Category: Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update

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.

 

Ok, ok. This weather is truly out of hand. In true Alabama fashion, the weather has us on a roller coaster ride. Sub-freezing temps to mid-70s in February to “drought” conditions and heavy rainstorms that leave us cattlemen in mud up to our knees. The rye grass is coming in slow while the feed sacks are emptying fast. It’s wintertime in Alabama (we think?) and as temperatures are looking to turn north, so are we as we prepare for our biggest event of the year. Keep reading to get an update on Convention and to learn more about what’s going on at the ACA this week. 

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ACA CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW- EARLY BIRD ENDS NEXT WEEK!

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 $55,000 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. This week, your checkoff staff has been working on 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.

 

 

SLE RODEO TICKETS ON SALE NOW

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 Freestyle Bullfighting 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!

 

 

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.

 

COUNTY MEETINGS HAPPENING ACROSS ALABAMA

County annual meetings are in full swing, and your state staff is excited to buzz all around visiting those meetings. If a state staffer isn’t in attendance, then one of our outstanding officers are. This week alone we’ve hit Clarke, Henry, Pickens and Crenshaw counties. Stay updated with the “when” and “where” of meetings by visiting our Cattlemen’s Calendar. If you’re 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.

 

 

Scholarship Notification

If you’re favorite student applied for an Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship, be on the look out for a letter and an email THIS WEEK. We’re proud to award over $60,000 in scholarships this year to deserving students across the state. This year’s applicant pool was extraordinary as we had a plethora of students with superb grades and loads of agricultural involvement.

 

We are thrilled to award scholarships to Alabama’s finest cattle kids!

 

 

Hosting Large Animal Bovine Vet Students

The ACA is looking forward to hosting Dr. Misty Edmondson’s large animal bovine veterinarian students this Friday at the ACA building. While visiting along with State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Frazier, the students will tour our building, enjoy lunch and learn more about Alabama’s beef cattle industry and our association. This group stops by for a visit each year, and we appreciate the leadership of Dr. Edmondson to introduce her students to our association.

 

 

AL Cattlemen Blazed a Trail to Phoenix

Alabama Cattlemen’s had quite the showing at the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in Phoenix last week. Your state officers, collegiate cattlemen and others had a successful trip out west to visit the largest industry trade show in the nation and participate in all the meetings and events! We’re proud to announce that ACA Past President Jimmy Holliman was elected to serve as your Region II policy vice president where he’ll represent the Southeast at the policy roundtable.

 

We’re already looking forward to a trip to the bayou next year as convention comes to New Orleans!

 

 

Staffers Head North

 

 

Legislature Heating Up

While the legislature is heating up in Montgomery, your Cattlemen’s lobbyist Erin Beasley has been spending time at the State House and planning our upcoming PAC Reception and reception for Congressman Mike Rogers. She is on the forefront of the discussions about the impending ELD extension expiration and is fighting to protect Alabama’s cattle producers from the effects of mandatory electronic logging devices.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

Happy New Year! We hope this post finds you well-rested after a busy and full holiday season. We also hope it finds you warm as Mother Nature has really turned down the thermostat in our home state…BUUURRRR. With unseasonably cold temperatures getting cattlemen out early in the mornings to feed hay and bust frozen water troughs, it’s these conditions that make our passion and animal husbandry shine. As we enter into the new year (Geez, 2018 already?!), your Alabama Cattemen’s staff resolves to work harder, promote heavier and go the extra yard for our cattlemen even more so in 2018 than in 2017. What did your New Year Resolutions include? 

The New Year brings a new calendar full of events, new programs in the Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan to accomplish and a legislative session to monitor. Keep reading to learn about all that’s happening this first week of 2018. 

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January Magazine- Coming to a Mailbox Near You!

Boy, oh boy, do we have a treat for you! We’re not gonna say much, but be on the lookout for the January issue of the Alabama Cattleman magazine. They should be in your mailbox very soon…:)

 

 

Membership Report

ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is 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.

 

Also- keep an eye out for renewal notices as the second renewal mailout is hitting mailboxes this month.

 

Last but certainly not least, the i4a membership 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.

 

 

Legislative Session Kicks Off Next Week

The 2018 Alabama Legislative Session begins on January 9. ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley is ready to strap on her lobbyist boots and hike over to the State House to play a watchdog role for Alabama’s cattle producers. Leading up to the session, Erin will be participating in legislative seminars this week to gather insight into the upcoming session and meet with legislators on topics of interest to Alabama’s beef cattle industry. Stay tuned for any important updates.

 

 

CONVENTION REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

We hope you’ll “Hoof It to Huntsville” on March 9-10 to join us at the 75th annual ACA Convention & Trade Show. We’ve got a great lineup of speakers, fun events and the Alabama cattle industry’s largest industry trade show in the works. Registration is now open at BamaBeef.org/Convention. Be on the look out in your January Alabama Cattleman magazine for more information, including a schedule of events! P.S.- Early Bird Prices are good though January 31. Don’t miss out!

 

 

SLE RODEO TICKETS ON SALE NOW

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 Freestyle Bullfighting 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. If you’re in the market for an awesome stocking stuffer idea, you’re in luck. 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!

 

 

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.

 

 

Resolve to Eat Lean Beef

The new year often comes with resolutions associated with losing weight, eating healthier or changing your lifestyle altogether. Beef is just what you need to power through those resolutions without sacrificing flavor or fullness. Check out this recipe:

 

 

 

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.

As the year comes to a close, and we all settle in our homes to enjoy the Christmas season with friends and family, your Alabama Cattlemen’s Association staff wanted to provide you with one, last update for 2017 and take the opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We hope you are blessed this Christmas and that the new year brings all the prosperity we hope for in our resolutions. We appreciate each of you for your membership, your involvement and the role you play in Alabama’s beef cattle industry.

Until 2018, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

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HOliday Hours

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, your ACA staff will be taking a break to enjoy time with friends and family. The office will be closed Monday, Dec. 25- Monday, January 1. We will resume normal office hours on Tuesday, January 2 and appreciate the time granted to prepare for a busy start to 2018. Many of us, however, won’t get out of work as we will be taking on the life of a full-time cattleman as we trade our business slacks for blue jeans and enjoy a week on the farm. If you should need us, shoot us an email. We will be monitoring our emails throughout the week to provide continued attention to our cattlemen and members.

 

CONVENTION REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

We hope you’ll “Hoof It to Huntsville” on March 9-10 to join us at the 75th annual ACA Convention & Trade Show. We’ve got a great lineup of speakers, fun events and the Alabama cattle industry’s largest industry trade show in the works. Registration is now open at BamaBeef.org/Convention. Be on the look out in your January Alabama Cattleman magazine for more information, including a schedule of events! P.S.- Early Bird Prices are good though January 31. Don’t miss out!

 

 

SLE RODEO TICKETS ON SALE NOW

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 Freestyle Bullfighting 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. If you’re in the market for an awesome stocking stuffer idea, you’re in luck. 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!

 

 

AJCA Directors Gather in Montgomery

AJCA President Cassidy Catrett and AJCA Adviser Michael Agar are excited to host the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association 2017-2018 Board of Directors in Montgomery this week for their annual planning meeting. Th object of today and tomorrow’s meeting is to plan the 2018 Round-Up as well as discuss several ways to increase membership and make the AJCA more attractive to all youth interested in Alabama’s beef cattle industry.

 

 

Tax Bill Working Its Way to the Oval Office

The massive tax reform bill is well on its way to getting through final passage after the Senate approved the final version early this morning. The bill is now headed to the House for one more vote before it will make its way to President Trump’s office. This tax reform bill will have significant impact on small business and agriculture, including changes to the death tax. Stay tuned for updates on final version of the bill!

 

 

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.

 

Membership Update

ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy is 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 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!

 

Also- i4a membership software training webinars have begun! 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.  She will be doing webinars while the office is closed next week and will be available via email as well. If you’re not a big emailer, give her a call at (334) 265-1867.

 

 

MOOey Christmas Was Udderly Holly Jolly

Last week’s 2nd annual MOOey Christmas event was great success! We had a pile of children through The MOOseum to enjoy cookies, cattle and a sit on Cowboy Santa’s lap. The MOOseum Coordinator Kara Harden wants to thank our Cowboy Santa, Bill Lipscomb, Cassidy and Perry Catrett for bringing up cattle for the kids to see, Jason King with Priefert for providing panels for a pen, the Lee County Cattlemen’s Association for the use of their cow barrels and all the schools that came out. We were proud to host Azalea Training Center’s special needs group, United Christian Academy, Carver Pre-K, and Maxwell AFB’s Wilson Elementary.

 

 

Holiday Recipe Inspiration

Need a quick idea for a meal centerpiece? What about a delicious and filling finger food or appetizer for one of the many holiday parties you’ll attend? Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. has got your back with this Holiday Entertaining recipe collection. View it and enjoy Christmas with family, friends and beef! View the Collection 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a Few Handy Links You May Enjoy:

• Alabama Cattle Market Report
• 2017 Alabama Beef Cattle Facts

 

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.

MOOey…we mean Merry…Christmas!! As we get into the holiday season, our office is buzzing with Christmas cheer and big plans for the new year. We hope all of you are settling nicely into your winter feeding schedules, especially as this frigid air and wet weather moves into the South. If you’re looking to dodge the chill air for just a little while longer, take a minute to read up on all that’s happening at the ACA this week.

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Membership Update- County Annual Meetings

It’s county annual meeting season, and our Bama Beef Events Calendar is bursting with meeting dates. Check it out, and be sure to send ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy your county annual meeting dates for us to share! After your meeting, be sure to send her any photos and an updated list of officers.

 

Speaking of Jessica, she is still working to perfect the membership program. Stay tuned with more information from her and remember that we’re all learning how this new program works together! Secretaries who will be inputting membership can email Jessica or call (334) 265-1867 for their logins and website links.  Before beginning to enter membership, we encourage secretaries to sign up for a training webinar.  Send Jessica a list of days and times that work for best for you: Mon-Sun 8am, 12pm, 3pm, 7pm.

 

 

Talking Holiday Roasting on Talk of Alabama

Prime Rib was the talk of the town in the Birmingham area Tuesday morning as Jeff State Culinary Instructor Chef Kenneth Moore joined ACA’s Erin Beasley and Dining Out With Comedienne Joy host Joy King on ABC 33/40’s “Talk of Alabama” to promote holiday roasting with beef. The cooking segment featured Prime Rib and even offered great ideas for repurposing that roast into healthy and delicious meals after Christmas dinner. We got four different spots in the hour-long segment which provided a great educational and promotional outlet to viewers.

 

Even the hosts at “Talk of Alabama” gave this meal two thumbs up!

 

 

MOOey Christmas On Hold

Well, the weather outside is frightful, particularly this week. For those who haven’t checked the weather forecast, you may want to pull out your heavy winter coat and put an extra bale of hay out for your herd. This weekend is going to get COLD. With that and the threat of snow flurries and icey roads in mind, we’ve decided to postpone our MOOey Christmas event to protect visitors from traveling difficulties and exposure to nasty weather. We hope to move the event to next week, so stay tuned for more information!

 

 

ACA T-Shirts On Sale Now!

Santa Claus is coming to town, and h’e on the search for the perfect stocking stuffers. Lucky for him,  ACA T-shirts are now available and ON SALE for the Christmas season. Hop on over to our online store where you’ll find our new T-shirts, and be sure to use the code MOOLAH20 to get 20% each shirt. Our “Black & Red ACA Structured Hats” and BEEF Tags are also 20% with the code above.

 

 

PAC, Finance and Nominating Committees Meet

There’s hustle and bustle in the office as our nominating, political action (PAC) and finance committees are meeting today. While the PAC committee seeks to select candidates to make financial contributions to, the nominating committee is working to select a new slate of officers to present at the 2018 Convention. All that meeting makes for one busy day.

 

 

Convention Registration Opens Dec. 15

Speaking of the 2018 Convention, save the dates! We hope you’ll “Hoof It to Huntsville” on March 9-10 to join us at the 75th annual ACA Convention & Trade Show. We’ve got a great lineup of speakers, fun events and an awesome Trade Show in the works. Registration opens on December 15 at BamaBeef.org/Convention. Be on the look out in your January Alabama Cattleman magazine for more information, including a schedule of events!

 

 

December Magazine Available Online

For those of you who are members, the December issue of the Alabama Cattleman magazine is now available online. There, you’ll find great educational content, checkoff and legislative updates and a delicious holiday recipe perfect for Christmas morning. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Magazine to read enjoy it on your smart phone or tablet today. (Password required. If you’re a member and would like to read it, give us a call at 334-265-1867).

 

 

SLE Rodeo Tickets On Sale Dec. 15

The 61st annual SLE Rodeo is coming to town March 15-17 at Garrett Coliseum. Frontier Rodeo Company’s elite bucking stock, PRCA Freestyle Bullfighting 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. If you’re in the market for an awesome stocking stuffer idea, you’re in luck. SLE Rodeo tickets go on sale to the public on Dec. 15. Call us at 888-2RODEO2 or visit us online to order tickets to the show and to learn more about the 2018 SLE Rodeo!

 

AU Sausage Boxes on Sale Now

Are you looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the meat eater in your life? The AU Collegiate Cattlemen and Cattlewomen have got JUST what you need in their jam-packed with goodness sausage boxes. For only $30 you can 2-lbs of summer sausage, 1-lb. of jalapeño summer sausage and 1-lb. of a perfectly-paired cheese. Who wouldn’t love a gift like that?!

 

Proceeds from the sale of this year’s sausage boxes will aid in sending our collegiate cattlemen and cattlewomen to the 2018 NCBA Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. This is an outstanding educational and networking opportunity for our young people who will soon enter the industry. If you’re interested in ordering a box, call (334) 674-0569, email clb0012@auburn.edu or mail in this printer-friendly order form.

 

 

Weekly Recipe Inspiration- Maple Glazed Roast with Roasted Acorn Squash

 

Here are a Few Handy Links You May Enjoy:

• Alabama Cattle Market Report
• 2017 Alabama Beef Cattle Facts

 

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.