Author: Alabama Cattlemen's Association

May has arrived, and it has brought some right warm weather along with it. Green grass has painted Alabama’s landscapes, and cattle can be seen grazing pastureland while cattlemen enjoy the view from inside the cab of a tractor as they prepare for hay cutting and mowing season. It’s a busy time for Alabama’s cattlemen…but when is it not? The same can be said for your association, so keep reading to learn more about all that’s happening at the ACA this week.

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Membership & Board Reminders

County presidents and secretaries be sure to SAVE THE DATE for May 17 as we’ll be meeting up in Montgomery for an engaging, interactive Board meeting we’ve entitled: “Building the Brand: Steering County Leaders Toward Success.” 

 

ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is updating county contact information for mailouts and emails. County leaders, please visit BamaBeef.org/CountyChapters today to double check your information. If you find something is incorrect, please call or email Jessica at the office- (334) 265-1867. Information needed includes mailing address, phone number and an email address, with emphasis on the email!

 

The final renewal notices for 2018 went out last week. If you need help figuring out how to enter memberships in your county, contact Jessica to schedule your i4a training. We really need more county participation on the membership entering effort! The quicker county secretaries can learn to enter, the quicker your membership will get entered into the system and start receiving their magazines. We certainly don’t want anyone missing out on those!!

 

We want to continue to shoutout our Over the Top counties as we are extremely proud of their hard work and true, grassroots efforts. Over the Top counties include Bibb, Butler, Choctaw, Clay, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Covington, Cullman, Dale, Escambia, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, Perry, Russell, Sumter, Washington and Winston counties! Now, this means there will be a very special presentation made at the August Board Meeting…you guessed it…RED COATS! County presidents- if you went Over the Top and do not already have a red coat, we cannot stress enough the importance of going to get fitted for your coat and sending the suggest size into Jessica. The reason why it’s so important you get fitted is because (1) we can’t return the coats should they not fit and (2) we cannot re-order your correct size until the next year…which means you’ll be without for another year!! (Our orders are set at a minimum volume, and we are unable to order just one or two coats at a time.) We know you want that coat just as much as we want to give it to you, so please get sized! P.S. if you’re planning to attend the Board Meeting on May 17, Jessica has a few limited sizes you may try on if you’d like 🙂 Please, send your coat size to Jessica asap! 

 

Colbert County Youth Programs- Coming Soon!

This Thursday, ACA Director of Industry Relations & Youth Programs Michael Agar will travel to the Colbert County Extension office to meet with Ag teachers and youth industry leaders in the area about 4-H animal science projects and the newly-founded Colbert County Junior Cattlemen’s Association. Statewide Junior Cattlemen programs such as Round-Up and Junior Pasture to Rail Program will also be discussed.

 

 

Junior Pasture to Rail Program- Registration Now Open

Speaking of Junior Pasture to Rail, learn more about the 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.

 

 

County Activities & A Photo Shoot at Lake Majestik Farm

Michael has been burning up the roads of north Alabama along with ACA Director of Social Media & Communications Kayla Greer. Last week, Michael traveled to Dekalb County to attend the county annual meeting where he enjoyed visiting with President Zane Troxel and northeast Alabama cattlemen. He then headed south to Thorsby in Chilton County where he had a beef by-products booth at the Thorsby High School Farm Day. Kayla then joined him on Saturday for a trip north to the Crimson Classic Santa Gertrudis female sale at Cullman Stockyard.

The duo then headed north again on Monday afternoon to visit with Nic Cornelison of Flat Rock, owner of Lake Majestik Farm and purchaser of the 2018 PAC auction July cover of the Alabama Cattleman magazine. The pair enjoyed spending time with Nic and touring his scenic farm and seeing some big-name bulls in the Brangus breed including Foundation, Beacon, Legacy and Xerox. Be looking out for a black-hided bovine to grace the July cover!

 

 

Professional Development Workshop

This week ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley has been at the Professional Development Workshop in Chicago with fellow state association executives. This conference is a collaborative conference to discuss policy issues, checkoff information, best management practices for associations and other topics to help state affiliates.

 

 

Ag Issues Luncheon in Northwest Alabama

Erin won’t get back home before she hits the road again, but this time she will be staying within state lines. On Thursday, she is looking forward to a big day as she is joined by Regional Vice President Jay Buckley of Colbert Co., Colbert County President Will Gotcher and Franklin County President Steven Smith to participate in an ag issues luncheon hosted by Congressman Robert Aderholt. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will be a special guest of the congressman and will visit with the ag community on policy issues we are facing.

 

 

Bama’s Best Beef Contest

Have you ever tried an unforgettable beef dish served at an Alabama restaurant or food truck? You’re not alone if you answered yes because the 3rd annual Bama’s Best Beef contest, which seeks out unique beef dishes in Alabama, brought in over 200 nominations representing restaurants from the Gulf Coast to the Tennessee line and everywhere in between. Our contest committee is in review now mulling through the many nominations in the brisket, steak, roast and variety categories and looks forward to unveiling the first to finalist to Facebook fans on Monday as we launch our first round of photo challenges where contest participants vote for their favorite dish by “Liking” its photo on our social media platform.

 

The nominations portion of the contest did not disappoint as it reached over 65,038 Alabamians, gained over 6,600 reactions, including likes, shares and comments, and resulted in almost 200 new page likes. Additionally, as a direct result of the Facebook ad, over 460 Facebook users clicked to the contest page on BamaBeef.org, gaining traffic for the association website. We look forward to bigger results as we move into photo challenges! Stay tuned for our category finalists…

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Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again next week , we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Paid for by Alabama Beef Farmers. 

April has flown right past us, and now we are staring a busy month of May in the face! When in the world did that happen? Just as we’ve started to enjoy springtime and all the green grass that comes with it, and now we are quickly shifting our sites toward summertime and hay cutting season. While you work hard in the field, your ACA staff is hard at work in Montgomery protecting your best interests, building a magazine, entering membership, attending meetings, holding beef promotions, educating consumers….whew…and the list goes on. Keep reading to learn all about what’s happening at the ACA this week.

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BAMA’S BEST BEEF- Nominations closing soon!

Have you ever tried an unforgettable beef dish served at an Alabama restaurant or food truck? We’re excited to learn about all the unique beef dishes served up at local dives across our state, and the kick off of our 3rd annual Bama’s Best Beef contest has not disappointed in its short lifetime thus far. The contest kicked off on Monday, April 16 with a Facebook, Twitter and Instagram announcement and in just over a week’s time, the post has already brought in over 100 nominations, reached over 58,300 Alabamians on Facebook and garnered over 122 new likes on our page. We’re very excited about some of nominations we have received in each of the categories as they are truly mouth-watering sounding! Stay tuned for more as nominations close this Sunday at midnight!

 

 

If your local diner is home to a DELICIOUS beef dish, be sure to visit BamaBeef.org/BestBeef to submit your nomination today. We also challenge you to share the contest on your social platforms and learn more about by listening to our Southeast AgNet release with Randall Weiseman or visiting the contest webpage. This contest is your checkoff dollars at work, cattlemen. Let’s get the biggest bang for our buck and work together to promote it!

 

 

Youth Production Field Day SUCCESS!

Success is the word to sum up this past Saturday’s Youth Production Field Day at Langley Farms in Camp Hill, AL. Beautiful weather, gorgeous scenery, interactive lessons on forages, the seven quality cow checks and assisted calving followed by a delicious brisket lunch and tour of Langley Farms made for a successful day of Alabama Beef Checkoff dollars at work! Over 35 youth were in attendance and enjoyed a day of interactive, hands-on learning.

 

Special thanks to Chris & Elizabeth Langley and family for their generous hospitality, Dr. Soren Rodning, Sarah Dickinson and Caroline Nichols for their expertise, the Auburn Collegiate Cattlemen and CattleWomen for their catering services and all who joined us to make this event a success.

 

 

Membership updates

ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is updating county contact information for mailouts and emails. County leaders, please visit BamaBeef.org/CountyChapters today to double check your information. If you find something is incorrect, please call or email Jessica at the office- (334) 265-1867. Information needed includes mailing address, phone number and an email address, with emphasis on the email!

 

Speaking of mailing address, Jessica is also working to get the final membership renewal mailout sent to the printer for next week. Remember to get your memberships entered because 100% of the dues from this mailout will come back to the state office otherwise. Need helping figuring out how to enter your membership? Contact Jessica to schedule your i4a training. We really need more county participation on the membership entering effort! The quicker county secretaries can learn to enter, the quicker your membership will get entered into the system and start receiving their magazines. We certainly don’t want anyone missing out on those!!

 

We want to continue to shoutout our Over the Top counties as we are extremely proud of their hard work and true, grassroots efforts. Over the Top counties include Bibb, Butler, Choctaw, Clay, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Covington, Cullman, Dale, Escambia, Greene, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, Perry, Russell, Sumter, Washington and Winston counties! Now, this means there will be a very special presentation made at the August Board Meeting…you guessed it…RED COATS! County presidents- if you went Over the Top and do not already have a red coat, we cannot stress enough the importance of going to get fitted for your coat and sending the suggest size into Jessica. The reason why it’s so important you get fitted is because (1) we can’t return the coats should they not fit and (2) we cannot re-order your correct size until the next year…which means you’ll be without for another year!! (Our orders are set at a minimum volume, and we are unable to order just one or two coats at a time.) We know you want that coat just as much as we want to give it to you, so please get sized! P.S. if you’re planning to attend the Board Meeting on May 17, Jessica has a few limited sizes you may try on if you’d like 🙂 Please, send your coat size to Jessica asap! 

 

…speaking of…county presidents and secretaries be sure to SAVE THE DATE for May 17 as we’ll be meeting up in Montgomery for an engaging, interactive Board meeting we’ve entitled: “Building the Brand: Steering County Leaders Toward Success.” 

 

 

Ag Commissioner Forum

On Thursday, the ACA will be represented at the Ag Commissioners Forum hosted by the Alabama Agribusiness Council in Auburn. The panel will be made up of Rick Pate, Sen. Gerald Dial, T.O. Crane and Cecil Murphy who are all running for commissioner of Ag and Industries. They will discuss their vision surrounding several topics related to agriculture and how they would operate as commissioner.

 

 

Spring Beef 101- That’s a Wrap!

Today marks the last of six spring BEEF 101 programs held at the Auburn University Beef Teaching Unit and Meats Lab. Throughout the month of April over 200 participants from culinary arts programs across Alabama will have joined us on a beef journey from pasture to plate. Your checkoff went to work as we hosted programs for McAdory High School, Greenville High School, Central High School and Columbus (GA) High School FACS students as well as Lawson State Community College, Trenholm State Community College, Coastal Alabama Community College and Drake State Community College culinary arts programs. This is big news as these future chefs and foodservice representatives will head into their careers with a thorough knowledge of beef cattle production told straight from the cattlemen…and veterinarian…and meat scientist’s mouth! Big thanks to all who have joined us to help put on these many programs.

 

 

County Activities Happening Across Alabama

County activities are are on the rise as warmer weather means less time spent feeding thanks to green grass and more bearable temperatures…so long snow and ice! This past weekend, ACA staffer Michael Agar enjoyed a trip to the Clay County Cattlemen’s Association Spring Meeting while ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley attended a successful Lauderdale County Field Day at Hamner Farm in Killen with 50 other producers. The Greene County Cattlemen’s Association also held a successful Weed Control and Calibration Field Day at Eutaw City Park! Looking ahead, Michael Agar is excited to head to the Dekalb County Cattlemen’s Annual Meeting on Thursday night followed by a trip to Thorsby for a Farm City event on Friday, while Erin Beasley is pleased to spend her last Saturday in April with the Butler County Cattlemen’s Association at their annual meeting. The Mobile County Cattlemen will gather at Freeland Farm for their Spring Meeting on Saturday, and further up the interstate, the BEEF Truck will be hauling Michael Agar and Kayla Greer north to Cullman for the Crimson Classic Sale. A few other events to look out for are the Pike County Invitational Steer & Heifer Show (rules and registration now posted here), the Cattlemen’s Bus Tour (register here) and all kinds of educational Extension events, which can be found here.

 

 

Producer Event At Tuskegee U

Last but not least, on Tuesday the ACA was involved in a conference aimed at small producers hosted by Tuskegee University. Along with a policy update for attendees, information was shared about how small producers can use the association as a resource for their operation.

 

 

CATTLEMEN’S BUS TOUR

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
COST: $325/PERSON
FORM & FEE DUE MAY 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

Happy Wednesday! It’s a warm, beautiful, springy day here in our great state which means you are probably out getting your hands dirty. We sure hope so as it is your work that keeps the world fed and makes it go round, but when you decide to sit down this evening and enjoy some dinner and rest up for more work this afternoon, we hope this gives you some quality reading material and helps you stay connected with your state Cattlemen’s Association. Spring is a time when beef promotion really amps up, membership deadlines hit and field days jump on the scene. Keep reading to learn what all that means for you as a cattleman…

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Bama’s Best Beef Kicks Off

Have you ever tried an unforgettable beef dish served at an Alabama restaurant or food truck? We’re excited to learn about all the unique beef dishes served up at local dives across our state, and the kick off of our 3rd annual Bama’s Best Beef contest has not disappointed in its short lifetime thus far. The contest kicked off on Monday, April 16 with a Facebook, Twitter and Instagram announcement and in just two short days the post has already brought in over 35 nominations and reached over 21,700 Alabamians on Facebook alone. This contest has garnered excellent reach and some pretty great feedback as nominations include tasty-sounding dishes and conversations around the contest are all beef-positive.

 

An added bonus to the 3rd annual Bama’s Best Beef  is that YOUR VOICE was heard in building the structure of this checkoff-funded contest. What does that mean? Well, as a direct result of cattlemen requests, the contest categories are featuring popular beef cuts including brisket, roasts and steak. This request came about at the 2018 Marketing Plan Task Force Meeting held October 2017.

 

If your local diner is home to a DELICIOUS beef dish, be sure to visit BamaBeef.org/BestBeef to submit your nomination today. We also challenge you to share the contest on your social platforms and learn more about by listening to our Southeast AgNet release with Randall Weiseman or visiting the contest webpage. This contest is your checkoff dollars at work, cattlemen. Let’s get the biggest bang for our buck and work together to promote it!

 

 

Youth Production Field Day- This Weekend

We are looking forward to our upcoming Youth Production Field Day happening at Langley Farms in Chambers County, Alabama this Saturday. We’ve got 44 young people registered and a variety of topics to cover using the expertise of Alabama Extension personnel. Topics include forages, assisted calving, Beef Quality Assurance and body condition scoring. Following a morning of learning and lunch, attendees will have the opportunity to tour Langley Farms with ACA President-Elect Chris Langley and family.

 

It’s not too late to come if you missed registration. Just contact Michael Agar at (334) 265-1867. More information can be found at BamaBeef.org/ProductionFD.

 

 

Hip Hip Hooray for Over the Top Counties

The Over the Top deadline has come and gone, and ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is hard at work inputting stacks and stacks of membership. We are SO PROUD to report that we have over 9,000 members in the system to date and 25 counties have gone Over the Top!! Excellent work to all our county chapters on their hard work and true, grassroots efforts!

 

Over the Top counties include Bibb, Butler, Choctaw, Clay, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Covington, Cullman, Dale, Escambia, Greene, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, Perry, Russell, Sumter, Washington and Winston counties!

 

Now, this means there will be a very special presentation made at the August Board Meeting…you guessed it…RED COATS! County presidents- if you went Over the Top and do not already have a red coat, we cannot stress enough the importance of going to get fitted for your coat and sending the suggest size into Jessica. The reason why it’s so important you get fitted is because (1) we can’t return the coats should they not fit and (2) we cannot re-order your correct size until the next year…which means you’ll be without for another year!! (Our orders are set at a minimum volume, and we are unable to order just one or two coats at a time.) We know you want that coat just as much as we want to give it to you, so please get sized! P.S. if you’re planning to attend the Board Meeting on May 17, Jessica has a few limited sizes you may try on if you’d like 🙂

 

…speaking of…county presidents and secretaries be sure to SAVE THE DATE for May 17 as we’ll be meeting up in Montgomery for an engaging, interactive Board meeting we’ve entitled: “Building the Brand: Steering County Leaders Toward Success.” 

 

 

National Checkoff Program Audit Underway

Every five years, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) visits to do an audit specifically for the national checkoff program. This week the ACA has welcomed Dean Oyster from Colorado to the building to conduct this audit. Once the audit is complete, CBB will issue a report that includes recommendations to our office similar to how the annual audit is done with our third party auditor.

 

 

April BEEF 101 Programs Wrapping Up

The last of six spring BEEF 101 programs will complete next week, and we’re thrilled to announce that throughout the month of April over 200 participants from culinary arts programs across Alabama will have joined us on a beef journey from pasture to plate. Your checkoff went to work as we hosted programs for McAdory High School, Greenville High School, Central High School and Columbus (GA) High School FACS students as well as Lawson State Community College, Trenholm State Community College, Coastal Alabama Community College and Drake State Community College culinary arts programs. This is big news as these future chefs and foodservice representatives will head into their careers with a thorough knowledge of beef cattle production told straight from the cattlemen…and veterinarian…and meat scientist’s mouth! Big thanks to all who have joined us to help put on these many programs.

 

 

CATTLEMEN’S BUS TOUR

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
DEPOSIT: $325/PERSON
FORM & FEE DUE MAY 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 enjoy a tour of Chatel Farms, an FPL feeding facility, in Reidsville, Georgia, and Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, Florida.

 

BUS TOUR AGENDA

 

 

BEEF PAC discusses primaries

The BEEF Political Action Committee (PAC) held a conference call Tuesday night to discuss upcoming primary races. Several candidates in both House and Senate races will receive contributions from the PAC to help support their campaigns. Candidates continue to call and request visits with the association to discuss issues concerning cattlemen which is keeping ACA lobbyist Erin Beasley busy. If you’re interested in joining the BEEF PAC Club, contact Erin at the office by calling (334) 265-1867.

 

 

April Consumer Newsletter Coming Your Way Soon

Reaching consumers with news about beef’s bold flavor, big nutrition and bursting variety is an important initiative in the 2018 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan. To amp up consumer education on the digital front…in addition to our work on social media…we’ve decided to implement email campaigns from our state office. So far in 2018, we’ve sent a consumer e-newsletter out each month highlighting timely information about beef. For instance, in January we highlighted lean beef for all those New Year Resolutions, while in February we promoted serving beef to your Valentine. The April newsletter is highlighting beef’s global footprint as we promote the ethnic variety of beef and how you can serve it to your family for a nutritious and educational family dinner! We do this through an article by Alabama Beef Checkoff Contract Dietician Jessica Ivey, recipes, links to information about how beef can be incorporated into the Mediterranean diet and a guide to marinating the right cuts in the perfect sauce to achieve ethnic flavors!

 

The April Consumer Newsletter will hit over 10,000 inboxes on Friday morning, so be on the lookout and learn how you can serve up dishes from around the world!

 

 

Gilmore Elementary School Headed to The MOOseum

As spring arrives, school groups are heading out to enjoy the beautiful weather in downtown Montgomery. With that comes a full scene at The MOOseum! Today, we’re excited to host Gilmore Elementary School from Jackson County for a day of learning as they come explore The MOOseum. This group features a special little red-headed guest as Maggie Powell is a student in our visiting class. Her teacher, Ms. Cammie Breedlove, gets two thumbs up from us for promoting agriculture in her classroom. She even had former Executive VP Dr. Powell visit to present a beef cattle lesson to her class!

 

County chapters- we encourage you all to reach out to local fourth grade classes and sponsor their trip to The MOOseum. It’s free to attend, but some assistance in gas costs could go a long way toward teaching our young people about Alabama’s very important beef cattle industry! We’d even love to see you tag along on their trip and enjoy a day with us. To learn more about The MOOseum, visit BamaBeef.org/TheMOOseum!

 

 

Extension Workshops,  County Events Firing Up

Extension workshops, county fundraisers and county field days are lining up on our calendar, and we are thrilled to see cattlemen getting out and learning, promoting and networking! If your county has an event coming up, please send it to ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy, and she will disperse the info throughout the office to get it on the website, in the magazine and on staff calendars! For instance, Erin Beasley is looking forward to visiting Lauderdale County this weekend as she joins them for their county field day on Saturday!

 

To stay updated on all that’s happening or to learn about educational events near you, keep an eye out on the Bama Beef Events Calendar on our website, www.BamaBeef.org.

 

 

Environmental Management Commission Meeting

ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley will attend the Environmental Management Commission meeting on Friday which includes several associations and groups visiting with the commission. A few seats will be vacant on the commission in the near future and the ACA has been involved in meeting potential candidates to fill these slots. We hope to keep conservative, common sense people on the commission to assist with environmental needs that we may have in the future.

 

 

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Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again next week , we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Paid for by Alabama Beef Farmers. 

The sun is shining, the grass is green, cattle are being worked across Alabama, and your Cattlemen’s Association staff is in town at work for you this springtime week. Not only are we working for you in Montgomery, but your state leaders are also on the Hill in Washington D.C. at the NCBA Legislative Conference. Keep reading to learn more and to get an update from your state association this week. 

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ACA Leaders Head to D.C.

ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley headed north this week alongside ACA President-Elect Chris Langley, NCBA Region II Policy Vice President  Jimmy Holliman and American National CattleWomen’s Vice President Evelyn Greene to the NCBA Legislative Conference in Washington D.C. Today’s agenda consisted of office visits with Alabama’s senators and representatives. This morning, the group met with staff of Sen. Richard Shelby, Sen. Doug Jones and Congresswoman Terry Sewell, and following lunch, they met with Ag Appropriations Chairman Rep. Robert Aderholt and Congressman Mike Rogers, who serves on the Ag Committee, and Rep. Martha Roby.

 

These visits surely are useful, and when cattlemen bring their #BootsOnTheHill, they always make a statement.

 

 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is hard at work inputting membership. Her stack is growing- which is a great problem to have- but county secretaries can help out by calling her at 334-265-1867 and scheduling a webinar so they can learn how to input county information! This will help greatly as we approach our Over the Top deadline which is APRIL 15! Yes, the deadline has been extended!

 

 

YOUTH PRODUCTION FIELD DAY

Registration is now available for our upcoming Youth Production Field Day happening at Langley Farms in Chambers County, Alabama on April 21. We’re going to cover a variety of topics using the expertise of Alabama Extension personnel including forages, assisted calving, Beef Quality Assurance and body condition scoring. Following a morning of learning and lunch, attendees will have the opportunity to tour Langley Farms with ACA President-Elect Chris Langley and family.

 

This event is FREE and open to all Alabama youth. If you have any questions, please contact Michael Agar at (334) 265-1867. To register, visit BamaBeef.org/ProductionFD.

 

 

Cattlemen’s Bus Tour

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
DEPOSIT: $325/PERSON
FORM & FEE DUE MAY 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 enjoy a tour of Chatel Farms, an FPL feeding facility, in Reidsville, Georgia, and Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, Florida.

 

BUS TOUR AGENDA

 

 

 

Associate Members

ACA Director of Social Media & Communications spent her Wednesday morning at the Alabama Farmers Federation where she met with Alfa Insurance PR team leaders to manage the digital services aspects of their 2018 Platinum Level Associate Membership. We appreciate all our many 2018 associate members, and want to make sure you know who they are!

 

Platinum: Alfa Insurance

Silver: TriGreen Equipment

Silver: Alabama Farmers Cooperative

Silver: Alabama Ag Credit & Alabama Farm Credit

Bronze: Merck Animal Health

Bronze: Mix30 by Agridyne

Bronze: Southeast Select Sires

Bronze: Dow AgroSciences

Bronze: Tucker Milling

Bronze: Lake Majestik

Bronze: Columbiana Tractor, LLC

Bronze: Cavender’s Western Outfitter

 

 

Congratulations, O’Neal!

Join us in celebrating the 22 years of service O’Neal Broaden has given to the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. On this day in 1996, O’Neal came to the ACA after retiring from the City of Montgomery and has since been keeping our building straight whether he’s setting up the third for for a program, gathering event supplies or helping us keep the office clean. He is a dedicated employee who loves his many, many friends in Alabama’s cattle business. Congratulations on your work anniversary, O’Neal!

 

 

VISIT THE MOOSEUM

As spring arrives, school groups are heading out to enjoy the beautiful weather in downtown Montgomery. With that comes a full scene  at The MOOseum! County chapters- we encourage you all to reach out to local fourth grade classes and sponsor their trip to The MOOseum. It’s free to attend, but some assistance in gas costs could go a long way toward teaching our young people about Alabama’s very important beef cattle industry! We’d even love to see you tag along on their trip and enjoy a day with us. To learn more about The MOOseum, visit BamaBeef.org/TheMOOseum!

 

 

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Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again next week , we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

 

 

 

 

A little rain, a little warm weather, a little Easter celebration…it all makes for a heart-warming week for Alabama’s cattlemen. We hope you enjoyed Easter festivities with family this past weekend and that spring is bursting out on your farm. We know green grass is a welcomed sight for cattlemen following a long winter of feeding hay! While you enjoy looking out over your pastures, your state staff is looking out over a FULL calendar of events headed our way. Between the Cattlemen’s Bus Tour, the upcoming Bama’s Best Beef contest, BEEF 101 programs, the AJCA Production Field Day and Round-Up events…there’s much to look forward to if you’re part of Alabama’s beef cattle industry. Keep reading to learn more and always feel free to reach out to us with questions!

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April BEEF 101 Programs

April is not short on BEEF 101 programs by any means…in fact, there’s SIX throughout the month! This week alone, staffers are spending two days at the Auburn University Beef Unit and Meats Lab to head up BEEF 101 programs with Lawson State Culinary program today and Trenholm State Culinary and Greenville High School Culinary students on Friday. Be sure to check out the May magazine for an update on these programs and big thanks to the cattlemen and meats lab staff who help us make this program a success!

 

YOUTH PRODUCTION FIELD DAY

Registration is now available for our upcoming Youth Production Field Day happening at Langley Farms in Chambers County, Alabama on April 21. We’re going to cover a variety of topics using the expertise of Alabama Extension personnel including forages, assisted calving, Beef Quality Assurance and body condition scoring. Following a morning of learning and lunch, attendees will have the opportunity to tour Langley Farms with ACA President-Elect Chris Langley and family.

 

This event is FREE and open to all Alabama youth. If you have any questions, please contact Michael Agar at (334) 265-1867. To register, visit BamaBeef.org/ProductionFD.

 

 

Legislative Session Wrap Up

The legislative session finished last week, and your ACA Executive Vice President and registered lobbyist Erin Beasley spent plenty of time at the Alabama State House where she acted in a watchdog role protecting cattlemens’ interests and your right to farm. Hear more of what Erin had to say about this session by clicking here.

 

 

April Magazine In Your Inbox

If you’re a member of the ACA, and you’ve supplied us with your email address, then you should have received your digital copy of the Alabama Cattleman magazine in your email inbox on Tuesday! If you didn’t get that email and would like to receive it each month as part of a perk of your membership, give Jessica Kennedy a call at (334) 265-1867 and make sure she has your email address. If you’re a member and would like access, give Kayla Greer a call at the number above to receive the password to the magazine online!

 

 

Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program Class V

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association recognizes the need to cultivate our future leaders of the association and industry. The Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program (YCLP), funded in part by the Alabama State Beef Checkoff, aims to do just that by identifying the state’s top young cattlemen and developing them into leaders of the future.

 

We are thrilled with all the outstanding applicants for Class V and regret to announce that the application period is now closed for 2018-2019. We’re excited, however, to announce that an invitation to be part YCLP Class V has been extended to 26 young cattlemen from across Alabama, and they’ll gather in Montgomery on May 16-17 for their first session in conjunction with the Spring Board of Directors Meeting. This session will include a day full of farm tours, a cookout social with program alumni leadership training with Dr. Don Mulvaney and an inside peek at what goes on during a Board meeting.

Congratulations to all who have been selected for the 2018-2019 class of the Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program. If you’d like to get in on next year’s program, contact Michael Agar today!

 

 

PRODUCER NEWS Hits Inboxes

Thanks to outstanding input from Alabama’s beef cattle producers, the 2018 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan budgeted for four quarterly producer communications pieces to be generated and email blasted to members’ inboxes throughout this year. Last week, we emailed the first edition of the Cattle Call out to over 10,000 inboxes. This newsletter takes important tidbits from the Bama Beef Blog that highlight overall activities from the first few months of 2018 and summarize them in an easy-to-read format that can be read on your phone, tablet or desktop computer!

 

This is just one more way we are keeping Alabama’s cattle producers connected to their state association. We want you to be informed because there is as much strength in knowledge as there is in numbers! If you want to be sure you’re on the list to receive this newsletter next time, send ACA Director of Social Media & Communications Kayla Greer your preferred email address today!

 

 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is hard at work inputting membership. Her stack is growing- which is a great problem to have- but county secretaries can help out by calling her at 334-265-1867 and scheduling a webinar so they can learn how to input county information! This will help greatly as we approach our Over the Top deadline which is APRIL 15! Yes, the deadline has been extended!

 

 

VISIT THE MOOSEUM

As spring arrives, school groups are heading out to enjoy the beautiful weather in downtown Montgomery. With that comes a full scene  at The MOOseum! County chapters- we encourage you all to reach out to local fourth grade classes and sponsor their trip to The MOOseum. It’s free to attend, but some assistance in gas costs could go a long way toward teaching our young people about Alabama’s very important beef cattle industry! We’d even love to see you tag along on their trip and enjoy a day with us. To learn more about The MOOseum, visit BamaBeef.org/TheMOOseum!

 

 

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Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again next week , we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

 

Just like that, the busy month of March is quickly riding off into the beautiful springtime sunset and making room for April. It’s an exciting time of year for your state staff as we are getting geared up to put your checkoff dollars to extra hard work. With the Bama’s Best Beef contest, a slew of springtime BEEF 101 programs, Junior Cattlemen events and online promotion, we’ve got quite the lineup of checkoff-funded programs coming in hot! While we’re busy promoting our favorite protein, you’re going to be busy producing it and the forages they need to thrive throughout the year. We know the bold green landscapes that are covering Alabama are a welcomed sight for you producers, and we hope you know how much we appreciate your hard work and involvement in Alabama’s beef cattle industry. Keep reading to learn more about what’s going on in Montgomery…

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Good Friday HOLIDAY

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association and The MOOseum will be closed this Friday, March 30 in observance of the Good Friday holiday. State staff will observe the religious holiday from home among family and appreciate your willingness to allow us to do so. While the phones will be down, our emails are always up…or you can give us a call as of normal business hours on Monday, April 2. We hope your family has a blessed Easter weekend. Don’t forget to add some beef to that Sunday dinner spread!

 

 

Youth Production Field Day

Registration is now available for our upcoming Youth Production Field Day happening at Langley Farms in Chambers County, Alabama on April 21. We’re going to cover a variety of topics using the expertise of Alabama Extension personnel including forages, assisted calving, Beef Quality Assurance and body condition scoring. Following a morning of learning and lunch, attendees will have the opportunity to tour Langley Farms with ACA President-Elect Chris Langley and family.

 

This event is FREE and open to all Alabama youth. If you have any questions, please contact Michael Agar at (334) 265-1867. To register, visit BamaBeef.org/ProductionFD.

 

 

PRoducer news- coming to an inbox near you!

Thanks to outstanding input from Alabama’s beef cattle producers, the 2018 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan budgeted for four quarterly producer communications pieces to be generated and email blasted to member’s inboxes throughout this year. We’re very excited to have the first of these producer communication newsletters in production, and we are even more excited that it will be sending out soon. This newsletter takes important tidbits from the Bama Beef Blog that highlight overall activities from the first few months of 2018 and summarize them in an easy-to-read format that can be read on your phone, tablet or desktop computer!

 

This is just one more way we are keeping Alabama’s cattle producers connected to their state association. We want you to be informed because there is as much strength in knowledge as there is in numbers! If you want to be sure you’re on the list to receive this newsletter, send ACA Director of Social Media & Communications Kayla Greer your preferred email address today!

A Watchdog For You

As the legislative session wraps up, your ACA Executive Vice President and registered lobbyist Erin Beasley has been spending ample time at the Alabama State House where she is acting in a watchdog role protecting cattlemens’ interests and your right to farm. She has worked closely with agricultural industry stakeholders throughout this session to protect cattle producers, with the largest win being that of a national ELD mandate extension, which was lobbied extensively for among the Alabama government.

 

Should you have any questions regarding legislative happenings and their effects on the cattle industry, don’t hesitate to contact Erin Beasley by calling (334) 265-1867.

 

 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

After recovering from convention wrap-up, ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is back at her desk and hard at work inputting membership. Her stack is growing- which is a great problem to have- but county secretaries can help out by calling her at 334-265-1867 and scheduling a webinar so they can learn how to input county information! This will help greatly as we approach our Over the Top deadline which is APRIL 15! Yes, the deadline has been extended!

VISIT THE MOOSEUM

As spring arrives, school groups are heading out to enjoy the beautiful weather in downtown Montgomery. With that comes a full scene  at The MOOseum! County chapters- we encourage you all to reach out to local fourth grade classes and sponsor their trip to The MOOseum. It’s free to attend, but some assistance in gas costs could go a long way toward teaching our young people about Alabama’s very important beef cattle industry! We’d even love to see you tag along on their trip and enjoy a day with us. To learn more about The MOOseum, visit BamaBeef.org/TheMOOseum!

 

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Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again next week , we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Welcome back! After a few busy week’s here in our home office, we’re excited to be back at blogging to keep our cattlemen and leaders informed about all that’s happening at the ACA. Saddle up for a big read this week as we’ve got LOTS to report on and even more to look forward to as we head into spring! Before we get started on all the news, we’d like to pause momentarily to say- from the bottom of our hearts- thank you for the involvement and passion you bring our association. Our staff has been humbled by the outpouring of support in the wake of a very busy season, and so we tip our hat to each of you for simply being you.

Now, let’s get to the meat of the matter…

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We Hoof’d It in Huntsville!

Where to even begin with convention? Wow what a wonderful time of fellowship, updates, education, family fun and networking we had in Huntsville. From the changing of the guard to dancin’ at the Blue Jeans Ball we covered a lot of ground at the 75th annual Convention & Trade Show. After an outstanding year of leadership, Richard Meadows has officially become an “x,” as the past presidents jokingly refer to themselves, and Limestone Countian Jack Batts has officially taken his seat as the 74th president of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. Serving in supporting state officer roles are President-Elect Chris Langley, Chambers County; Vice President Larry Reeves, Coffee County, and Executive Vice President Erin Beasley, Macon County. We also installed three new regional vice presidents to serve a three-year term- Thornton Stanley, Rodney Logan and Ronnie Joe Jordan- and one to fulfill a one-year term, Jim Miller. For an updated list of the counties they cover, visit BamaBeef.org/RVP. We were also proud to install Washington County cattleman Tommy Fuller as a lifetime director of our association. Congrats to all of our outstanding leaders!

 

Besides the many important business matters handled at convention, we had lots of fun and received great education. Over 600 cattlemen hoof’d it to Huntsville to enjoy over 90 trade show vendors, four Zoetis Cattlemen’s Colleges, two general sessions, a PAC auction and our annual awards banquet where over 70 students were awarded over $75,000 in scholarships by the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation. We were also pleased to celebrate the induction of Dallas County cattleman and national Livestock Market Association President Jerry Etheredge and Limestone County cattleman and ACA Past President Donna Jo Curtis to the Alabama Livestock Hall of Fame. Last but certainly not least, we also awarded Booger Brown, Bubba Thompson and Cody Harris of INSP’s Cowboy Way: Alabama with “TV Personality of the Year” awards for their outstanding portrayal of the cowboy lifestyle and family values on a national television show.

 

Whew- if that only began to cover it! But it doesn’t, and that’s because we cannot seem to type out the fun, passion and genuine goodness of our cattlemen. HUGE thanks to all who joined us and helped make the 75th annual convention and trade show one of the best yet! Now, grab your pen and mark your calendars for Feb. 15-16, 2019 at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center for the 76th annual Convention & Trade Show! We’ll see y’all there!!

 

 

SLE Rodeo Rides Away

Just like the convention, the 2018 SLE Rodeo has also ridden off into the sunset for another year. It doesn’t head out without leaving a mark, though, as we celebrate increased attendance, big laughs and a great show with high-caliber competition! Special thanks to all who came out, attended and helped make our 61st consecutive rodeo a success.

 

We also celebrate a great week of spotlighting Alabama’s youth in livestock. From an outstanding showing at the 2018 Jr. Beef Expo to awarding scholarships to two youth in each of Alabama’s 67 counties, we are so proud of our next generation! Special thanks tot he Alabama Farmers Federation and Beef Commodity Director Nate Jeager for putting on an excellent state show, and congratulations to Limestone County Junior Cattleman and Grand Champion Market Steer exhibitor Ashlyn Ruf and Coffee County Junior Cattleman and Grand Champion Heifer exhibitor Dow Boyd on two fine animals you raised!

 

We’d also like to offer a very special thanks to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PBCI) who do so much to support our youth in livestock. Each year, two young people from each of Alabama’s 67 counties are awarded a scholarship from the PBCI to aid in future participation in youth livestock events or further education during the Jr. Beef Expo. We proudly presented those scholarships at a Saturday luncheon and are now working to spread the news through statewide press releases in our home office!

 

 

Membership Update

Coming off the heels of convention and rodeo, ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is back at her desk and hard at work inputting membership. Her stack is growing- which is a great problem to have- but county secretaries can help out by calling her at 334-265-1867 and scheduling a webinar so they can learn how to input your county’s information! This will help greatly as we approach our Over the Top deadline which is MARCH 31!

 

 

Cattlemen Praise ELD Mandate Extension

U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate will be delayed another 90 days for agricultural haulers:

“This is obviously good news for America’s cattle haulers and producers, and it will provide FMCSA (the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) more time to educate our livestock haulers on the ELDs while industry works on solutions to the current Hours of Service rules that simply do not work for those hauling live animals. We would like to thank Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao and FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez for listening to our concerns and working with us to find a permanent, workable solution.”

Now we continue in our efforts to find a commonsense approach to fix this problem that could have detrimental effects on the livestock sector.

 

 

Spring BEEF 101s Firing Up

With the arrival of spring comes a new set of BEEF 101 programs held in conjunction with the staff at the Auburn University Meats Lab and Beef Teaching Unit, sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff. While this is being typed, a big group from McAdory Middle School Family and Consumer Sciences and Agriscience programs are enjoying a pasture to plate experience at our first of SIX spring programs!

 

Are you interested in joining in on this program? Give us a call at (334) 265-1867 or email us to see how you can get involved and learn more at BamaBeef.org/Beef101.

 

 

Youth Production Field Day

If BEEF 101 doesn’t sound exciting enough, then keep reading! We are excited to host a Youth Production Field Day at Langley Farms in Camp Hill, AL on April 21 from 9 AM- 3PM. Educational topics will include body condition scoring, forages, Beef Quality Assurance, assisted calving and even a farm tour of President-Elect Langley’s farm! This event is FREE and open to all Alabama youth. We invite you to register now at BamaBeef.org/ProductionFD. If you have any questions or would like more information, call ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar at (334) 265-1867 or email him today!

 

 

YCLP CLASS V APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association recognizes the need to cultivate our future leaders of the association and industry. The Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program (YCLP), funded in part by the Alabama State Beef Checkoff, aims to do just that by identifying the state’s top young cattlemen and developing them into leaders of the future.

The three primary goals of the YCLP are:

• Provide participants with a “pasture to plate” experience of Alabama’s beef industry
• Equip participants with the tools necessary to become an effective leader and to share their beef story with their peers
• Create a network of young cattlemen who the ACA can depend on to help with beef promotion and issues management as well as become industry leaders in the future

The YCLP consists of six meetings dispersed across Alabama over the course of a year. The class will be selected by a committee based on applications submitted. Preference will be given to those nominees who are between the ages of 20 & 40, but do not be discouraged to nominate yourself or someone else who falls out of that range.

If you’re interested in the program or would like to nominate someone, find the form in the December issue of the Alabama Cattleman magazine or print the application.

 

 

Visit The MOOseum

As spring arrives, school groups are heading out to enjoy the beautiful weather in downtown Montgomery. With that comes a full scene  at The MOOseum! County chapters- we encourage you all to reach out to local fourth grade classes and sponsor their trip to The MOOseum. It’s free to attend, but some assistance in gas costs could go a long way toward teaching our young people about Alabama’s very important beef cattle industry! We’d even love to see you tag along on their trip and enjoy a day with us! To learn more about The MOOseum, visit BamaBeef.org/TheMOOseum!

 

 

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Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again next week , we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

 

 

 

The Good Lord has blessed us this week with some beautiful sunshine, warm temperatures and the first sight of spring as trees begin to flower and rye grass bursts out of the ground. Cattlemen…and their cattle…are proud for a break in the rain and feed bills and schedules. While you’re enjoying life on the farm, your state staff is busy at work planning our many upcoming events, being a watchdog for you in the legislative session and scheduling several upcoming beef promotion programs. Keep reading to learn more and stay up to date with the ACA! 

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ACA CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW

Hoof It to Huntsville for the 75th annual ACA Convention! We’ve got a record number of pre-registrants, almost 70 and counting vendors for the trade show and the Embassy is booked full. (Keep reading for hotel information!)

This year’s convention schedule is packed with great speakers, an engaging and interactive trade show, junior cattlemen activities and live entertainment. Here’s the run down!

On Friday, March 9, get ready to kick off the convention with Cattlemen’s College 1 which is all about “Cattle Handling and Disease Prevention,” followed by our Opening General Session led by Ranch House Designs Chief Marketing Officer and Alabama-native Ashley Grant. After that, grab your dancing’ boots and head on over to the trade show where Tim Tyler’s Piano Experience will bring the toe-tapping tunes, and we’ll have a delicious menu ready for you to graze around. During that nightly social, we’ll also host our annual PAC Auction with some awesome items including a 2-day, 2-night hunt at “The Swamp Whitetails,” a Winchester Commemorative leaver action rifle, a black baldy oil painting, bull credits, a registered Brangus bull, Stetson boots and SO many more neat items you’ll want to take home! If you’re interested in donating an item to the PAC Auction, give Erin Beasley a call at (334) 265-1867.

 

Now that’s just the Friday fun. Saturday will bring a whole host of exciting educational events starting with the ACA Annual Membership Meeting where you’ll elect your new state officers. After the changing of the guard, Cattlefax Senior Market Analyst Kevin Good will lead our General Session 2 as he discusses market, weather and import/export outlooks. After the Cattlemen’s Luncheon with featured speaker Gov. Kay Ivey, the trade show- with over 75 vendors- will open up and our afternoon of Cattlemen’s Colleges will commence. Topics include estate planning, pasture management and nutrition and information on Extension’s “Pasture to Rail” retained ownership program. Last but certainly not least on the convention agenda is our awards banquet where we’ll induct new members to the Alabama Livestock Hall of Fame and award over $65,000 in scholarships to deserving students. Following the awards banquet, grab those dancin’ boots again as the Rexton Lee Band amps up our Blue Jeans Ball!

 

Junior Cattlemen are not left out of the fun. Your checkoff staff has made up an elaborate and educational scavenger hunt for those junior cattlemen to enjoy and build those teamwork skills. They’ll also have their own speaker and get to participate in leadership games and activities with ACA Director of Industry Relations & Youth Programs Michael Agar.

 

We sure hope you’ll Hoof It to Huntsville to the 75th annual ACA Convention & Trade Show! It’s sure to be a great time of education, networking and getting involved with your association.

 

Click Here to Register Now! Or call us at (334) 265-1867 to register by phone. The Embassy Suites is BOOKED full. We have an Alabama Cattlemen’s Association block at the neighboring Homewood Suites. Click here or call 256.539.1445 to book your room at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Huntsville Downtown.

 

 

Trade Show Vendors- The list keeps growing!

We’re bringing you the BEST trade show we’ve ever had to offer at the 75th annual ACA Convention and Trade Show! Check out this list of vendors now!

• ABS Global Inc.
• ADM Animal Nutrition
• Agri-AFC, LLC
• Alabama Ag Credit/Alabama Farm Credit
• Alabama BCIA
• Alabama Beef Systems Extension
• Alabama CattleWomen’s Association
• Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries
• Alabama Farmers Cooperative
• Alabama Soil & Water Conservation Committee
• Allflex USA, Inc.
• American Angus Association
• AU College of Agriculture
• Bayer
• Bayer Animal Health
• Boehringer Ingelheim
• Burns Farms
• Cargill
• Cargill/SSC Feeds
• Cavenders Western Outfitter
• CK Cattle
• CK Cattle Equipment
• Datamars, Inc.
• Deep South Livestock Equipment
• DowDupont Agrosciences
• EZ T Post
• First South Farm Credit
• Genex
• Haney Equipment Co.
• Huntsville Tractor & Equipment
• Hy Plains Feedyard
• Kilgro & Associates, Inc.
• Lake Majestik Farms
• Landers McLarty Chysler Dodge Jeep Ram
• MERCK Aniimal Health
• Mix 30 by Agridyne
• NCBA
• No Bull Enterprises
• NuTech Biosciences
• OreGro Seeds
• Peachtree Planning
• PNC Bank
• Premier Angus Genetics
• Ridley Block Operations
• Smoky Mountain Cattle Co.
• Southeast Select Sires, Inc.
• Southeastern Land Group, Inc.
• Southern Silage Supply
• Stay Tuff Wire
• StockAde/Schwarz Equipment Co.
• Stocker Supply, LLC
• Sumner AG Services, Inc.
• Tennessee Livestock Producers
• The Richadson Agency
• The Wax Company
• TMKE LLC/Hapy Feet USA
• Town Creek Farm
• TriGreen Equipment
• USDA NASS
• VitaFerm
• Walter Moss Seed Co.
• Westway Feed Products
• Zoetis
• Alabama Cattlemen’s Association
• Graham Livestock Systems
• Art by Allie
• Postive Feed
• Ag-Pro Companies
• Woody Anderson Ford
• Alabama Senepol Breeders Association
• Alabama Charolais Association
• Pennington Seed Inc.
• Will Ainsworth for Lt. Governor
• Small & Rural Services
• SweetPro Premium Feed Supplements
• Giant Rubber Water Tanks, Inc.
• Tucker Milling, LLC
• Genetix Cattle Plus

 

 

SLE RODEO TICKETS ON SALE NOW- Media luncheon this week!

The 61st annual SLE Rodeo is coming to town March 15-17 at Garrett Coliseum. PRCA 2017 Stock Contractor of the Year Frontier Rodeo Company’s elite bucking stock, PRCA Xtreme Bullfights and hometown funny man Trent McFarland are sure to combine to make one excellent show for the whole family! Kids events will be available where your little buckaroo can play in the dirt like a real rodeo cowboy. SLE Rodeo tickets are on sale now! Call us at 888-2RODEO2 or visit us online to order tickets to the show and to learn more about the 2018 SLE Rodeo!

 

Speaking of the rodeo, we’ll host Montgomery’s most-loved media personalities at the Cattlemen’s Building this Thursday for the annual SLE Rodeo Media Luncheon. There, the media will get a flavor for what the rodeo is bringing to town while enjoying a delicious steak lunch. This is always a fun event and a great way to inform the media about our upcoming show!

 

 

Policy Update, Rep. Mike Rogers & PAC Reception

The association is continuing to work on the national level regarding the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) law. This past week, a petition was submitted to the DOT in Washington D.C. outlining the concerns for livestock haulers and was signed by organizations that make up the Ag Coalition in Alabama. Additionally, the ACA submitted a letter before the comment deadline signed by a majority of county cattlemen’s associations. Thank you for engaging on this issue. We are continuing to look for solutions to the law as the March 18 deadline for exemption approaches.

 

Also in the world of politics, the Alabama BEEF PAC Club hosted its annual PAC Reception last evening at the Cattlemen’s Building in downtown Montgomery. BEEF PAC Club members welcomed legislators for a night of good fellowship and, of course, beef. We were also pleased to host Congressman Mike Rogers at our building for a luncheon yesterday as he gave an update from his office in D.C. and offered insight on federal policy coming down the pipeline.

 

 

The MOOseum Welcomes all

What we’re hearing from The MOOseum Coordinator Kara Harden downstairs is that The MOOseum has attracted quite a diverse audience as of late. Our children’s educational center has had an increase of out-of-state traffic and even had a family from Australia visit while they were touring around downtown Montgomery. We’re excited to welcome out-of-towners in to learn about Alabama’s beef cattle industry. Just today, we are expecting over 100 kiddos from Sylvania Elementary School.

 

 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

As ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy works diligently to put in county memberships, we encourage county leaders to help her out by setting aside 30-45 minutes to complete a training webinar for the new membership software, i4a. Software training webinars are still happening! If you have not signed up for training please send Jessica the days that are best for you and if you want a 12pm, 3pm, or 7pm slot.  Please choose multiple times and days of availability.  If you’re not a big emailer, give her a call at (334) 265-1867.

 

On that note, we also want to encourage you to keep an eye out for renewal notices as the second renewal mailout is hitting mailboxes this month! Be sure to get those memberships sent to the state office. Over the Top deadline is set for March 31st.

 

MEETINGS HAPPENING ACROSS ALABAMA

Stay updated with the “when” and “where” of upcoming educational events and meetings by visiting our Cattlemen’s Calendar. If you’re county annual meeting isn’t on the list, be sure to send that information to Jessica.

 

Jessica is also anxiously awaiting your county leadership updates and county annual meeting photos. She needs the names and contact information of the newest county leaders in order to organize the updating of the magazine and website as well as provide the correct correspondence for important letters and emails pertaining to Board Members. Please send those updates to Jessica! She is also looking out for information on your upcoming county meetings. Send those dates, times and locations her way to get them included on our online calendar and to line up a state representative to attend the event. If you’d like a county meeting mailout done, please give Jessica TWO WEEKS notice. Those mailouts take a good bit of time to design, print and label, so please give us plenty of notice to do a clean, thorough job for your county.

 

 

YCLP CLASS V APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association recognizes the need to cultivate our future leaders of the association and industry. The Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program (YCLP), funded in part by the Alabama State Beef Checkoff, aims to do just that by identifying the state’s top young cattlemen and developing them into leaders of the future.

The three primary goals of the YCLP are:

• Provide participants with a “pasture to plate” experience of Alabama’s beef industry
• Equip participants with the tools necessary to become an effective leader and to share their beef story with their peers
• Create a network of young cattlemen who the ACA can depend on to help with beef promotion and issues management as well as become industry leaders in the future

The YCLP consists of six meetings dispersed across Alabama over the course of a year. The class will be selected by a committee based on applications submitted. Preference will be given to those nominees who are between the ages of 20 & 40, but do not be discouraged to nominate yourself or someone else who falls out of that range.

If you’re interested in the program or would like to nominate someone, find the form in the December issue of the Alabama Cattleman magazine or print the application.

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Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again next week , we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.