Category: Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update

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!

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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

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

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

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 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.

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.

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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

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

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.

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.

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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

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.

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. 

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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

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.

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.

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

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.

 

 

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

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.

 

 

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^rd annual 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.

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!

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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.

 

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.

 

 

 

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

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

 

 

 

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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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

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.

 

 

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.

Someone turned up the heat and the activity here in Montgomery as the temperatures turn springlike, and our calendars show all the signs of the rodeo coming to town. This week’s post may be short and sweet since staff is moving in all directions…but know our boots are always on the ground working for you!

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SLE Rodeo in Town Next Week!

The rodeo may be in town next week, but the fun starts now! Today, staffers Morgan Pounds, Ali Cantrell and Lauren Wilson welcomed bus loads of college and high school judging teams to the SLE Livestock Judging Contest. More than 150 youth gathered at the Garrett Coliseum to judge livestock classes and put to work their judging skills, sponsored by the SLE and executed but he hand of Extension’s Jason P’Poole. Thanks, Jason!

 

That’s not all the SLE fun happening this week, though, as ticket sales are keeping the phones off the hook, media interviews are happening across town and all the nuts and bolts of executing an event of the caliber are in motion.

 

We are in the single digits…just 8 days out from the first performance of 2020! Buck on over to www.SLERodeo.com/Tickets now to secure your seats at the greatest show on dirt! This year’s show is sure to please as we’re featuring freestyle bullfighting, the best stock in the PRCA, all kinds of children’s events and hometown rodeo clown, Trent McFarland! We’ve got some awesome ticket deals available for you to take advantage of, so don’t wait. Get on over to www.SLERodeo.com to learn more about all that SLE Livestock Week offers and to purchase your tickets today! And don’t forget- we offer group ticket sales to groups of 25+ members.

 

Our ticket sales guru, Sydney Dougherty, is the friendly voice you’ll hear when you call 888-2RODEO2 and now through rodeo time, you can find her here at the office selling tickets during the drive time, 5-7 p.m. and during the lunch hour. Can’t call her during your work day? No big deal— find her here when you have time!

 

 

2020 SPRING YOUTH PRODUCTION FIELD DAY

Information is now available on the 2020 Spring Youth Production Field Day being hosted on April 18 at Quail Valley Farms in Oneonta, AL (Blount County). Youth will enjoy a variety of educational topics from EPDs to cattle judging and from ultrasound scanning to a farm tour. Lunch will be provided at this FREE youth event, and it is brought to all youth of our state by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Registration for this event  is NOW OPEN. Learn more » www.BamaBeef.org/FieldDay

 

 

Consumers Hear about Beef

This week, we published a blog article written by checkoff-contracted Registered Dietitian Elesha Ergle on the portable nutrition of beef. Her post focused on the fact that families are on the move this time of year as the weather warms up, and highlighted the many ways beef can be a portable and nutritious meal. This post will also be used in a consumer e-newsletter, coming soon to an inbox near you!

 

 

ACA MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

As of today, the ACA is proud to represent 7,019 members in the 2020 year and counting as county meetings are still happening, although the calendar is lightening up. Following the annual meetings, leaders, we as that you send in county leader contact information so we can update it on our website in our records!

A couple of deadlines to remember as we get deeper into the year:

• Early Bird Membership Drawing: March 31, 2020
• Over the Top Red Coat Deadline: June 30, 2020
• Top Hand Recruiting Deadline: December 31, 2020

 

 

PROSTART INVITATIONAL

Earlier this week, staffer Ali Cantrell traveled to Orange Beach for the ProStart Invitational Cook-off. As a sponsor of this event, she was able to meet with potential culinary students to educate them about beef cooking techniques and the beef production system. She also presented the contestants with the Best Beef Dish Award!

 

Speaking of, beef Cook-offs are underway throughout Alabama! Ali is preparing for our Alabama Jr. & Sr. High School Beef Cook-off on April 4. If your county has hosted a local beef cook-off, be sure to get your winners registered on our website at www.bamabeef.org/events/2020/alabama-juniorsenior-high-school-cookoff and contact Ali Cantrell if you have any questions. THIS FRIDAY, March 13, is the last days for students to register for our state cook-off.

 

 

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.

As usual, it’s a busy week here in Montgomery! You ACA staff is moving in all directions as we prepare for spring events, beef promotions, a busy legislative season and, of course…the SLE Rodeo. We’ve got boots on the ground and are excited for all that’s to come on our hectic spring calendar. Keep reading to learn more about what’s going on with your Alabama Cattlemen’s Association this week. 

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Saddle Up for the SLE Rodeo

Tomorrow will host a day of big fun as we welcome media from across the state and River Region in for our 2020 SLE Rodeo Media Luncheon! More than 120 SLE members and media personalities will join to learn about our upcoming events, and we will highlight them for the services they’re offering to help promote the rodeo! We look forward to this event each year.

 

Also, this week launched our radio campaigns, as staffer Lauren Wilson is out and about beginning to do interviews, and billboards across Alabama are beginning to light up with the news about the 2020 show! Sponsors continue to roll in, and we are down to the nuts and bolts of executing this year’s event. If you’d like to take part in our Wrangler voucher program— where if you spend $70+ on Wrangler jeans, you can get a ticket to the show— you can find those vouchers available at Sikes & Kohns, Camo Country and Bridges Western Wear.

 

Speaking of the rodeo, we are 22 days out from the first performance of 2020! Buck on over to www.SLERodeo.com/Tickets now to secure your seats at the greatest show on dirt! This year’s show is sure to please as we’re featuring freestyle bullfighting, the best stock in the PRCA, all kinds of children’s events and hometown rodeo clown, Trent McFarland! We’ve got some awesome ticket deals available for you to take advantage of, so don’t wait. Get on over to www.SLERodeo.com to learn more about all that SLE Livestock Week offers and to purchase your tickets today! And don’t forget- we offer group ticket sales to groups of 25+ members.

 

 

BCIA Meets at ACA

The Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association (BCIA) will host their annual meeting at ACA this Saturday. We are excited to host our friends of the BCIA. The event will feature an interactive discussion on “Replacement Heifer Marketing Options and Opportunities” with an Alabama BCIA producer panel moderated by Josh and Michelle Elmore, Alabama Cooperative Extension agents. The ins and outs of replacement heifer marketing, dos, don’ts, and things to be sure to consider from experienced beef cattle professionals and producers. Following lunch, Alabama BCIA Rresident Malcomb Peagues will preside over the BCIA Annual Meeting and Awards Presentations.  Visit this direct link to the BCIA website for the full event schedule:https://albcia.com/bcia-2020-annual-meeting You can register on site for $35.00 a person.

 

 

ALDA in Town

This week, ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell will be attending the Alabama Dietetics Association (ALDA) Annual Meeting in Montgomery. ACA will be sponsoring the speaker, Carolyn Williams PhD RD, for Friday morning. She will be speaking on The Anti-Inflammatory Diet and incorporating lean red meat into a healthy lifestyle.

 

 

2020 Spring Youth Production Field Day

Information is now available on the 2020 Spring Youth Production Field Day being hosted on April 18 at Quail Valley Farms in Oneonta, AL (Blount County). Youth will enjoy a variety of educational topics from EPDs to cattle judging and from ultrasound scanning to a farm tour. Lunch will be provided at this FREE youth event, and it is brought to all youth of our state by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Registration for this event will open this coming Monday, March 2. Learn more » www.BamaBeef.org/FieldDay

 

 

ACA MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

As of today, the ACA is proud to represent 6,678 members in the 2020 year and counting as county meetings are still happening, although the calendar is lightening up. That puts us at 70% for the year, but we aren’t stopping until we reach 10,000!! This week, we are excited to see Walker County Cattlemen’s and Baldwin County Cattlemen’s host their annual meetings and for the Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association to put on their annual rodeo!

A couple of deadlines to remember as we get deeper into the year:

• Early Bird Membership Drawing: March 31, 2020
• Over the Top Red Coat Deadline: June 30, 2020
• Top Hand Recruiting Deadline: December 31, 2020

 

 

COOKOFF SEASON

Beef Cook-offs are underway throughout Alabama! Now that convention is over, Staffer Ali Cantrell is preparing for our Alabama Jr. & Sr. High School Beef Cook-off on April 4. If your county has hosted a local beef cook-off, be sure to get your winners registered on our website at www.bamabeef.org/events/2020/alabama-juniorsenior-high-school-cookoff and contact Ali Cantrell if you have any questions.

 

 

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.