Author: Alabama Cattlemen's Association

Hello, September. Hello, Tropical Storm Gordon. Hello, football season.

Hello, busy fall season!! 

With the arrival of September brings the close out of another successful summer and the welcoming of a whole host of cattlemen’s events, beef promotion opportunities and cattle sales…and that’s not all! We’re excited to hit the road this fall to visit with you, our favorite cattlemen. Keep reading to learn about what’s coming up and to get an update from the state office this week. 

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!

Tropical Storm Gordon

In the wake of Tropical Storm Gordon, our thoughts and prayers are with our southwest Alabama cattle producers who have suffered loss or difficulty due to flooding and wind damage, as well as power outages. We pray damages are minimal and that all is restored quickly and safely following the storm! Please contact us at the state office if we can be of service in any way. Otherwise, know our prayers go with you in your work.

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.

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.

CATTLE JUDGING FIELD DAY

This Saturday, the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association will host a Cattle Judging Field Day at Summerford Charolais in Falkville, AL. Extension Specialist and Auburn Livestock Judging Team Coach Jason P’Poole will be teaching our youth the basics of livestock judging beginning at 9:00 a.m., and after a brief how-to, the participants will judge three classes of livestock (bulls and heifers) and answer questions about them. Youth will then be treated to lunch by the Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association and then participate in a farm tour led by the crew at Summerford Charolais.

Thank you to our generous hosts, Robert and Alan Summerford, and to the cooking crew with the Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association!

BAMA’S BEST BURGER Final 4 announced

The Bama’s Best Burger contest has officially named its four finalists as a result of four weeks of successful Facebook poll challenges. The finalists are:

• Bentley’s Cheeseburger- Hartselle, AL
• R & R Burgers T-Rex Burger- Springville, AL
• Heard’s BBQ & Should Food Signature Burger- Maplesville, AL
• Our Place Diner’s Big Bopper Burger- Ozark, AL

With this announcement comes the Final 4 Taste Test Challenge where we have given a panel of industry judges marching orders to anonymously visit each joint to try out the finalist burgers. They’ll submit their picks back to us just in time for us to announce the winner to kick off October Beef Month in Alabama! To learn more about the contest, click HERE to check out our promotion on Southeast AgNet with Randall Weiseman.

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.

Hello August. Goodbye August.

It sure feels like it came and went that quickly, and now we are barreling forward head first toward September and a busy fall season! Fall is not only busy for us with all the activities centered around beef promotion, but it’s a busy time for you as those fall calves start hitting the ground and county events start firing up! We’re excited to hit the roads toward those events, county meetings and cattle sales as it means we’ll get to see you out and about! Keep reading to learn what we’ve been up to this week and what we’ve got in the works here at the ACA state office.

Checkoff Funds Beef Cattle Research

The Alabama Beef Checkoff places a high priority on funding practical cattle production research that will assist producers in the state. Recently, researchers across the College of Agriculture at Auburn University submitted cattle research proposals totaling 15 projects for consideration of funds. After evaluation of the projects, five stood out and received funding to begin work this fall. They are:

1. An Economic Analysis of Productivity and Efficiency of AL Cattle Industry: Best Management Practices and Growth Opportunities (V. Hartarska, D. Nadolnyak, G. Richburg, B. Goodrich, M. Runge)
2. Cottonseed Assessment for Improvement of Beef Cattle Feed Recommendations (K. Mullenix, J. Koebernick)
3. Improving the Reproductive Efficiency of Heifers Using a Combination of Estrus Synchronization, Natural Service and Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination (S. Rodning, S. Dickinson, L. Marks, J. Elmore, M. Elmore, M. Edmondson, J. Gard, F. Biase, P. Dyce, P. Walz)
4. On-Farm Demonstration of Biofertilization in Pastures (D. Held, L. Dillard, R. Muntifering, J. Kloepper)
5. Eradication of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Using Novel Antiviral Drugs (J. Wower, S. Rodning, P. Walz, J. Sztuba-Solinska, I. Wower)

A Weekend Full of Cattlemen Fun

This past weekend, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell got the opportunity to see how Alabama puts on a rodeo when she went to both the Pike and Clay County Cattlemen’s rodeos. Both rodeos had a sell-out crowd and a grand ole time. In between the two rodeos, she also attended the ACWA Youth Ag Day and joined in on the fun activities going on with the youth of Wedowee, Alabama. Special thanks to AJCA President Michael Morrison, District 2 Director Christian Meadows and District 2 Director Chelsea Langley for being involved with this event!

ACA Director of Industry Relations & Youth Programs Michael Agar also joined in on the fun but was bested by a mechanical bull at the Pike County Cattlemen’s Western Festival where he drew 3^rd place in their Celebrity Bull Ride. He enjoyed attending the event where he met up with ACA President-Elect Chris Langley fellow staffer, Ali Cantrell.

Michael completed his weekend by attending the Alabama & Mississippi Simmental Sale in Uniontown, AL which featured 17 consignors. Great prices and buyers from across the country made for an excellent sale!

Regional Meetings

On Monday night, Regional Vice President Gene Fernandes gathered his counties for a meeting in Southwest Alabama with ACA staff. Each RVP has been tasked with planning a time and place for county leadership to meet and work with staff. Membership, October Beef Month and grassroots involvement highlight the conversation. The next meeting will be for RVP Jim Jordan’s counties on September 6 at 6:00PM at Western Sizzlin’ in Oxford.

Rep. Bradley Byrnes Reception

Last night, ACA VP Larry Reeves and Erin Beasley attended a roundtable discussion and reception for Congressman Bradley Byrnes in Dothan. Farmers surrounded the table and were given a chance to discuss key issues for the agriculture industry including Farm Bill, trade and for us in livestock, Hours of Service for transporting cattle. Congressman Byrne sits on the important Rules committee in the House of Representatives which decides which bills will make it to the floor calendar.

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

WE’VE GOT AN UPDATE ON REPORTS! At the county meeting, we had mentioned that the new membership year would affect our ability to supply reports until January 2019. THANKS TO THE DEDICATED WORK OF JESSICA KENNEDY, WE THINK THIS ISSUE IS SOLVED! Now she is busy at work creating individualized county reports. Once they are completed, Jessica will send county presidents and secretaries an email announcing their availability!

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.

BAMA’S BEST BURGER UPDATE

The Bama’s Best Burger contest is in its last week of narrowing down our eight regional semifinalists to the final four. Last week’s Facebook poll challenge opened up the dual between Heard’s BBQ & Soul Food (Maplesville, AL) Signature Burger vs 82 West (Union Springs, AL) Cheeseburger. Heard’s BQ & Soul Food secured their seat in the finals with 595 votes throughout the week, and now the Meat Boss (Mobile) Boss Burger is going head-to-head with Our Place Diner’s (Ozark) Big Bopper Burger. So far in the voting, Our Place Diner is in the lead!

Next week kicks off the Final 4 Taste Test Challenge with a panel of industry judges who will anonymously visit each joint to try out the finalist burgers, which are (as a reminder) Bentley’s Hartselle’s Cheeseburger, R & R Burgers (Springville) T-Rex Burger, Heard’s BBQ & Soul Food’s (Maplesville) Signature Burger with one more to determine this week!

To participate in the voting, visit the Alabama Cattlemen’s Facebook page and simply click the photo of the burger you’d like to vote for!

Early Childhood Nutrition Summit

On Tuesday, staffer Ali Cantrell participated in the Early Childhood Nutrition Summit and met with dieticians and nutritionist that are leading the way in assuring child health and well-being in Alabama. She also joined the Obesity Task Force in order to ensure that beef is included in the plan for a healthy lifestyle.

CATTLE JUDGING FIELD DAY

On September 8, the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association will host a Cattle Judging Field Day at Summerford Charolais in Falkville, AL. This youth event is FREE and open to all young cattlemen below the age of 21. Extension Specialist and Auburn Livestock Judging Team Coach Jason P’Poole will be teaching our youth the basics of livestock judging beginning at 9:00 a.m., and after a brief how-to, the participants will judge three classes of livestock (bulls and heifers) and answer questions about them. Lunch will be provided at noon with a farm tour led by Robert Summerford to follow.

To register, visit www.BamaBeef.org/Judge.

Tailgating Treasures

Break out the shakers, grab your lucky shirt and practice those battle cries…college football season is one again among us! Don’t forget to fuel your game day spirit with the protein-packed goodness of beef. Beef makes a delicious ingredient in those go-to tailgate foods. Got a good queso dip? Add ground beef to include protein in that next bite. Want to make a sandwich or burger? Don’t forget about beloved sloppy joes which …BONUS stay warm in a slow cooker. Need something handheld? Meatballs are the way to go. And don’t forget to throw some beef on top of those nachos! BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com is home to thousands of delicious beef recipes and even a collection built around those Saturdays in a college town. Tailgating Treasures Try out these delicious recipes for kickoff 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 that?! Some relief? A break in the rain? Lower humidity? Is this even Alabama? Is it even August?

Ha! These upper-80 temps are just a little teaser as we head into the fall season. There’s so much to look forward to…especially when considering the fall brings even more exciting elements than football, pumpkins and pretty landscapes to cattlemen. It means calving season!! It’s a time when all the labor is rewarded with new, healthy calves on the ground and wagging tails filling the farmscape as those newborns learn to suck. It’s a rewarding time, an exciting one…and one that we look forward to each year here at the state office. Keep reading to learn more about what our week (and the upcoming fall season) brings for us working every day on your behalf.

Young Leaders Gather for a Weekend in Auburn

YCLP Class V met for their second session of the year on August 17-18 in Auburn. Friday’s agenda was packed with team-building and leadership exercises performed by Dr. Mulvaney as well as the instructors from the AU Challenge Course. The instructors encouraged our young leaders step outside their comfort zone by attempting some of the high-rope exercises at the Challenge Course, which really helped build camaraderie and trust within the group. Collins Farm in Cusseta then hosted the group for a farm tour and dinner at La Cantina in Opelika. We would like to thank Jim Collins and his family for talking to the group not only on his cattle and restaurant but the beef industry as a whole. Saturday’s events consisted of the AU Beef Cattle Conference where the group was introduced to the crowd and able to attend the various industry presentations including a stockmanship demonstration by industry-renown livestock handler Curt Pate.

We look forward to the third session with this group in September. It is amazing how close they have become in such a short amount of time!

Bama’s Best Burger Update

The Bama’s Best Burger contest is well on its way to narrowing down our eight regional semifinalists to the final four. Last week’s Facebook poll challenge open up the dual between River Cafe and Sports Bar (Adger, AL) Bacon Cheeseburger vs R & R Burgers (Springville, AL) T-Rex Burger. R & R Burgers secured their seat in the finals with over 1,200 votes throughout the week, and now Heard’s BBQ & Soul Food’s (Maplesville) Signature Burger is going head-to-head with 82 West’s (Union Springs) Cheeseburger. So far in the voting, Heard’s BBQ & Soul Food is in the lead!

Next week’s final Facebook poll competition will put Meat Boss of Mobile against Our Place Diner of Ozark in a dualmfor their seat in the Final 4 Taste Test Challenge.

To participate in the voting, visit the Alabama Cattlemen’s Facebook page and simply click the photo of the burger you’d like to vote for!

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.

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

WE’VE GOT AN UPDATE ON REPORTS! At the county meeting, we had mentioned that the new membership year would affect our ability to supply reports until January 2019. THANKS TO THE DEDICATED WORK OF JESSICA KENNEDY, WE THINK THIS ISSUE IS SOLVED! Now she is busy at work creating individualized county reports. Once they are completed, Jessica will send county presidents and secretaries an email announcing their availability!

Leadership Changes

County secretaries, it is your responsibility to make sure you send me the changes to your county leadership after your county meetings.  I have to change these on mailing lists, in the magazine, online, etc.  I need 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.

CATTLE JUDGING FIELD DAY

On September 8, the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association will host a Cattle Judging Field Day at Summerford Charolais in Falkville, AL. This youth event is FREE and open to all young cattlemen below the age of 21. Extension Specialist and Auburn Livestock Judging Team Coach Jason P’Poole will be teaching our youth the basics of livestock judging beginning at 9:00 a.m., and after a brief how-to, the participants will judge three classes of livestock (bulls and heifers) and answer questions about them. Lunch will be provided at noon with a farm tour led by Robert Summerford to follow.

To register, visit www.BamaBeef.org/Judge.

October Beef Month Planning in the Works

October Beef Month is just around the corner, as we’ve already mentioned a few times but this week we’re really putting boots on the ground for preparation! On Monday, program staffers traveled to Birmingham to meet with the Visitors Bureau to discuss restaurants to participate in a Birmingham Beef Week event. Today, Ali Cantrell and Erin Beasley met with the Montgomery Dept. of Public Safety Director Ron Sams to select a group to honor for our Beef Day event here in town. Thursday will bring a delightfully tasty day as Ali Cantrell and Kayla Greer will spend the day preparing recipes and doing food photography and videography for some neat recipe videos to feature on social media during October!

CATTLEMEN’S BUS TOUR

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
COST: $325/PERSON (Includes lodging, food and transportation)
FORM & FEE DUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

REGISTER HERE!

Join us on a 3-day, 2-night tour of the beef cattle industry across Georgia, Florida and Alabama! This tour is a true “pasture to plate” experience as it starts off with a tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika where McDonalds burger patties are produced followed by a stop at Buckhead Beef in Atlanta, Georgia where wholesale beef cuts are further processed into cut steaks ready for the restaurant.

After learning what happens to beef once it leaves the farm, we’ll stop for a visit at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and then tour Chatel Farms, an FPL feeding facility, in Reidsville, Georgia. We will then head south to tour the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC, wake up to tour the North Florida Research & Education Center and round out the tour at Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, Florida.

BUS TOUR AGENDA

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.

Well hello there, August. We see you’ve brought some wet weather along with your arrival! While the rain may slow down hay production, it won’t slow down work on the farm, nor will it slow down all the work happening here at the state office! Your Cattlemen’s Association is busy, busy this week with beef promotion, education, The MOOseum tours and planning for next week’s Board meeting. Keep reading to learn all about what’s happening at the ACA this week.

Bama’s Best Burger- 8 Regional Semifinalists Named!

It’s an exciting week as nominations have CLOSED for the 2018 Bama’s Best Burger contest and eight regional semifinalists have been named to move forward into the contest’s Facebook poll bracket challenge! The semifinalists are:

Region 1: Bentley’s Cheeseburger (Hartselle, AL)

Region 2: Union Jack Cafe’s Spicy Bacon BBQ Burger (Rainbow City)

Region 3: River Cafe’s Bacon Cheeseburger (Adger, AL)

Region 4: R & R Burgers’ T-Rex Burger (Springville, AL)

Region 5: Heard’s BBQ Signature Burger (Maplesville, AL)

Region 6: 82 West’s Cheeseburger (Union Springs, AL)

Region 7: Meat Boss’ Boss Burger (Mobile, AL)

Region 8: Our Place Diner’s Big Bopper Burger (Ozark, AL)

If one of these dives are in your local area, stop by, shake their hand, try the burger and get ready to vote beginning August 6 with a Facebook poll putting Bentley’s and Union Jack Cafe head-to-head for a seat in the final 4!  The remaining bracket challenges will follow.

Timeline

• July 23-29: Nominations
• July 30- August 3: Obtain Semifinalist Photos
• August 6-12: Region 1 vs Region 2 Facebook Poll
• August 13-19: Region 3 vs Region 4 Facebook Poll
• August 20-26: Region 5 vs Region 6 Facebook Poll
• August 27- September 2: Region 7 vs Region 8 Facebook Poll
• September 2-28: Anonymous Judging
• October 2: Winner Announced

Off to Denver

For the remainder of this week, ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley will be joining ACA President-Elect Chris Langley, ACA Past President Richard Meadows and ACA Past President Jimmy Holliman in Denver for the NCBA summer meeting. At this meeting both policy and national checkoff decisions will be made in preparation for 2019. Chris represents Alabama as the policy director, Richard as the federation director and Jimmy is the policy chair for Region 2 which consists of the Southeastern states.

Beef Promo on the Road…Again!

On Tuesday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell has traveled to Destin, FL for the Alabama Grocers Convention to meet and learn from foodservice and retail groups. She took this opportunity to inform these groups about our services and educational programs such as BEEF 101. Upon leaving Destin, she traveled north to Birmingham for the ALACTE Summer Professional Development Conference where she presented to the Family and Consumer Science teachers about the Alabama Jr & Sr. High school state cookoff this spring and encouraged them to get their students involved.

Agriscience Educators

On Tuesday ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar traveled to Birmingham for the ALACTE Summer Conference to discuss AJCA programs with agriscience teachers from across the state. Michael spent much of his time promoting this year’s AJCA Round-Up as well as upcoming field days and the Junior Pasture to Rail program. We enjoy strong relationships with our ag teachers and appreciate all the effort that they put in to developing the next generation of Cattlemen.

Board Meeting Reminder

Board Members: Don’t forget about next week’s Summer Board of Directors Meeting on August 9 from 10 AM -2 PM. This is not a meeting to miss as we will be awarded red coats to Over the Top county presidents, prizes to our Top Hand Club members and drawing for the John Deere Gator sponsored by John Deere, SunSouth and TriGreen Equipment. If you haven’t already, you have until THIS FRIDAY to RSVP to Jessica Kennedy.

Back to School with Beef

It’s back to school season for little scholars and their teachers! We’d like to wish everyone Happy Back to School Wishes and encourage you to fuel those growing brains with the 10 vitamins and minerals found in delicious, nutritious beef! Whether it’s lean school lunches or brain-boosting family dinners you’re in the market for, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner has all kinds of kid-friendly and delicious meals for families on the go during a new season! Check out theses recipe collections:

Kid-Friendly Fare

Best.School.Lunch.Ever.

30 Minutes or Less

CATTLEMEN’S BUS TOUR

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
COST: $325/PERSON (Includes lodging, food and transportation)
FORM & FEE DUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

REGISTER HERE!

Join us on a 3-day, 2-night tour of the beef cattle industry across Georgia, Florida and Alabama! This tour is a true “pasture to plate” experience as it starts off with a tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika where McDonalds burger patties are produced followed by a stop at Buckhead Beef in Atlanta, Georgia where wholesale beef cuts are further processed into cut steaks ready for the restaurant.

After learning what happens to beef once it leaves the farm, we’ll stop for a visit at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and then tour Chatel Farms, an FPL feeding facility, in Reidsville, Georgia. We will then head south to tour the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC, wake up to tour the North Florida Research & Education Center and round out the tour at Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, Florida.

BUS TOUR AGENDA

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.

We sure missed getting to update you last week, but as you can imagine, with a Round-Up on the way and much to do in preparation for the big event, the blog got the boot last week! That’s alright, though. All that means is you’ll get a bang-up double feature this week, so keep reading to learn more about what’s happening this week (and last!) at the ACA in downtown Montgomery! 

Junior Cattlemen Rocked the Round-Up

We are still in our seats from being knocked down by how much our Junior Cattlemen ROCKED the Round-Up. This year’s event ran seamlessly, had excellent participation and brought big reward for those who came and worked hard! Major kudos goes to ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar for organizing such an outstanding event and special thanks to all our sponsors and judges that made the weekend possible! Parents, you also deserve a round of applause for making sure your kids rocked the show.

Congratulations to Grand Champion Market Animal winner Anniston Bolding of Chilton County and to Supreme Champion Breeding Heifer winner Dow Boyd of Coffee County. We’d also like to commend Supreme Junior, Intermediate and Senior Competitors Rex Harrison (Cullman), Victoria Thompson (Lee) and Logan Strock (Autauga). Congratulations on a job well done all all our Junior Cattlemen participants!

Runoff Elections ✅

We had an important event happen in our state last week as the runoff election results showed that Rick Pate will be the next Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries winning by a margin of 57% over Gerald Dial.

Several key republican races were also finalized during the runoff including Congresswoman Martha Roby for the 2^nd congressional district, Will Ainsworth for Lieutenant Governor, Steve Marshall for Attorney General, Chris McCool for Court of Criminal Appeals, Christy Edwards for Court of Civil Appeals and Sarah Stewart for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

The general election for the state will be Tuesday, November 6.

Deep South Stocker Conference

The state beef checkoff sponsored the Deep South Stocker Conference in Greensboro and welcomed over 100 cattlemen for a day of educational programs. This conference rotates each year between Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia and provides pertinent information to attendees related to market conditions, nutrition and herd health for the stocker industry. Hats off to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System for a well-attended, informative program for producers.

BCIA Board Meeting

Last Tuesday, the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association (BCIA) held a board meeting to handle general business and provide a quarterly financial update. ACA’s Michael Agar attended on behalf of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association and was given the mic for a few moments to provide an ACA update. During his discussion, he reminded board members about the upcoming checkoff referendum vote on October 24, put in a plug for the  August Board Meeting, gave a Round-Up update to mention our youth in livestock and and informed them about our upcoming Cattlemen’s Bus Tour.

Bama’s Best Burger

Nominations are open now through THIS SUNDAY in the 2018 Bama’s Best Burger contest! If you’ve got a favorite burger joint with a jam-up burger worthy of a title, CLICK HERE to nominate it now. During this contest’s nominations process, the number of nominations matters most. Our committee won’t be studying the dishes to find the most unique like they do in the Best Beef contest, but instead, shear number of nominations is what will propel restaurants forward into the semifinals. Check out the eight regions of this year’s contest and out timeline of events!

• Region 1: Lauderdale, Limestone, Colbert, Lawrence, Morgan, Marion, Winston and Cullman counties
• Region 2: Madison, Jackson, Marshall, Dekalb, Blount, Etowah and Cherokee counties
• Region 3: Lamar, Fayette, Walker, Pickens, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson and Bibb counties
• Region 4: St. Clair, Calhoun, Cleburne, Shelby, Talladega, Clay, Cleburne and Randolph counties
• Region 5: Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry, Chilton, Autauga, Choctaw, Marengo, Wilcox and Dallas counties
• Region 6: Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Elmore, Lee, Lowndes, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock and Russell counties
• Region 7: Washington, Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile and Baldwin counties
• Region 8: Butler, Crenshaw, Pike, Barbour, Covington, Coffee, Dale, Henry, Geneva and Houston counties

Timeline

• July 23-29: Nominations
• July 30- August 3: Obtain Semifinalist Photos
• August 6-12: Region 1 vs Region 2 Facebook Poll
• August 13-19: Region 3 vs Region 4 Facebook Poll
• August 20-26: Region 5 vs Region 6 Facebook Poll
• August 27- September 2: Region 7 vs Region 8 Facebook Poll
• September 2-28: Anonymous Judging
• October 2: Winner Announced

CLICK HERE to NOMINATE TODAY!

Southeast Alabama Regional Meeting

On Tuesday of this week, Regional Vice President Rodney Logan held a working lunch for his five counties (Houston, Henry, Dale Coffee and Geneva) at McLin’s Steakhouse in Daleville. The lunch invited the county leadership from those counties to visit with Rodney and ACA staffers Erin Beasley and Jessica Kennedy to discuss association business and build stronger relationships with those counties. Hats off to Rodney for having a representative from all of his counties at the lunch!

Trump Announces Aid in Trade War

President Trump has announced a $12 billion aid for farmers who have been affected by the trade wars. NCBA released the following statement yesterday:

“NCBA appreciates the efforts of the Trump Administration to ease the pain of retaliation on U.S. farmers and ranchers. For many years, U.S. beef has been a target for high tariffs and restrictive trade policies from notorious actors like China and the European Union. We support a vigorous approach to tearing down trade barriers, including non-tariff barriers that are not based on science. Trade agreements and trade enforcement are the most effective long-term solutions to the challenges faced by U.S. beef producers. Removing China’s highly-restrictive barriers on U.S. beef exports could unlock the full potential of that market and result in $4 billion in annual sales.”

Fall BEEF 101 Programs Get Fired Up

On Thursday of this week ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell and the Auburn Meats Lab staff will host a BEEF 101 for the Alabama School Nutrition Association. The program will give the association the basics  of meat science including insight to the harvesting process, carcass evaluation and fabrication.  This checkoff-funded program will teach the story about beef from “pasture to plate” and kicks off a busy fall with a full calendar of similar events with high school and collegiate culinary students!

Cattlemen’s Bus Tour

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
COST: $325/PERSON (Includes lodging, food and transportation)
FORM & FEE DUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Join us on a 3-day, 2-night tour of the beef cattle industry across Georgia, Florida and Alabama! This tour is a true “pasture to plate” experience as it starts off with a tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika where McDonalds burger patties are produced followed by a stop at Buckhead Beef in Atlanta, Georgia where wholesale beef cuts are further processed into cut steaks ready for the restaurant.

After learning what happens to beef once it leaves the farm, we’ll stop for a visit at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and then tour Chatel Farms, an FPL feeding facility, in Reidsville, Georgia. We will then head south to tour the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC, wake up to tour the North Florida Research & Education Center and round out the tour at Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, Florida.

BUS TOUR AGENDA

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Things are heating up around the Cattlemen’s Building in Montgomery…and we don’t just mean the temperatures! With the end of July comes the AJCA Round-Up and an already-busy fall season filled with cattle sales, regional meetings, beef promotion and Cattlemen’s events. We look so forward to getting out on the road again as we visit with our favorite folks, Alabama’s cattle producers. Keep reading to learn more about where you’ll find us this week and next! 

AJCA Round-Up next week

It’s not hard to tell that the AJCA Round-Up is just around the corner…in fact, it’s next week! ACA Director of Industry Relations & Youth Programs Michael Agar’s desk is drowning in a sea of white paper, the library is packed with prizes, phone lines are buzzing with parents calling to confirm registrations and staff is at work helping Michael put on this premier youth cattle event! Beginning next Thursday, the AJCA Directors and ACA staff are thrilled to welcome over 150 junior cattlemen, 60+ steers and 150+ heifers to the Garrett Coliseum as we ROCK THE ROUND-UP! Participants will battle it out in their respective age division throughout the weekend in 14 different contests and cattle shows. It’s sure to be a good time…and a really hot one!

If you’re in the neighborhood next Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, stop by the Garrett Coliseum livestock barns to show your support of Alabama’s Junior Cattlemen and this state checkoff-funded event. We’re proud to see our next generation hard at work developing career skills and learning more about Alabama’s beef cattle industry.

Roby hosts Rep. conaway in south alabama

Last Thursday, July 5, following a patriotic holiday, ACA staff joined cattlemen and farmers from across Alabama’s House District 2 as Congresswoman Martha Roby hosted House Ag Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX) to her home turf. The duo discussed the Farm Bill status and challenges we face getting final passage before September 30. Following the meeting, which was hosted by the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association and welcomed by Pike County President Jim Shavers, industry leaders, including ACA Vice President Larry Reeves and Exec Erin Beasley, joined Rep. Roby and Rep. Conaway in Dothan for a fundraiser luncheon at the Alabama Peanut Producers Association.

Get Out And Vote!

Speaking of politics, don’t forget to go vote in the runoff election next Tuesday, July 17. Turnout will be a huge factor as voters decide many key positions across the state. Of note, Alabama will know its next Ag Commissioner next Tuesday night as there is no Democratic opponent in that race.

Cantrell Visits AU Meat Lab and Beef Teaching Unit

On Tuesday, Ali Cantrell toured the Auburn University Lambert- Powell Meat Lab and the Auburn main campus. She got to meet with Barney Wilborn, meat lab manager, and George Richburg, manager of the beef unit, to plan for the fall BEEF 101 programs. As director of education and outreach, she will be working closely with the meat science staff at Auburn in order to put on BEEF 101 programs as part of the National Checkoff program. BEEF 101 is  great opportunity for foodservice representatives, retailers, and culinary students to learn about beef from “pasture to plate.” Are you interested in getting involved with a BEEF 101 program this fall? Email Ali

Board Memo

Board of Directors: Save the date for Thursday, August 9 and join us in Montgomery for the Summer Board Meeting! It’s going to be a good one as we award all of our Over the Top presidents their iconic Cattlemen’s red coats, sponsored by AgriLabs, hand out “Top Hand Club” prizes, courtesy of Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit, and draw for the John Deere Gator, sponsored by  SunSouth, John Deere and TriGreen Equipment!

You are not going to want to miss this meeting if you are a Board member. Be on the look out for a Board Memo coming in the mail your way and don’t forget to sell those Gator tickets. If you need some to sell, call Jessica at (334) 265-1867 today!

Beef Tips with Lawson State Community College

On Thursday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell will be traveling to Lawson State Community College in Birmingham to give a beef industry presentation to culinary students. She will describe how cattle are raised within the state of Alabama and how the harvesting process works to create a safe and wholesome beef product. At the end of the presentation she will then demonstrate how to cook a simple tenderloin recipe from the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner website.

SUMMER GRILLING CAMPAIGN ON PANDORA RADIO

If you’re a Pandora Radio fan, you may just hear the sound of the sizzle on your next advertisement. As of Friday, June 15, the Alabama Beef Checkoff is sponsoring a two-month-long summer grilling promotional campaign that puts beef on consumers’ minds. The ad is targeted to reach millennial consumers in Alabama’s four main media markets including Madison, Jefferson, Montgomery and Baldwin counties and those who are out and about doing all the fun activities of summertime. The ad features the voice of the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. campaign and the iconic “Hoedown” tune nostalgically humming in the background. Display imagery will accompany the radio ad and features steak, the BIWFD logo and the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association logo. It is projected to reach over 68,000 around twice weekly throughout the lifetime of the campaign.

JUNIOR PASTURE TO RAIL PROGRAM- REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Learn more about the Junior Pasture to Rail program today by visiting www.BamaBeef.org/JP2R. The 2018 Junior Pasture to Rail program will be managed through the AJCA in conjunction with the current Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) Pasture to Rail program. Youth will learn how to retain ownership on their cattle and how to market cattle on the grid. There will be four (4) educational programs beginning in fall 2018 to educate the participating youth about the cattle industry from pasture to plate.

Cattle will be gathered at central locations around Alabama and shipped to Hy-Plains Feedlot in Montezuma, KS. Ear notches will be pulled for BVD-PI testing and calves will be tagged, weighed and graded at that time (frame/muscle score, BCS). Data/results will be provided at the awards presentation for the 2018 Pasture to Rail program. Awards will be given to the top three (3) youth based on profitability in two categories: individual profitability of one (1) calf and the average profitability of a pen of three (3) calves.

Data provided will include carcass data as well as feedlot performance, medical expenses, feed costs, etc.

Program Requirements:

• Youth must be of age 21 or younger by January 1, 2018 to participate
• Youth must be an AJCA, FFA or 4-H member
• Steers are preferred, heifers can be entered but will be at a disadvantage for the program.
• Cattle must be 600-lbs. at minimum on the day of shipment, be weaned and pre-conditioned for 60 days (castrated, dehorned and healed, dewormed) and be vaccinated/boostered for Blackleg, PI3, BVD, BSRV and IBR (modified live).
• A $200 participation fee will be incurred for pens of three (3) or less. A $75/head fee will be added for additional entries.
• Youth must attend a minimum of three (3) of four (4) educational programs to be eligible for any awards.

Calves will be shipped at specified dates between August 2018 to March 2019. In order to ship, calves must meet the aforementioned pre-conditioning requirements. Ship dates and locations as well as educational programs will be communicated as determined.

Registration will close August 31 at midnight.
This program is sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program.