Alabama Cattlemen's Association

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: September 23, 2020

Welcome, fall! Just as the autumn equinox hit, the weather turned cool and crisp— a welcomed occurrence for September! While it may not last forever, we will enjoy it for now, right? The turn in weather also sent calves falling to the ground…we’ve loved seeing all the fall calving photos on social media. Keep them coming! As with each year, the fall months are busy. They just may look a a little different than usual this year. Nevertheless, keep reading to learn what we’re up to this week at the ACA.

Boots on the Ground in South AL

When it comes to giving back, Alabama’s cattlemen know how to put boots on the ground! Several members of the Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program joined staffers and Baldwin County leadership this past Saturday as we visited 14 different operations to provide feed, gasoline, water and most importantly, manual labor. Throughout the day, the seven different crews restored fence lines, cut up downed trees, removed debris and hopefully restored a little hope to the Baldwin Countians. The compassion of the volunteers and the gratefulness of the members was not mistaken. You can donate to these relief efforts, funded by the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation, at www.BamaBeef.org/Relief.

Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program

Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded $26 Million of CARES Act Funds to assist Alabama Agriculture impacted by COVID-19. Funding will be used to establish the Alabama Agricultural Stabilization Program (AASP). No funds may be utilized for salaries, building projects, or capital improvements. Commissioner Rick Pate reminds everyone that the Cattle Producer Applications for the Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program (AASP) will be available online beginning Tuesday Sept. 8, 2020, at 9 a.m. Applicants should visit crf.alabama.gov or agi.alabama.gov to apply.

In order to be eligible for cattle relief funds:

You must be an Alabama resident
You must be able to provide documentation that you sold cattle during the date range of April 16, 2020 through May 15, 2020. Slaughter cattle and bulls do not qualify for payment.
If claiming payment for Dairy Production, you must have been eligible for USDA’s CFAP program for Dairy Production and you must provide the total amount of the CFAP payment you received for Dairy Production.
Need a copy of your W-9
Require successful submission of this application and signed certification and assurances form
Must submit bank account information for electronic payment
Must provide of a voided check or a memo from your bank with account number and routing number.

Maximum “per head” payments for beef cattle:

Less than 600 lbs. x $69/head

600-900 lbs. x $106/head

Fed cattle (Fats) (over 900 lbs.) x $181/head

If you have any questions regarding eligibility, please call 334-240-7100 or email: aasp-questions@agi.alabama.gov

USDA Releases CFAP 2 Program

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture opened application for a second round of COVID assistance relief through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), or CFAP 2. Key details include:

Signups began Monday, September 21 and will run through December 11, 2020.

Cattle Payments: The CFAP 2 payment rate for eligible beef cattle is $55 per head. Payments will be based on the maximum owned inventory of eligible livestock, excluding breeding stock, on a date selected by the producer, between Apr. 16, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2020.

More CFAP 2 details are available on USDA’s website: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/livestock.

Congrats, Morgan!

It’s an exciting week in our office as on Saturday, we will all celebrate the marriage of one of our staffers, Morgan Pounds, to her fiancé, Tyler. This wedding is a long time coming as Morgan and Tyler were set to tie the knot in March before COVID reared its ugly head. Plans changed, but the excitement remains the same! Join us in wishing well the future Mrs. Morgan Desselle!! Email Morgan a Wedding Wish

Foundation Scholarships Now Open

Applications for the 2021-2022 Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarships are now open online at www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarships. The ACF is proud to award over $65,000 in scholarships annually to Alabama’s youth in livestock and those who are the children or grandchildren of longtime members. We offer a variety of scholarships with a range of requirements— there’s truly something to fit any student! We appreciate those who purchase the Cowboy vanity car tag that help fund these scholarships, as well as the generous families who have endowed scholarships through our foundation. Applications CLOSE on November 6 at midnight, so be sure your favorite student(s) submits today!

Filming October Beef Month Cooking Segments

On Tuesday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell was joined in Mobile by Elesha Ergle, RDN and agriscience teacher and cattle producer Emily Dent to film cooking segments for Gulf Coast newscasts, to air in October. They highlighted the versatility of beef- hitting on heart health, cooking with kids and featuring all those delicious fall comforts and tailgating hits! If you’re in Mobile or surrounding counties, be sure to watch out each week for one of these Cooking with John segments to air!

Beef Up the Blood Supply

Speaking of October, this year, the ACA is going to “Beef Up the Blood Supply” throughout Alabama with LifeSouth Blood Bank. To celebrate Beef Month, we will be hosting a week of blood donations across Alabama starting in Dothan on October 12! If you live in the Dothan area, have blood, and love a good steak please reach out to us about donating blood that day and you will receive a discount on a Conestoga Steak for your donation. Then the beef mobile will be driving to Decatur Morgan Hospital in north Alabama for two straight days of blood donation and giving away steak sandwiches and beef meal vouchers. We will return to the MOOseum on October 15 for blood donations in the Montgomery area and then we will wrap up the week at the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association center in Troy, AL. Please contact our staffer, Ali Cantrell, about getting signed up for these blood drives if they are near your area!

Save the Date- Beef Checkoff Task Force Meeting

The Alabama Beef Checkoff Task Force meeting will be held Thursday, October 29 at the Cattlemen’s building in Montgomery. ANY cattlemen in Alabama interested in attending this meeting is welcome to do so by contacting the ACA office at (334) 265-1867. It is a way to get completely involved in the process and having a say in how beef checkoff dollars are spent in the state. The ideas that come out of the task force meeting will be put into a marketing plan and presented to the Beef Checkoff Council for approval and budgeting. Contact an ACA officer or the office today to get more information on the meeting.

SLE Annual Meeting

We look forward to the opportunity to eat and fellowship with members of the Southeastern Livestock Exposition on Thursday evening at the Wetumpka Civic Center for the group’s annual gathering. Membership will also conduct a meeting, in addition to the fun and fellowship. We look forward to a fun year for SLE!

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

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: September 9, 2020

Ah September— and the slightest hint at fall weather. Well, for a minute anyway! It was nice while it lasted, but as things continue to stay fired up on the farm, we also are fired up about upcoming fall events! While you turn your focus to fall calving, hay season and the holidays…our eyes are on bull sales and beef. Keep reading to learn more about what the ACA is up to this week.

Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program

In order to be eligible for cattle relief funds:

You must be an Alabama resident
You must be able to provide documentation that you sold cattle during the date range of April 16, 2020 through May 15, 2020. Slaughter cattle and bulls do not qualify for payment.
If claiming payment for Dairy Production, you must have been eligible for USDA’s CFAP program for Dairy Production and you must provide the total amount of the CFAP payment you received for Dairy Production.
Need a copy of your W-9
Require successful submission of this application and signed certification and assurances form
Must submit bank account information for electronic payment
Must provide of a voided check or a memo from your bank with account number and routing number.

Maximum “per head” payments for beef cattle:

Less than 600 lbs. x $69/head

600-900 lbs. x $106/head

Fed cattle (Fats) (over 900 lbs.) x $181/head

If you have any questions regarding eligibility, please call 334-240-7100 or email: aasp-questions@agi.alabama.gov

Stopping by Stockyards

ACA Director of Field Services Morgan Pounds is headed to South Alabama Stockyard’s weekly sale today in Brundidge. She looks forward to seeing the sale and cattlemen from that area. She will also be stopping by Montgomery and Mid-State to put out flyers explaining how to sign up for the Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program. Stockyard owners be on the lookout for letters in the mail explaining this program as well as providing you with a flyer to put up in your yard.

Membership Update

As of today, our statewide membership number is at 9,203 members. We can almost taste that 10,000….so keep recruiting! In case you need a little help along the way with incentives, we are now offering weekly giveaways featuring excellent ACA items and gear to those who join. This week’s item is a grilling set, perfect for the tailgating season that’s soon to kick off! For members who join today (Wednesday) through Sunday, Sept. 13, they’ll automatically be put in the pot to win this prize. We’ve got more items on the horizon, including more cutting boards, custom ACA leather gloves and swag baskets. Stay tuned and recruit!!

Also, county presidents and secretaries who went “Over the Top,” please submit your coat and shirt sizes into Jessica Kennedy at the office so we can get those Over the Top prizes ordered!

The MOOseum- Last Chance to Vote!

The MOOseum is in a contest to be named the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Impact Maker! Hop over to the website today to vote for The MOOseum as this week is your last chance! We sure are proud of our children’s educational center, and you should be too. Website: https://www.montgomerychamber.com/mgm-impact-makers

Bama’s Best Beef Update

This past Sunday ended our last of four photo challenges featuring our eight semifinalist restaurants and dishes! Gather (Atmore) Train Wreck dish took home the seat in the Final 4 against Preston’s Ribeye in Troy. That being said, that means our four finalists are: Bama Bucks (Sardis City) Trophy Mount Ribeye; Jeff’s Place (Roanoke) Steak Sandwich; Diamond Jim’s & Mrs. Donna’s Famous Ribeye; and Gather (Atmore)’s Train Wreck field dish. Now, as the judges head out with their marching orders to anonymously taste test each of the finalist dishes, the fun continues on Facebook as we’ve launched the People’s Choice contest. Click here and give your hometown finalist dish a LIKE to earn them the title of Bama’s Best Beef: People’s Choice!

Foundation Scholarships Now Open

Where’s the Beef? Contest

The “Where’s the Beef?” Cook-off contest is going on as usual at the Alabama National Fair. ACA will be sponsoring the contest and providing the judges. It will begin at 7 p.m. on October 16 in the Creative Living Center at the Garrett Coliseum. If you are interested in participating, visit the Alabama National Fair website.

Beef Up the Blood Supply

SLE Update

The Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) Rodeo Board of Directors is meeting today to approve some business items before being brought the membership at its annual meeting happening September 24 at the Wetumpka Civic Center. Members please RSVP to Sydney Dougherty at our office if you plan to attend.

Save the Date- Beef Checkoff Task Force Meeting

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

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: September 2, 2020

Welcome, Fall months! We have been awaiting your arrival. As we turn the calendars over to a new month, the temperatures may not quite reflect the seasonal change yet, but boy, the event lineup sure does. We are seeing more educational events, sales and county events as we look ahead to a new season of 2020. Be sure to let us know what you have on the calendar by contacting our office, and keep reading to find out what we are up to this week at the ACA.

ALABAMA AGRICULTURE STABALIZATION PROGRAM

On Tuesday, September 8, the Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program applications for the direct payments on cattle sold from April 16-May 15 will open on www.agi.alabama.gov. Cattlemen will need to complete the online application with required individual information, sales documentation on cattle sold (no slaughter bulls or cows are eligible), W-9 and bank information. A checklist of items will be sent out to the ACA membership by the end of this week, so producers are prepared on Tuesday when the program begins.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

As of today, our statewide membership number is at 9,1 43 members. We can almost taste that 10,000….so keep recruiting! In case you need a little help along the way with incentives, we are now offering weekly giveaways featuring excellent ACA items and gear to those who join. This week’s item is a custom walnut serving board, perfect for the holiday season ahead! For members who join today (Wednesday) through Labor Day Monday, they’ll automatically be put in the pot to win this prize. We’ve got more items on the horizon, including grills, custom ACA leather gloves, swags baskets and more cutting boards. Stay tuned and recruit!!

Also, county presidents and secretaries who went “Over the Top,” please submit your coat and shirt sizes into Jessica Kennedy at the office so we can get those Over the Top prizes ordered!

BAMA’S BEST BEEF UPDATE: FIERY PHOTO CHALLENGES

This week launched our second of four photo challenges featuring our eight semifinalist restaurants and dishes! This week, Fannie’s Vista Burger in Fayette, AL went head-to-head with Jeff’s Place Steak Sandwich, a dish that calls Roanoke, AL in Randolph County home. In this round of the contest, Jeff’s Place secured its seat in the Final 4 with almost 195 votes, just barely ahead of Fannie’s with 191 votes at the closing hour! Special thanks to both restaurants for participating. Our next photo challenge— featuring Diamond Jim’s & Mrs. Donna’s Famous Ribeye in Livingston and 5 Points Deli & Grill “One Hot Mess” Burger in Montgomery—ends today at 2:30 p.m. and as it stands, Diamond Jim’s I just barely in the lead. Our fourth and final round launches tomorrow with our south Alabama semifinalists, so stay tuned for next week’s update. Be sure to pump up your local dives with a vote and a visit!

YCLP COUNCIL MEETS VIRTUALLY

ACA Director of Field Services Morgan Pounds jumped on a Zoom call with the current Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program (YCLP) Council on Tuesday to discuss the current class and upcoming alumni opportunities. The council discussed alumni opportunities at the 2021 ACA Convention as well as a potential joint alumni and Class VIII farm tour for Summer 2021.

This year at convention, YCLP will have a booth in the trade show to talk to young producers about the program. The YCLP Council is continuing to aid in planning future classes and keeping alumni updated. Another role discussed was the selection process for the next YCLP class. Applications will go live January 5 – March 12 for YCLP Class VIII. Email Morgan Pounds with any questions concerning YCLP or visit our webpage, https://www.bamabeef.org/p/about/yclp.

COUNTY RODEOS FIRE UP

ACA Staffers have enjoyed the chance to get out and about to two different county Cattlemen’s rodeos over the past several weeks. First, we’d like to congratulate Clay and Pike counties on two outstanding events! ACA’s Lauren Wilson also looks forward to attending her home county’s event later in September in Lawrence County, so mark your calendars for family fun ahead!

A PRESIDENTIAL VISIT

On Thursday, staffers Ali Cantrell and Morgan Pounds will be traveling to ACA President Larry Reeves’ farm to visit with him about October Beef Month plans as well as get a picture of our president with our Beef Month proclamation. Gov. Kay Ivey has already signed our proclamation to officially declare October as Beef Month in Alabama, so we are very excited to kick off the month by promoting beef and hosting festivities throughout our great state.

BEEF UP THE BLOOD SUPPLY

SLE UPDATE

The Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) Rodeo Sponsorship Committee is meeting Thursday to lay out plans and update the sponsor packet to begin reaching out to businesses for 2021. The organization will have its annual meeting on September 24, also, so members please RSVP to Sydney Dougherty at our office .

We would also like to extend our condolences to the family of Rex Bugbee, pickup man for SLE stock contractor Frontier Rodeo Company, who died last week from injuries sustained in a rodeo accident. We will greatly miss his presence on the dirt at the Garrett Coliseum.

THE MOOSEUM- VOTE NOW!

The MOOseum is in a contest to be named the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Impact Maker! Hope over to the website today to vote for The MOOseum! We sure are proud of our children’s educational center, and you should be too. Website: https://www.montgomerychamber.com/mgm-impact-makers

SAVE THE DATE- BEEF CHECKOFF TASK FORCE

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

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: August 26, 2020

And, in the blink of an eye, we are just about to flip our calendar from August and into the fall months. As calves start to fill the farm landscapes, and harvest takes up time, your state Cattlemen’s staff is busy with a whole list of events and activities that keep our fall calendar full— even on a year like 2020. Cattle sales, beef promotion, educational events and of course, October Beef Month are all top of mind these days. Keep reading to learn more about all that’s going on to prepare for FALL!

Successful Weekend with YCLP

Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program Class VII headed south to Mobile County for its second session this past weekend. The class enjoyed Extension Specialist Ken Kelly’s talk as they learned about budgeting, forages and record keeping practices. We appreciate support from Ken Kelly and Dr. Kelly Palmer as they helped in planning session two and providing education to this year’s class. While in Grand Bay, the participants got to visit two producers. The class visited Mr. Anthony Faggard and Mr. Calvin Freeland of Mobile County. We appreciate their Southern hospitality as they toured the YCLP participants at their farms and offered their extensive knowledge of forages, stockering calves and marketing cattle.

The MOOseum- VOTE NOW

Bama’s Best Beef Update

This week launched our first of four photo challenges featuring our eight semifinalist restaurants and dishes! This week, Bear Creek on the Trail’s Prime Rib from Cherokee, AL in Lauderdale County went head-to-head with Bama Buck’s Trophy Mount Ribeye, a beloved dish from Sardis City in Etowah County. In this round of the contest, Bama Bucks secured its seat in the Final 4 with almost 500 votes! Special thanks to both restaurants for participating. Our next photo challenge launches tomorrow and will feature Fayette County’s own Fannie’s Vista Burger against Jeff’s Place Ribeye Steak Sandwich from Roanoke. Be sure to pump up your local dives with a vote and a visit!

Membership Update

We are excited this week as we broke 9,000 members and are on our way to 10,000 in 2020! Final membership statements have hit mailboxes, and those remittances are coming back to the state office and online. We are also beginning a series of membership giveaways on Facebook to promote joining or renewing with the ACA. The first giveaway launched today and features a beautiful, custom bamboo charcuterie serving board! Anyone who joins or renews today through Sunday will be entered to win, and this is just the first of many awesome prize packages to encourage membership!

Cattle Sale Season

Sale Season has officially arrived! We are excited to be able to get out and support our producers all across the state in their sales. Staffer, Morgan Pounds enjoyed the Piedmont Feeder Calf sale last Thursday in Lafayette and hopped online yesterday to enjoy the all-virtual Alabama & Mississippi Simmental Sale. She and staffer Kayla Greer are heading to Uniontown on Friday for the 22 Annual Herdbuilder Replacement Female sale! We hope to see you there. Check out all the upcoming sales at www.BamaBeef.org/CattleSales or in your next issue of the Alabama Cattleman.

Beef Up the Blood Supply

This October, ACA is going to “Beef Up the Blood Supply” throughout Alabama in partnership with Lifesouth. To celebrate Beef Month and do our civic duties, we will be hosting a week of blood donations across Alabama starting in Dothan on October 12! If you live in the Dothan area, have blood, and love a good steak — please reach out to us about donating blood that day, and you will receive a discount on a Conestoga Steak for your donation. Then, the Beef Truck will be driving to Decatur Morgan Hospital in north Alabama for two straight days of blood donation and giving away steak sandwiches and beef meal vouchers. We will return to The MOOseum on October 15 for blood donations in the Montgomery area and then will wrap up the week at the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association building in Troy, AL. Please contact ACA’s Ali Cantrell about getting signed up for these blood drives if they are near your area!

Save the Date- Beef Checkoff Task Force

SLE Update

The Southeastern Livestock Exposition is gearing up for the 2021 season as meetings to kick start the year are in the works. Staffer Lauren Wilson will host a budget meeting and sponsorship committee meeting in the coming week, and the SLE Annual Meeting and Membership Dinner will be Thursday, September 24. If you are a member of the SLE, please remember to RSVP to that event by calling (334) 265-1867 or emailing Sydney Dougherty.

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

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: August 19, 2020

Can you believe August is halfway finished, and we are headed quickly into the fall months!? This year has been the slowest and fastest year, combined! It’s certainly a year for the history books. As we prepare for the fall season ahead, we look forward to heavy-paged magazines full of sale ads, heavy-bred cattle ready to calve and a very beef October as we prepare to celebrate Beef Month. Our sites are set on all there is to look forward to, but keep reading to hear about what’s going on this week.

ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL STABALIZATION PROGRAM

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) hails Gov. Kay Ivey for her approval of the Alabama Agricultural Stabilization Program, which includes $10.5 million for the beef cattle industry. Funding is provided as part of the $1.8 billion Alabama received from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will be implemented through the Department of Agriculture and Industries.

The ACA along with industry stakeholders worked in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Industries to propose framework for a program specifically for the cattle industry. “We are appreciative of Gov. Ivey’s continued support and recognition of the importance of Alabama’s beef cattle industry,” ACA President Larry Reeves said. “Economic stability is imperative for cattlemen, and these funds will help alleviate the financial stresses incurred from this ongoing pandemic.” The program will provide $10.5 million to cattle producers in Alabama who sold cattle from April 16-May 15, 2020. This timeframe falls out of the parameters of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which provided direct payment for cattle sold January 15-April 15. Cattlemen in the state who sold cattle during the April 16-May 15 time period should expect to provide a sales receipt outlining the number of cattle sold, date of sale, and weight of cattle to be eligible for application. Those approved will receive $69/head for calves weighing less than 600 pounds, $106/head for cattle 601-900 pounds and $181/head for cattle over 900 pounds. Additionally, $1.5 million have been awarded as a grant program for existing small meat processors in the state to increase slaughter capacity.

HEADED TO THE BURGER BASH

This Friday, ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell will be traveling to Houston County for a Burger Bash! Cattlemen from Houston County and many other civic servants in the community will be cooking burgers for first responders in the area as a thank you for their service. It’s always a great day when you can show gratitude to someone by feeding them a delicious beef dish!

BOARD MEETING RECAP & MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

Thanks to all who attended last week’s Board of Directors meeting, whether in-person or virtually. We hosted a great event with Cattlemen’s Beef Board update, a state checkoff report, information about the new Alabama Agricultural Stabilization Program and a vote on a by-laws change. We also celebrated 18 counties who went “Over the Top” in the 2020 membership year. Stay tuned for a report in the upcoming magazine. Also, don’t forget to keep recruiting members! As it stands today, the ACA is the proud home of 8,972 members…but let’s make it 10,000!

THE MOOSEUM- MGM IMPACT MAKER

OCTOBER BEEF MONTH PLANNING

October is top of mind these days for staffers Ali Cantrell and Kayla Greer as the duo seek to tackle the month of beef promotion efforts. Cooking segments on statewide local news are in the works, as well as radio, while digital plans are also shaping up. Be on the lookout for fun giveaways, educational videos and lots and lots of beautiful beef imagery and recipes to share on social media! We are looking forward to continuing this beloved ACA tradition of promoting beef in October! If your county is in need of promotional materials or books to read to schools, be sure to contact Ali at our office!

BAMA’S BEST BEEF CONTEST- NOMINATIONS ARE IN!

Nominations for the 2020 Bama’s Best Beef contest are now closed, and staff is working to sort through the more than 5,000 submissions to narrow down our 8 semifinalists! Now more than ever, we need to show our support for those locally owned restaurants that do a great job of bringing the BEEF! This year’s contest combines our spring and fall promotions and will have an added bonus of a People’s Choice contest, in conjunction with the actual tasting round featuring a panel of industry judges. Stay tuned for photo challenges to begin on our Facebook page this Sunday!

HEADED SOUTH TO SHOW SOME SLE GRATITUDE

SLE staffers Lauren Wilson and Erin Beasley headed south today to visit the Poarch Band of Creek Indians headquarters in Atmore, AL. Their objectives were to deliver thank you cards submitted by our many PBCI scholarship recipients and present the 2020 sponsor buckle to Keith Martin and Trina Rackard. They enjoyed the visit down, and of course, very much appreciate the continued generous support of the PBCI to Alabama’s youth and the SLE Rodeo.

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

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: August 5, 2020

And just like that, it’s August! More than halfway through 2020, and this must be the longest year in history. It certainly has been one for the history books! As we turn ahead to board sale season, bull sale season and a busy fall full of beef promotion, we are giddy to get our boots on the ground. Keep reading to find out what’s to come and what’s happening this week at the ACA.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE & BOARD MEMO

The “Over the Top” deadline has come and gone, and we’d like to congratulate those counties that went over their membership goals and earned their presidents an iconic ACA red coat. We had 18 counties achieve this goal, and they are: Auburn Collegiate, Chambers, Choctaw, Clay, Coffee, Colbert, Coosa, Covington, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lowndes, Madison, Morgan, Randolph, St Clair, Tallapoosa and Washington counties.

We would also like to remind county leaders that next week’s board meeting will take place on Thursday, August 13 at the RSA Activity Center in downtown Montgomery. Due to COVID-19, this meeting will allow only a limited audience of one(1) representative per county and will require masks or face coverings. If you haven’t yet, be sure to RSVP to Jessica Kennedy here at the office.

Cattlemen’s sale calendar

With the release of the August magazine came an update to the Cattlemen’s Sale Calendar. The fall is a busy season for sales, and while some may look a little different or be completely online this year, others are continuing on as usual. Be sure to check out the updated events calendar and tag what sales you’ll be attending this year! www.BamaBeef.org/CattleSales

BAMA’S BEST BEEF NOMINATIONS

Nominations for the 2020 Bama’s Best Beef contest are now open, so head over to our website to submit your favorite hometown beef dish. Now more than ever, we need to show our support for those locally owned restaurants that do a great job of bringing the BEEF! This year’s contest combines our spring and fall promotions and will have an added bonus of a People’s Choice contest, in conjunction with the actual tasting round featuring a panel of industry judges. Nominations are live on www.BamaBeef.org/BestBeef so click the link and nominate, nominate, nominate!

HEADED SOUTH FOR FARM TOURS

Staffers Morgan Pounds and Kayla Greer will head south on Wednesday for farm visits and photos. They are looking forward to spending time with Cattlemen in the Mobile County Area. They will be stopping by Anthony Faggard and Calvin Freeland’s operation, both in Grand Bay, to learn what they do day to day on their farms. Director of Field Services Morgan Pounds is always searching for different farms to tour all across the state. If you are a member and would like to host a YCLP Tour or AJCA Field Day at your farm in the future, please contact her for a farm visit.

LOOKING AHEAD

This week has focused a lot on looking ahead as October and the kickoff of the SLE Rodeo timeline takes place. This week, staff with SLE Rodeo met to lay out a timeline for the remainder of the 2020 and into 2021. Checkoff staff also met to layout a marketing plan and budget for October Beef Month. As you can imagine, it will look a little different than normal, but the beauty of digital marketing is that it is always on! Never fear, beef will be promoted no matter what!!

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

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: June 3, 2020

What. A. Year.

2020 will certainly go down in history as an unforgettable year, although we may all would like to forget it by the time it is said and done! Nevertheless, despite the many issues our nation and world faces, America’s cattlemen are still raising cattle. We’ll continue to work on our behalf, if you continue to work to feed the world. Keep reading for this week’s update about all that’s happening in Montgomery.

Marketing Meat Direct to Consumers: A Three-Part Webinar Series

In response to growing demand for local meat products, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association and the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program have partnered with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Sweet Grown Alabama to host a three-part webinar series to educate Alabama farmers on the steps required to raise, harvest and market their products in a way that complies with state and national regulation, ensuring a safe and wholesome product for consumers to enjoy.

Monday’s webinar was a hit with around 60 virtual attendees. Great questions were asked, and Extension’s Alex Tigue did an excellent job educating on “Creating the Product Consumers Want.” If you missed out, don’t worry. You can view the recorded session on our website at www.BamaBeef.org/BamaBeef.

If you are interested in learning from this series, please pre-register for this virtual event by CLICKING HERE. Webinar access information will be provided following your submission and will be sent via the email address provided in the form.

Today and Friday’s webinar will occur as follows:

June 3, 2020 | 12:00 P.M.
The Processing Process
– Choosing a Processor
– Dry Aging vs Wet Aging
– The Math: Dressing Percentages and Carcass Yields
June 5, 2020 | 12:00 P.M.
Getting Your Product to Market, and Getting Paid for It
– Where to Sell Your Product
– How to Price Your Product
– How to Advertise
– The Ins-and-Outs of Farmers’ Markets
– Intro to Sweet Grown Alabama

If you have any questions, please contact Ali Cantrell at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association at (334) 265-1867.

Bama Beef Directory

In line with the above webinar series and also in response to growing demand for local beef products, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association is in the process of creating a digital portal to directly connect consumers looking to purchase beef with those who produce it. We are now accepting submissions to be included in this directory. If you are an Alabama beef producer who sells freezer beef, please add your operation to the listing by completing our form available also at www.BamaBeef.org/BamaBeef. Or you can call our office to relay the information. Just ask to speak with Ali Cantrell or Kayla Greer.

New YCLP Council Holds First Meeting

Staffer Morgan Pounds welcomes the YCLP Council to the building tomorrow for their first meeting. The YCLP Council is comprised of alumni from various classes. Throughout this groups two year term they will plan a YCLP alumni event, aid in planning current class tours, stay connected with past YCLP classes, and be advocates for the beef industry. We are excited to start the YCLP Council and have this group of passionate young cattlemen.

YCLP Council Members 2020-2022

YCLP Class 1 – Caleb Beason Franklin County
YCLP Class 2 – Bradfield Evans Lowndes County
YCLP Class 3 – Nic Cornelison Jackson County
YCLP Class 5 – William Morgan Crenshaw County
YCLP Class 6 – Travis Tucker Blount County

Hitting the Roads…Finally!!

Staffers Morgan Pounds and Ali Cantrell hit the roads this weekend. They are excited to get out and about again and see our cattlemen!! On Saturday, the duo will head to Fayette County to Vista Farms for the Alabama Angus Field Day. Be sure to stop by our booth and say hello! When they leave Fayette, they’ll head east to attend the Cullman County Cattlemen’s Meeting . This meeting will be at Stonebridge Farms and start at 6pm and will have Pro Rodeo Announcer, Adam Gibbs, as a guest auctioneer for the event.

Membership Update

As of today, the ACA is proud to represent 8,307 members statewide. Our goal is 10,000 and now county presidents have the chance to help us get there while also earning your iconic red coat as the new Over the Top deadline has been extended to July 31. Get out and recruit/renew!

ACA Now Offers Blue BEEF Tags

If you thought our iconic red BEEF tags were popular, let us intprudce you to their Auburn-oriented counterpart. In response to a few requests for blue and white tags, we decided to order a test batch and WOW. They are flying out the door. In the course of one week we’ve sold over 100 of the blue tags through our online store!! Folks are also buying up the red tags, hats and T-shirts while they are there. Don’t miss out on your blue tag >> www.BamaBeef.org/Store

14th annual AJCA Round-Up

Registration is now open for the 14th annual Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association Round-Up. Happening July 16-19 at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery, this annual junior event is full steam ahead. The agenda might look a little different this year as the public speaking and career development contests were moved to the convention, and a showmanship clinic and a Bred & Owned show were added to the events lineup. A full schedule and the rules packet are available on the website, along with registration. Check it out >> www.BamaBeef.org/RoundUp.

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

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: May 27, 2020

Summer heat and showers have flooded the state, and we are grateful as the combo of the two produce what a cattleman needs most— grass! While you work to bale hay, keep water troughs full and manage summer grazing, your ACA staff is busy in the office in Montgomery seeing to the many elements that make the industry work. From managing calls to promoting summertime grilling and planning youth events to producing new merchandise, we can always find something to work on around here! Keep reading to learn more about what’s happening at the ACA.

Executive Committee Meets Virtually Thursday

The Executive Committee will meet tomorrow via Zoom tomorrow in place of the regularly schedule board of directors meeting. The group will receive updates of the association’s response efforts to COVID-19, upcoming checkoff funded projects and discuss cattle pricing proposals that are on the table in the industry. The ACA hopes to have an in person Board of Directors meeting in August.

For today’s membership update, to date, we are proud to have 8,190 members in the 2020 year. Let’s get to that big 10,000!!

USDA Announces Details of CFAP Program

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened the application period for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Cattlemen are encouraged to visit their local FSA office quickly to submit application for this government funding. Forms are available at the link below, and word so far is that the application process is pretty streamlined!

Eligible Livestock for CFAP

CFAP assistance is available to livestock producers who have an ownership interest in eligible livestock that have suffered a five percent-or-greater price decline as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and face additional significant costs in marketing their inventories due to unexpected surplus and disrupted markets. The application period will open on Tuesday, May 26.

Cattle eligible for CFAP include:

Feeder Cattle (<600 lbs.)
Feeder Cattle (> 600 lbs.)
Slaughter Cattle: Fed Cattle
Slaughter Cattle: Mature Cattle

All Other Cattle (not including livestock used, or intended for, dairy production)

A single payment for livestock will be calculated using the sum of the producer’s number of livestock sold between January 15 and April 15, 2020, multiplied by the payment rates per head, and the highest inventory number of livestock between April 16 and May 14, 2020, multiplied by the payment rate per head.

Producers must provide the following information for CFAP:

Total sales of eligible livestock, by species and class, between January 15, 2020, to April 15, 2020, of owned inventory as of January 15, 2020, including any offspring from that inventory; and highest inventory of eligible livestock, by species and class, between April 16, 2020, and May 14, 2020.

Learn more at » https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/livestock

Marketing Meat Direct to Consumers: A Three-Part Webinar Series

The webinar will occur as follows:

June 1, 2020 | 12:00 P.M.
Creating the Product Consumers Expect
– Carcass Goals
– Nutritional Management of Cattle, Pigs & Small Ruminants
– Other Management Considerations
June 3, 2020 | 12:00 P.M.
The Processing Process
– Choosing a Processor
– Dry Aging vs Wet Aging
– The Math: Dressing Percentages and Carcass Yields
June 5, 2020 | 12:00 P.M.
Getting Your Product to Market, and Getting Paid for It
– Where to Sell Your Product
– How to Price Your Product
– How to Advertise
– The Ins-and-Outs of Farmers’ Markets
– Intro to Sweet Grown Alabama

If you have any questions, please contact Ali Cantrell at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association at (334) 265-1867.

Bama Beef Directory

Pike County Cattlemen’s Memorial Day Blowout

ACA Director of Field Services Morgan Pounds and several of the AJCA Directors spent the weekend in Pike County at a jackpot show that welcomed over 250 exhibitors. Great work to the county chapter for putting on a great event for youth who were itching to get back in the show ring. Thanks to all who made it happen!

ACA Now Offers Blue BEEF Tags

14th annual AJCA Round-Up

2020 SLE Rodeo Cancelled, Looking Forward to 2021

Just in case you missed the news last week…On March 13, 2020 the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) announced the postponement of the 63^rdannual SLE Rodeo and Livestock Week amid growing concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. SLE leadership has been monitoring conditions related to COVID-19 and the sport of rodeo both locally and nationally over the course of two months and in doing so, has made the decision to cancel the 2020 rodeo and related events.

Tickets will be refunded through the agency in which they were purchased. If tickets were purchased through the Garrett Coliseum Box Office, contact (334) 356-6866 to request a full refund. Tickets purchased with a credit card through the SLE Rodeo Headquarters will be refunded automatically. For tickets purchased through Ticketmaster, rodeo patrons will receive an automatic refund of the ticket order amount to the method of payment used for purchase within 30 days.

Information on the 2021 SLE Rodeo and Livestock Week will be made available in coming months. Please monitor announcements and updates at www.SLERodeo.com or on our Facebook page.

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

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: May 20, 2020

It has been quite the week here at ACA. With the roll out of CFAP, a magazine deadline, the upcoming Pike County Show and several Foundation projects (including Jackson, Coffee and Pike counties), there’s much going on! We’ve got news all around to bring your way as we head into the holiday weekend and official kickoff of summer grilling season. Speaking of grilling, we were supposed to be launching a nationwide summer grilling campaign today…but COVID-19 has forced us to delay until June 10. Don’t worry, we are still going to be promoting firing up the grill with beef until then. Keep reading to learn more about what’s happening— and what has happened— since our last update!

2020 SLE Rodeo Cancelled, Looking Forward to 2021

On March 13, 2020 the Southeastern Livestock Exposition (SLE) announced the postponement of the 63^rdannual SLE Rodeo and Livestock Week amid growing concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. SLE leadership has been monitoring conditions related to COVID-19 and the sport of rodeo both locally and nationally over the course of two months and in doing so, has made the decision to cancel the 2020 rodeo and related events.

Information on the 2021 SLE Rodeo and Livestock Week will be made available in coming months. Please monitor announcements and updates at www.SLERodeo.com or on our Facebook page.

USDA Announces Details of CFAP Program

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Below is a high-level summary of the program and additional details can be found in the attached rule and at https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/livestock.

Eligible Livestock for CFAP

Cattle eligible for CFAP include:

Feeder Cattle (<600 lbs.)
Feeder Cattle (> 600 lbs.)
Slaughter Cattle: Fed Cattle
Slaughter Cattle: Mature Cattle

All Other Cattle (not including livestock used, or intended for, dairy production)

Producers must provide the following information for CFAP:

Learn more at » https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/livestock

Giving Back With a Virtual Cookoff

The weekend, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association will be partnering with the Montgomery Biscuits and Bama-Q to host a Virtual Burger Cook-off at the Biscuits stadium in Montgomery. This cook-off will raise awareness about the impacts of COVID-19 and host as a fundraiser for local organizations benefiting healthcare workers and restaurant workers. On May 22, Montgomery County Cattlemen will be cooking 150 ribeye steak sandwiches in the stadium to serve healthcare workers at Baptist Medical Center East and meet with media to talk about the cook-off on Saturday. Bama-Q will broadcast the burger cook-off live through multiple outlets (Facebook, fireTV, ROKU) on May 23 and viewers will be able to donate through an online donation platform directly to Biscuits Charitable Foundation. We are excited to be part of this event that features our favorite protein, beef, on the kickoff weekend for summer grilling!

Marketing Meat Direct to Consumers: A Three-Part Webinar Series

The webinar will occur as follows:

June 1, 2020 | 12:00 P.M.
Creating the Product Consumers Expect
– Carcass Goals
– Nutritional Management of Cattle, Pigs & Small Ruminants
– Other Management Considerations
June 3, 2020 | 12:00 P.M.
The Processing Process
– Choosing a Processor
– Dry Aging vs Wet Aging
– The Math: Dressing Percentages and Carcass Yields
June 5, 2020 | 12:00 P.M.
Getting Your Product to Market, and Getting Paid for It
– Where to Sell Your Product
– How to Price Your Product
– How to Advertise
– The Ins-and-Outs of Farmers’ Markets
– Intro to Sweet Grown Alabama

If you have any questions, please contact Ali Cantrell at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association at (334) 265-1867.

14th annual AJCA Round-Up

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

Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update: May 13, 2020

It has been two months since we last updated about what is going on in the office, and to be honest…you probably already know. Coronavirus has shifted all our lives like we never could have anticipated. Although blog updates have been slow, the work continued and today we encourage you to saddle up for a long, all-encompassing update about the many things that have been happening while we have practiced social distancing and worked remotely for a stint of time. Here goes…get ready for a big read!

ACA Membership Update

We will start with our the most constant aspect of our association…membership! We were thrilled with the continued support through membership we have received throughout the pandemic. We are just a handful of members away from 8,000 for the year, clocking in the day with 7,983 members. As a reminder, the Over the Top county membership deadline to qualify for your iconic red coat is June 30. Stay tuned for information about our May Board of Directors meeting coming soon.

FREE Webinars Available and Upcoming

While education may look drastically different today, the good news is that thanks to technology…it is still possible from the comfort and safety of our homes. While many great informational webinars have taken place to date, we want to draw your attention to a few that stand out.

The Intersection of the Cattle & Beef Industries
- This twice-weekly, two-hour informational session is designed to provide an accurate science-and-evidence-based overview of the U.S. beef industry from conception to consumption for producers, consumers and decision makers.
Are Your Cattle Breed-Ready?
- Sponsored by Multimin USA and the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, this informational webinar is targeted for cow/calf producers and will feature the knowledge of Multimin Technical Veterinarian Dr. Andy Bennett. There will be two convenient dates and times- May 18 at 7 p.m. and May 29 at 2 p.m. To register and get more information, contact Sheri Chapman at (334) 352-5062 or sheri@multiminusa.com.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Services Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Update
- USDA announced the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) will be hosting a webinar for farmers, ranchers and other producers interested in applying for direct payments through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) this Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 12 p.m. CST. This webinar is an opportunity for producers to learn about the general application process and required documentation prior to the official beginning of signup. Producers interested in participating may register in advance for webinar HERE.

County Cattlemen’s Associations Give Back

Through a partnership with the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation and local sponsors, county chapters across Alabama have given back to the frontline workers of this pandemic in the best way they know how— with beef! Butler, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Colbert, Franklin, Houston, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison, Montgomery and Shelby counties have already completed projects that provided beef meals to hospital staff, first responders, truck drivers, farm supply stores and other employees deemed “essential.” That’s not all as Jackson will complete this charitable project on Friday, followed by Coffee County on Saturday. If you are interested in doing this in your own county, contact our office at (334) 265-1867.

Summer Grilling Campaign Excitement!

We will be able to tell you more next week, but trust us when we say that our national office is getting ready to release an EXCELLENT summer grilling campaign, and we are excited to extend it here in our home state in a number of ways. ACA’s Ali Cantrell and Kayla Greer have been busy planning this campaign to best implement it in Alabama under the current circumstances. Given that many events are cancelled, digital is the main route for this promotion. That includes billboards, display and social ads through AL.com, radio commercials in Mobile, and all of our summertime consumer-facing assets will also claim this promotion’s battle cry. If baseball kicks back into play, it will also be seen at the Montgomery Biscuits and Birmingham Barons stadiums.

We look forward to the chance to unveil it to you all next week on May 20 following the national launch, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. We have to keep it under wraps until then…but it lacks nothing in patriotism and style!

14th annual AJCA Round-Up

Representing Cattlemen in the News

There are two things that are in no short supply around our office…hand sanitizer and news media interview requests. Given the current state of the cattle markets and the kink in the supply chain due to packing plant shut downs, the news has been knocking on our doors regularly. ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley has been fielding these calls and questions. Check out her latest interview with WSFA (Montgomery) HERE and read this article written by Tuscaloosa-based and James Beard awarding-winning dietician Dr. Carolyn Williams, RD about what you really need to know about the meat “shortage.” We will continue to monitor local news outlets across Alabama to ensure the right information is being shared. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

SLE Rodeo Update

The Southeastern Livestock Exposition Board of Directors will hold a tele-meeting tomorrow to discuss the plans for the 2020 rodeo. A statement will be release on or by Friday afternoon regarding this year’s events. Stay tuned to Facebook for updates.

Giving Back With a Virtual Cookoff

On Memorial Day weekend, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association will be partnering with the Montgomery Biscuits and Bama-Q to host a “Virtual” Burger Cook-off at the Biscuits stadium in Montgomery. This cook-off will raise awareness about the impacts of COVID-19 and host as a fundraiser for local organizations benefiting healthcare workers, restaurant workers and first responders. On May 22, local cattlemen will be cooking ribeye steak sandwiches in the stadium to serve healthcare workers at Baptist South Medical Center and meet with media to talk about the cook-off on Saturday. Bama-Q will broadcast the burger cook-off live through multiple outlets (Facebook, fireTV, ROKU) on May 23 and viewers will be able to donate through an online donation platform directly to Biscuits Charitable Foundation. We are excited to be part of this event that features our favorite protein, beef, on the kickoff weekend for summer grilling!

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