Welcome to the Bama Beef Blog, where you can check out the latest news from the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program and the Southeastern Livestock Expo. Keep reading for more info!
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Final notices will hit mailboxes soon— encourage members to renew and help us get to 10,000 members. We are so close to that goal! As of today, the ACA is proud to represent 9,352 members across the state. Board members, we will see you tomorrow for the August Board of Directors Meeting— August 18 at 10 a.m.
During the board meeting tomorrow, Ali Cantrell will have October Beef Month Boxes available for any county attending. If you are not able to attend or you need some extra goodies to celebrate Beef Month, contact Ali.
Birmingham Barons Tabling Night
On Friday, August 19, Jefferson County Cattlemen’s Association, along with ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell, will be hosting a tabling night at Birmingham Barons stadium. They will be serving steak samples during the game and giving out beef swag to all attending. According to the Barons stadium there should be at least 3,500 at least in attendance that night. This is all part of our season sponsorship with the Barons where we have an Nicely Done, Beef ad running during the fourth inning of every home game with a cowboy cam to follow.
Producer Education Events
Last week ACA Director of Field Services Reid McGuire attended the Gulf Coast Cattlemen’s Conference in Atmore. There was a great turnout and attendees got to hear from some excellent speakers who covered topics such as forages, financial management, and markets. It was a great opportunity to visit with existing members as well as promote the association.
Reid, along with Erin Beasley who spoke on on the local beef sales panel, also attended the Stockmanship and Stewardship event at Auburn University this past weekend. Attendance was strong, with almost 50 people attending the BQA certification class. It was very encouraging to see this kind of enthusiasm for improving management practices and producing a safe, quality product!
To keep up with producer education events happening all across the state— such as Beef Cattle Short Courses and the Alabama Grazing Academy— visit our website at www.BamaBeef.org/Events.
FALL YOUTH FIELD DAY
Save the date for our Fall Youth Field Day— September 14, 2022 at CK Cattle in Hope Hull, AL. Youth will gather from 9 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. and will discuss bull selection, bull development, understanding EPD’s, cool season forages and more. Registration is now open at www.BamaBeef.org/FieldDay so round up your youth and head to Hope Hull!
Scholarships to Attend NCBA Convention
The 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show is headed to the Big Easy, and funding is available to offset some costs for producers. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is offering a variety of scholarships and grants to help producers attend CattleCon23, which will be held Feb. 1-3, 2023, in New Orleans.
Scholarship recipients receive a complimentary Education Package registration and discounted housing accommodations for three nights, Feb. 1-3, 2023. Scholarships will be awarded to up to five beef cattle industry members, up to three young beef producers, and up to three students (currently enrolled in classes) in the industry. Applications for all scholarship categories are due by Sept. 23, 2022, and will be evaluated based on eligibility and answers to application questions.
In addition to the scholarship program, NCBA also offers the Rancher Resilience Grant, which is designed to support cattle producer attendance at impactful education events, such as Cattlemen’s College held prior to convention. Administered by NCBA, the grant is made possible by a partnership between the National Cattlemen’s Foundation and Cargill Protein. To apply for a grant to cover registration costs and two nights hotel, visit www.ncba.org/producers/rancher-resilience-grant. Cattlemen’s College will be an event option once convention registration opens in October.
TWO-DAY TICK SYMPOSIUM
Ticks— what are they? How they can affect your livestock, and how to effectively manage them. This webinar is for cattle producers, state animal health officials, veterinarians, and other industry stakeholders interested in learning how to identify the Asian Longhorned Tick and better manage its associated diseases and spread. Get registered and join in on the conversation August 23 from 12:00 p.m. until 3:45 p.m. EST. Register Now
APPLY FOR NCBA CONVENTION INTERNSHIP
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is offering collegestudents a unique behind-the-scenes experience through its annual convention internship program. The 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, the largest annual meeting of the U.S. beef cattle industry, will take place Feb. 1-3, 2023, in New Orleans.
Up to 18 interns will be selected and will be responsible for setting up the demonstration arena, assisting at committee meetings and Cattlemen’s College, participating in the NCBA booth, and posting on social media. NCBA will strive to provide students time to maximize industry networking.
Student interns must be able to work Jan. 29 – Feb. 4, 2023, provide their own transportation to New Orleans, and be at least a junior-level college student at an accredited university at the time of the event. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA, preferably have a background in, or working knowledge of, the cattle and/or beef industry, and have experience with social media.
Interested students must complete an online Student Internship Application and submit college transcripts, two letters of recommendation and a resume. The application deadline is Oct. 21, 2022. For more information, contact Grace Webb at gwebb@beef.org.
BIG UPDATES ON BAMA BEEF EVENTS CALENDAR
The Bama Beef Events Calendar (www.BamaBeef.org/Events) is beginning to fill up with activities as we look toward the fall months. The Producer Education tab has been updated recently with Beef Systems Short Courses and Alabama Grazing Academy information, as well as the Cattlemen’s Activities. As we get closer to fall, all of the tabs (especially the sales!) will start to fill up, so check it daily to make sure you don’t miss an event near you!
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