube videos and asked friends how they like to cook different cuts of beef. I hope my findings inspire you to try something new as well.

Flank steaks, often referred to as jiffy steaks or London Broil, are cut from the abdominal muscles under the loin. Flank steaks pack a whopping 23g of protein per 3-oz serving with only 6g of total fat and 160 calories. These lean steaks are very flavorful and work well when marinated and grilled or whipped up in a slow cooker to increase tenderness. There is nothing like coming home to the wonderful smell of beef that has been slow cooking all day, and this Taste of Home Slow Cooker Flank Steak recipe works well for those busy days when you need to have your meal ready when you get home from work.

While I do love my slow cooker, I have absolutely fallen in love with the ease and quick use of an electric pressure cooker. An electric pressure cooker will also increase tenderness while adding flavor and significantly reducing cooking time. For those days that you didn’t have time to start the slow cooker before work (or didn’t have all your ingredients that morning) the electric pressure cooker can make you look like Betty Crocker in minutes! If you have an electric pressure cooker and are looking for a great use of flank steak, give this recipe for Asian-inspired Mongolian Beef a try.

Short ribs are often overlooked and underutilized but are very versatile and delicious. They can be purchased boneless or bone-in, and a 3-oz serving of short ribs pack 24g of protein, 12g of fat and just 200 calories. Short ribs have a rich flavor that shines after slow cooking all day. When slow cooking bone-in short ribs, you will find that they have an even richer flavor. This slow cooker short rib recipe is one you can set and forget until dinnertime.

I have a lot of friends that regularly cook oxtails, and they were excited when we came home with oxtails from the steers we had processed. Due to their cost and where the cut originates, a good friend of ours refers to oxtails as the “swinging sirloin.” Unlike sirloin, oxtails have a high fat content with approximately 200 calories per 3-oz serving, depending on cooking method. Even with the high fat content, oxtails still pack that awesome beef punch with about 20 grams of protein per serving. Oxtails are easily prepared and have many different variations on cooking methods. From baking to boiling and braising to slow cooking, these cuts have so much versatility. Nothing says “Southern Soul Food” quite like oxtails smothered in gravy. This recipe for Southern Smothered Oxtails is sure to be a keeper! While this is a rather high-fat meal, a splurge of this warming comfort food with some biscuits is just the ticket as the cooler weather starts to approach.

Another way to highlight the “swinging sirloin” is in beloved fall stews! Oxtail stew is in a slow cooker is delicious and filling, and ingredients can vary depending on what you have available at home or what is in season. This Simply Recipes version of Oxtail Stew is simple and gives great step-by-step instructions. While this recipe calls for parsnips, you could easily substitute potatoes for a more Southern flare. I suggest serving oxtail stew by itself, over rice or serve with hot cornbread close by!

Check out BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com where you can find thousands of nutritious, delicious beef recipes and learn about beef from pasture to plate. Happy cooking and Happy October Beef Month!

This article is funded by Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Paid for by Alabama beef farmers and ranchers.

What’s Going On Wednesday: October 17, 2018

Welp…here we are. October 17 and it’s still hot as blue blazes outside. Mother Nature sure has it out for us outdoor workers this year! On another note, it has been two whole jam packed weeks since the last blog, so we have got a lot to catch up on this week. Keep reading to learn more about all that’s happening around Alabama’s beef cattle industry.

Hurricane Michael Devastates Wiregrass

Our hearts, our thoughts, our prayers go out to cattlemen in the Wiregrass, Florida Panhandle and Georgia’s southwest corner who bore the path of Hurricane Michael during his landfall last week. Knowing catastrophe all too well, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association has opened a Hurricane Relief Fund through the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation to purchase materials and supplies needed most by cattlemen affected by this historic weather event. Donations can be made online at www.BamaBeef.org/HurricaneRelief.

ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley attended a producer meeting in the Wiregrass on Tuesday to discuss hurricane relief and strategy to assist farmers in the affected area.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) is encouraging Alabama farmers to to work with their local county Extension officers to document agricultural damages to crops, livestock, structures and infrastructure. Farm and damage information includes: crop yields harvested before the storm, estimated crop yields after the storm, livestock losses, damages to equipment and farm buildings. Note that the damage assessment form requests pictures and video of the damage if available. Extension asks that all damage reports be submitted to County Offices no later than Friday, October 19 at 5:00 p.m. Next week, ACES will submit the state summary to FSA, state and federal leaders in an effort to obtain federal relief dollars. All producers are encouraged to complete the ACES 2018 Damage Assessment Form to help assess damage in the Wiregrass. It can also be found at michaelrecoveryinfo.com. Damage reports, pictures and video can be submitted HERE . Reports can be submitted from your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer.

Important info for producers who had death loss on cattle- these cattle likely qualify under the Livestock Indemnity Program with Farm Service Agency. Contact your local office to file and have pictures available if possible. Contact Erin with any questions.

CHECKOFF REFERENDUM VOTE- NExt Wednesday

Cattle owners across the state will vote on October 24, 2018 to continue the $1.00 Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Voting will take place for the referendum in every county Extension office in the state and will be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on October 24. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is essential for beef promotion efforts, issues management, producer programs and youth involvement carried out each year throughout the state. The program has been in place since 1962 as one of the first in the country and was reactivated in 2004 as cattle numbers declined. To date, the program has contributed to thousands of youth being involved in the cattle industry, multiple generations of producers taking part in educational programs and enormous return on investment from research efforts focused on beef cattle production. The wide array of programs available for funding through the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program can be found at www.BamaBeef.org/Checkoff. For questions about how your dollars are used, contact the ACA office.

Partners in Action Conference

Last week, three members of Team Beef headed to snowy Denver for an update from the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner team about what to expect in the 2019. Throughout the week, Erin Beasley, Kayla Greer and Ali Cantrell got to visit and brainstorm with fellow state beef council staffers, learn about new programs and initiatives in the works for the Beef brand and gain insight on tools the national office offers state beef councils to help achieve goals and monitor activity happening around the cattle industry and beef products. It was a great time of learning…and enjoying some cooler temperatures! We’re just sorry we couldn’t bring them back with us!

Membership FYI

County leaders: changes to membership statement return addresses need to be sent in by THIS FRIDAY. Once the list is sent off to the printer, changes can not longer be submitted. If you need to make secretarial changes or need a refresher on the i4a membership software program as we enter into county meeting season, contact ACA Membership & Producer Contact Coordinator Jessica Kennedy.

Pike County Students Visit ACA

On Monday, ACA Vice President Larry Reeves along with ACA staffers Ali Cantrell and Michael Agar hosted 70 high school students from Pike County at the ACA office. While here, the students enjoyed hearty beef brisket for lunch, toured The MOOseum to learned more about beef through a fun round of “Who Wants to Be a Beefonaire?” The students also got news of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship program while here just in case any qualified! Special thanks to Vice President Reeves and his daughter, Amanda, who helped coordinate this visit as part of her teaching internship.

Kudos to Counties- October Beef Month Fun

County Cattlemen’s chapters across Alabama have been getting out and celebrating October Beef Month! We’re very proud of all their hard work and wanted to highlight all the events we’ve been made aware of either by email, phone, shared photos or on social media!

Jefferson County Cattlemen’s Association members fired up the grill with Western Supermarkets at the Birmingham Food & Wine Festival!
Clay County Cattlemen’s Association served up steak sandwiches and all-beef hotdogs at the Hackneyville Fall Festival and have participated in several Cowboys in the Classroom programs with the help of their local treasure, Silver the Bull.
The Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association Cook Team grilled up steak sandwiches at Eva Frontier Days!
Chambers County Cattlemen’s Association kicked off their social media footprint by creating a Facebook page to promote beef online!
Miss Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association doned her Cattlemen’s gear at local events and the county chapter is gearing up for their high school cook-off next Saturday!
Choctaw County Cattlemen’s Association is offering up beefy giveaways to celebrate October Beef Month as well as promoted beef at Butler Fest!
The Blount County Cattlemen’s Association promoted beef from pasture to plate at the Blount County Fair!
The Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association donated a steer to Family & Consumer Science programs at the county’s high schools just like they do every single year. Great work!!
The Limestone County Cattlemen’s Association sold ribeye steak sandwiches at the annual Fiddlers’ Convention in Athens!
The Colbert County Cattlemen’s Association is gearing up for their annual Beef It Up event at the Colbert County High School football game this Friday night followed by a Ribeye Steak Sandwich Sale at Rural King on Saturday!
The Cullman County Cattlemen’s Association hosted their annual county High School Beef Cookoff and gave away a Yeti cooler at their Cullman County Fair booth to one lucky winner!
Lauderdale County cattlemen have hit local elementary schools in Rogersville with the Cowboys in the Classroom program!
The Elmore County Cattlemen’s Association fired up the grill to help serve ribeye steak sandwiches at the Beef Day event!
On Saturday, the Lee County Cattlemen’s Association will promote beef at the Pioneer Days event in Loachapoka.

…and the list goes on! This is just what we know about!! If your county has been at work promoting beef, hosting events or getting involved, let us know about it by tagging us on social media or giving us a call or email to the state office!

October Beef Month “Beef Day”

Today is an exciting day as we will be hosting Beef Day at the Teague Arena in Montgomery along with Commissioner John McMillan and his team at the Alabama Department of Ag and Industries! This is a special time as we not only get to promote beef, but we get to honor a special group and highlight their work and their achievements. Today, we will be honoring the First Responders of Montgomery, including the Montgomery Police Dept, Montgomery Fire & Rescue, Emergency Communications and Emergency Management Agency. We will be serving them ribeye steak sandwiches cooked by the Elmore County Cattlemen’s Association to thank them for their service and dedication to the community. We look forward to this fun event each year and can’t wait to enjoy good food and good company!

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS- NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATION

Applications will close at midnight on November 1. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

Tune in for Beef

On Tuesday, ACA staffer Ali Cantrell appeared on Talk of Alabama on ABC 33/40 in Birmingham along with industry partner Comedienne Joy to teach viewers how to serve up Nacho Beef Dip at their next tailgate and to talk about all that’s happening with October Beef Month! Also on Tuesday, ACA staffer Kayla Greer visited WSFA in Montgomery to film a Business Break with the River Region news station that will air on Monday, October 22 during the 6 a.m. news. During the segment, Kayla will be discussing who the association is, the origins of October Beef Month and discussing the impact of the beef cattle industry in Alabama.

BEEF 101

Fall BEEF 101 programs are happening all in the midst of the many October Beef Month events that have staff burning up the highways! This Thursday, staffer Ali Cantrell is excited to host students from the University of North Alabama with the help of Lauderdale County Cattleman and UNA alumni Jim Akin. This is just one of many BEEF 101 programs happening at Auburn’s Beef Teaching Unit and Meats Lab throughout this busy month!

Fort Payne Stockyard Visit

ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar has been on the road visiting stockyards in north Alabama. Recently, the stockyard in Fort Payne was purchased buy Perry, Matt and Tim Gibbs from previous owners Glean and Mary Plunkett. We would like to thank the Plunkett family for over 20 years of market work serving Alabama cattle producers. The Gibbs family has renamed the auction, Fort Payne Livestock, Inc. and have already made great improvements to the barn. Wednesday featured a full house and nearly 800 head of cattle sold through the barn. We wish them the best as they take on this new endeavor!

Beefin’ Up Rick & Bubba

Ask and you shall receive! At last year’s Checkoff Task Force Meeting, producers expressed their interest in beefin’ up the Rick & Bubba Show during October Beef Month! Well, the time has finally come, and THIS FRIDAY we invite you to tune in as Bibb County cattlemen and YCLP graduate Ashton Cottingham and staffer Ali Cantrell team up to beef up the popular morning talk show. The duo will be talking beef, cattle production and firing up the grill to serve up delicious steak and eggs for breakfast. They’ll be on air all morning, so be sure to tune in and hear the conversation about our favorite protein, beef!

BEEF ON IBOTTA

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.

What’s Going On Wednesday: October 3, 2018

Hello again to our friend, October Beef Month in Alabama! It’s a real treat for us to get to celebrate this delicious month of beef promotion and education throughout the state. Cattlemen are busy promoting beef and raising the beef as calving season is also in full swing across our great state! It’s a busy time…and we know you know all about it, so instead of wasting any more, we will get straight to the point on ALL that’s happening at the ACA this week.

Young Cattlemen Gather in South Alabama

On Friday and Saturday, the ACA hosted the YCLP Class V group in Fairhope, AL during their third leadership development session. The group received BQA training from Extension Veterinarian Dr. Soren Rodning at the Gulf Coast Extension and Research Center and then after had the opportunity to tour the facilities with facility director Malcom Pegues. Dr. Mulvaney led leadership training activities throughout the whole trip that challenged our young leaders to think outside the box! To top off the trip, the young cattlemen toured Mark Kaiser’s diversified cattle, poultry and row crop operation and discuss his many ventures such as eggs, peanuts, hay, and his 600-head cattle operation. Overall, it was a successful trip filled with productive conversation about leadership in the beef industry and a ton of fun. Special thanks to all who volunteered their time to make this weekend’s session a success!

Bama’s Best Beef Winner Announced

Our Place Diner in Ozark has been named the winner of the 2018 Bama’s Best Burger contest with its dish, the Big Bopper Burger. A beef patty topped with bacon, multiple types of cheese, fried-to-perfection onion rings and all the fixings, the Big Bopper Burger was stout competition for contest finalists. One contest judge, who wishes to remain anonymous, touted midway through judging, “Our Place is gonna be hard to beat.”

The Bama’s Best Burger contest began July 23 on the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page with a nominations round that earned over 500 burger nominations from restaurants across Alabama. The most-nominated burger from each of contest’s eight regions moved on to compete in Facebook poll challenges that put competing regions head-to-head as fans voted for their favorite restaurant’s burger.

Contest finalists were Bentley’s (Hartselle) Cheeseburger; R & R Burgers (Springville) T-Rex Burger; Heards BBQ & Soul Food (Maplesville) Signature Burger and Our Place Diner’s (Ozark) Big Bopper Burger.

Finalist restaurants were then visited anonymously by a panel of industry judges who secretly taste tested the burgers throughout the month of September.

Our Place Diner owners will receive a plaque presentation and media conference from the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, bragging rights for one year and an influx of customers looking to try Alabama’s best burger. We know we’re excited to give it a try!!

Alabama National Fair Beef Shows

The weekend, ACA Director of Industry Relations & Youth Programs Michael Agar joined forces with the Alabama Farmers Federation to put on the Alabama National Fair Youth and Open Beef Shows. The event featured around 150 head of fine show calves exhibited by over 100 youth. Big congratulations are in order to Limestone County Junior Cattleman and District 1 Director Ashlyn Ruf who won Grand Champion Market Steer and Grand Champion Breeding Heifer. Congrats are also due to AJCA At Large Director Emma Merriman of Etowah County who won Grand Champion Senior Showman, Curt Williams of Marshall County who took the title of Grand Champion Intermediate Showman and Callie Rae Childers of Morgan County who was awarded the title of Grand Champion Junior Showman.

Great work to all these junior cattlemen and future leaders! Also, huge thanks to our AJCA directors who stepped up when needed to help in the ring and to make the show a success.

Policy Corner: Electronic logging & Trade

Livestock haulers have been granted an additional extension on the ELD delay until December 7, 2018. We will keep you current on what manifests from the remainder of the appropriations bills that need to be passed. These will include language and guidance for where we stand with ELDs in 2019. Stay tuned. In the meantime, trade negotiations continue as Mexico, Canada and the U.S. announced the USMCA this week to replace NAFTA. Details on this agreement will come out in the coming weeks and we will let you know how it immediately effects beef cattle. On the surface, the agreement is excellent news for the U.S. dairy industry.

Membership Update

Membership bailouts for the 2019 year are in the works. Be on the lookout for those to begin hitting mailboxes around November 1. ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy will be sending out county contact information to leaders and will need to be notified of changes asap, so be watching those inboxes. We look forward to working with you as we head into a busy 2019 membership year!

BEEF 101 With Sysco Gulf Coast

On Monday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell hosted a BEEF 101 at Auburn with Gulf Coast Sysco’s sales representatives. They received an overview of the beef industry along with a tutorial of the fabrication process and a live cattle evaluation. The salesmen left with a better understanding of the purpose of each beef cut to increase their sales of beef products.

Cattlemen’s Convention & Industry Trade Show

Let’s Geaux to New Orleans!! ACA members can take advantage of a special discount code as they register for the Cattlemen’s Convention and NCBA Trade Show which will take place Jan.30-Feb.2, 2019 in New Orleans. Call the office or email krharden@bamabeef.org to confirm your membership status and receive the code for $75 OFF a regular registration and $25 OFF a trade show only pass. Registration for the event opened on October 1.

CHECKOFF REFERENDUM VOTE- OCTOBER 24

BEEF Hits Radio and Television

Beef Month in Alabama his radio waves across the state last week to help us as we kicked off this delicious month of beef promotion and education! If you listen to Rick and Bubba or any iHeart media affiliated radio station you should hear the “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” campaign coming through your speakers on a radio near you. Later this month on October 19, ACA’s Ali Cantrell and Bibb County cattleman Ashton Cottingham will be visiting the Rick and Bubba studio to grill up some juicy steaks and discuss October Beef Month and the impact of the cattle industry in Alabama. Also, be on the lookout for our TV commercials on news stations across Alabama specifically in the local Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery stations. We hope you enjoy seeing BEEF on your screen!

Beef on ibotta

Food Tours with Comedienne Joy

The Alabama Beef Checkoff has partnered up with Comedienne Joy to host Beef Food tours in the Birmingham area every Sunday this October. ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell and Birmingham-area food blogger Joy King will take people throughout Birmingham to try beef meals from four different restaurants and then conclude at Western Supermarket for a mini BEEF 101 course. This promotion will also be featured on Comedienne Joy’s show with Fox station.

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS- NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATION

Applications will close at midnight on November 1. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

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.

What’s Going On Wednesday: September 26, 2018

And just like that, September is riding off into the sunset. Time sure flies when you’re having fun, and promoting beef, attending producer events and planning ahead for big events sure make our top list of fun things to do on the job. This year is making a quick escape, but there’s still much left to do including October Beef Month, checking yes to the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program, planning for next year’s checkoff program and hosting another Board meeting. The last three months of the year sure keep us on our toes..just about as much as those calving mamas at your farm do you! Keep reading to learn more about what’s going on at the ACA this week and buckle up for a wild ride as we prepare to tackle the last quarter of 2018.

Checkoff Referendum Vote- October 24

Membership Update

The Membership Task Force will meet in Montgomery on Thursday to further discuss details associated with the new membership year. These volunteer leaders have meet in-person and via conference call several times over the course of the last several months to hash out details associated with moving the membership fiscal year from July-June to January-December. We feel strongly that this move will be beneficial, but it will require transition as does any change. We ask that if you have any questions or concerns about this change to give us as call at the state office at (334) 265-1867.

Speaking of membership, the last of the membership cards have been mailed, so county secretaries should be on the lookout for their cards to hand out to renewed members at upcoming county meetings. Keep in mind that on July 1, we began the 2019 membership year, so a majority of those members are not renewed yet. Secretaries, be sure to get a current report from the database before passing out 2019 membership cards. To access those reports, contact Jessica Kennedy at our office to get your report login and password.

Last but certainly not least, all of the i4a membership software training videos are uploaded to our website!! From software basics, to renewals, to printing mailing labels, there’s a step-by-step video to help you navigate this new system. To learn how to gain access to these videos, contact Jessica at jkennedy@bamabeef.org or call her at (334) 265-1867.

Food & Wine Festival in Birmingham

This Friday, the Jefferson County Cattlemen’s Association will join in the fun at the Birmingham Food & Wine Festival and assist Western Supermarkets by handing out beef samples at the consumer event. Dubbed the “Food Mecca of the South,” Birmingham has quite the booming foodie culture, and beef has a front row seat to the show. We appreciate the leadership of the Jefferson County crew as they stepped up to help on a weekend where staff is going in many different directions!

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS- NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATION

Applications will close at midnight on November 1. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

YCLP Class V Heads South

ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell will be traveling to Fairhope this weekend to head up the third session with YCLP Class V. On Friday, the class will earn BQA certification with the help of Extension Veterinarian and State BQA Coordinator Dr. Soren Roding at the Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center. This certification course will include hands-on activities such as vaccinating and deworming heifers and the proper penning and handling of cattle. Following this, the class will tour the Research Center with Director Malcomb Pegues who was kind enough to host us for this meeting.

On Saturday, the group will begin in the classroom with a leadership lesson from Dr. Don Mulvaney before heading out to Mark Kaiser’s farm in Robertsdale for a tour of his diversified cattle and poultry operation. We look forward to a unique, hands-on learning opportunity with some of our future leaders in the cattle industry!

Sysco Fall Buying Expo

ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell has spent her day at the Fall Buying Expo with Sysco Foodservice in Birmingham. While there, she will be serving up Ribeye steak samples and promoting the kickoff of October Beef Month the upcoming Monday. Her goal today is to encourage salesmen to increase their beef sales and answer any questions they might have about our favorite protein, BEEF!

Auburn Ag Round-Up This Weekend

Calling all Auburn Ag Alumni: Head on out to Ag Heritage Park this weekend to celebrate Homecoming with a Taste of Alabama. Ag commodity groups, including beef, will be represented at the event and handing out samples of their foods. The ACA has teamed up with the AU Meats Lab in Auburn to offer brisket sliders to event attendees. If you’re going to be on the Plains this weekend, be sure to stop by and see us!

Alabama National Fair Livestock Shows

This weekend, ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar will work alongside industry leaders to put on the Alabama National Fair Youth and Open Beef shows. Best of luck to all the competitors competing throughout the weekend!

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.

What’s Going On Wednesday: September 19, 2018

Well, we’re halfway through September, and it is still hotter than blue blazes. On the plus side, maybe that means we can enjoy fall temperatures that much more when they do arrive, right? Unlike fall weather, fall calves have arrived and are starting to hit the ground across Alabama. We so enjoy this time of year alongside you as their tiny silhouettes begin to paint Alabama’s farmscapes. It’s a beautiful time.

We’re also gearing up for a delicious time as October Beef Month is just weeks away. There’s so much beefy goodness coming our way that we can’t wait to share with you, so stay tuned an continue to learn more about what’s happening at the ACA…

ACA Hosts obesity task force

This week the ACA office hosted the Alabama Obesity Task Force to begin developing its State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan. The day was filled with great discussion on what we as a state can do to combat obesity and educate consumers on how to live a healthy lifestyle. ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell welcomed the group, discussed beef’s role in a healthy lifestyle and had the opportunity to explain the role that the ACA plays within the beef industry and how our programs impact education in health and nutrition.

A Visit to North Alabama Stockyards

On Monday, ACA Director of Industry Relations & Youth Programs Michael Agar joined Phil Campbell High School agriscience students and their teach, Franklin County Cattleman Caleb Beason, on a trip to Northwest Alabama Livestock in Russellville where the group enjoyed the sale and heard from industry leaders including Agar on the ACA’s role in Alabama’s beef cattle industry. While at the yard, Agar also had the opportunity to present owners with customized Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner signage, sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Great job to Caleb and his class for having such a beef-focused field day!

After leaving Phil Campbell, Michael headed east to Fort Payne Stockyard where he enjoyed the last sale to be hosted under its current owners, Glean and Mary Plunkett.

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS- NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATION

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation provides over $70,000 annually to qualified high school and collegiate students, courtesy of funds raised through the purchase of the Cowboy vanity car tag and generous endowments. Scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 school year are NOW AVAILABLE online at BamaBeef.org/Scholarship. To go along with last year’s addition of the Martha Davis Service Award, this year we are proud to introduce the John Williams Memorial Scholarship memorializing the life of a dedicated auctioneer to Alabama’s livestock industry.

Applications will close at midnight on November 1. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

Fall BEEF 101 Programs Kick Off

On Thursday, ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell will be traveling to Auburn to host a BEEF 101 for Lawson State University students and a group of our own cattlemen members. A little over 50 participants are expected to be there to learn more about raising cattle and the fabrication process.

In tow will be ACA Director of Social Media & Communications Kayla Greer as she joins in on the BEEF 101 program in the morning, then breaks away after lunch to lead a Bull Ad Workshop with the Beef Cattle Management class at Auburn. Special thanks to George Richburg and Dr. Sonia Bachamp for inviting us to participate in the discussion on how to market beef animals using print advertisements.

THE COUNTY LEADER RUN-DOWN

As we approach a busy time of year for counties, Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy wants to be sure you’re prepared and that all communication lines are open to make this the most successful year for county annual meetings and events yet!

County Meeting Scheduling

Please EMAIL JESSICA your county meeting information (time, date, location, etc.) and anyone you request to speak/attend whether it be a staff member or state officer. If you would like for this information to appear in the magazine, it must be sent to Jessica by the 15th of the previous month!

Mailouts – Postcards/Letters

If you need a mailout done please let Jessica know 1-2 weeks prior to the actual date the mailout needs to go in the mail, not two weeks from the date of the meeting.

Supplies

If you need supplies such as napkins and placemats prior to your meeting, please email Jessica the number of members you anticipate, and she will ship them to you. Local counties may pick them up here at the ACA building.

Reports

REPORTS ARE COMPLETED! If you are your county’s president or secretary and would like access to your county’s report, contact Jessica Kennedy to get your login and password information. We’re thrilled to have this project complete just in time for meeting season!

Leadership Changes

County secretaries, it is your responsibility to make sure you send Jessica Kennedy the changes to your county leadership after your county meetings. Jessica has to change these on mailing lists, in the magazine, online, etc. and needs all contact information – name, address, phone number and the very important email addresses! Email is how we send a majority of our information. If this information is not updated here at the ACA, then those officers are not getting the information they need and we have no line of communication.

October Beef Month Supplies

ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell introduced the reading book for our Cowboys in the Classroom program called “My Family’s Beef Farm.” Cowboys in the Classroom is an opportunity for producers to visit their local classrooms and educate youth about the beef they consume and where it comes from. One book will be donated to the library of the school for future access to the students. There has also been an addition to the Cowboys in the Classroom program where county leaders can also provide a Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner Coloring and Activity Book. These are two separate books that you can provide to the classroom for the students to enjoy. If you want to participate in the Cowboys in the Classroom Program in your county, please let Ali know how many schools you plan to attend so she can send you these books in time for October.

Beef Throughout Alabama in October

You may notice beef popping up everywhere throughout our great state in October. Whether it’s your magazine, your cell phone, your TV or your social media accounts, your checkoff dollars are going to work to get beef at centerstage throughout October Beef Month. We’ve been working this week with the popular consumer app, Ibotta, to develop a beef coupon for October. We’ve met with TV stations to have beef featured in news segments. We’ve typed up some beefy articles for the October Alabama Cattleman magazine, and we’ve got beef-centric events planned throughout the entire month. Be on the lookout next month, but you shouldn’t have to look too hard!!

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.

What’s Going On Wednesday: September 12, 2018

September is zooming past and leaving a trail toward October in its wake. Before we know it, BEEF MONTH will be among us! All kinds of work centered around fall programs and planning are taking place around the state office, and your state staff is giddy with all the awesome events happening soon. While this week’s post may seem short, don’t be fooled. We are in planning and preparation mode, keeping us close to our desks this week! Keep reading to get your update from the ACA this week…

Alabama Beef Checkoff Hosts Successful Youth Event

Youth in livestock from across Alabama gathered at BJR Summerford Charolais in Falkville, AL Saturday morning for a lesson from Extension Specialist and Auburn University Livestock Judging Coach Jason P’Poole on assessing cattle from head to toe based on breed qualities and characteristics. After reviewing the basics, the students then spent the remainder of the morning practicing their new skills by judging four classes of Summerford cattle- Angus bulls, Charolais bulls, Charolais females and commercial females. The top three competitors from each age division- senior, intermediate and junior- where then awarded prizes based on their judging card submissions. The winners from each division were:

Senior

1st Place: Michael Morrison, Clay County, AJCA president
2nd Place: Nicole Towe, Limestone County
3rd Place: Christian Meadows, Randolph County, AJCA District 2 director

Intermediate

1st Place: Trace Strock, Autauga County
2nd Place: Abbey James, Autauga County
3rd Place: Abby Ellison, Limestone County

Junior

1st Place: Jayden P’Poole, Lee County
2nd Place: Ella Prince, Elmore County
3rd Place: Layla Caver, Morgan County

Following the judging portion of the field day, the youth gathered inside the Summerford sale facility for hot-off-the-grill ribeye steak sandwiches, which were prepared by the cooking team of the Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association. After the meal, Summerford talked to the students about his family’s operation and bull marketing program. Special thanks to all who helped make this event successful!

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS- NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATION

Applications will close at midnight on November 1. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

THE COUNTY LEADER RUN-DOWN

County Meeting Scheduling

Mailouts – Postcards/Letters

If you need a mailout done please let Jessica know 1-2 weeks prior to the actual date the mailout needs to go in the mail, not two weeks from the date of the meeting.

Supplies

Reports

Leadership Changes

October Beef Month Supplies

ACA TENTS

If your county participated in the cost-share program to purchase a Cattlemen’s tent to use at events in your home county, be on the lookout for a very large shipment this week! Your tent is on its way, and we’re thrilled with how they turned out!! Elevated interest in this program has led us to start another list for a future order, so if you missed out on this order, don’t sweat it. Email ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell today to get on our list for the next go-round.

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.