What's Going On Wednesday: January 20, 2016

January is slipping away from us! Only one more Wednesday post before we are hopping along into Convention month. There's still a lot to be done to prepare, but plans for Convention are really shaping up. It's going to be a great time of fellowship, learning and experiencing all this industry has to offer. There's a lot more than just Convention going on, however. Keep reading to see #WhatsGoingOn around the Cattlemen's this week.

Membership Report

2016 ACA membership entered the day with 5,754 members so far. There's a lot of upcoming county meetings where numbers will jump. Be sure to check out the Cattlemen's Calendar to find out when your county annual meeting is and be sure to pay your dues before the increase goes into effect on March 1. 

Help your county go “Over the Top” by Feb. 26th, and your county president will receive a red coat along with 20 rodeo tickets to share among the county chapter. "Over the Top" counties will also entered into the drawing to win the Priefet Squeeze Chute (Side Note: Counties must have at least 100 members to qualify for the squeeze chute). Congratualtions to Sumter County who's gone "Over the Top" with 93 members, seven more than 2015.

73rd Annual ACA Convention and Trade Show

Have you registered for the ACA Convention and Trade Show yet? Now's the time! 

We have a great lineup of guest speakers and a sold-out trade show for the Iron City Beef Bash 73rd Annual ACA Convention and Trade Show. Alabama Senior Senator Richard Shelby will be the keynote speaker at the legislative luncheon while Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, Ph.D., Administrator for the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, will be the general session guest speaker. Other guest speakers include USMEF's Dan Halstrom  who will speak on "What Lies Ahead for the Beef Export Market," Soren Rodning, DMV, from Auburn University, Extension Ag Economist Derrell Peel from Oklahoma State University and NCBA Executive Director of Producer Education Josh White. 

Our trade show is sold out with over 60 vendors including companies like Tri-Green, Priefert, Fuller Supply, Deep South Livestock, Merck, New Holland North America, Southern Silage Company, Drummonds Farms, BamaWise, Verizon Wireless and many, many more! The trade show alone is worth the trip to the Iron City! 

Friday night's Rotational Grazing is going to be a great time for all with fun, fellowship and boot, scoot and boogy-in' to Tim Tyler the Piano Man! Other entertainment and a photo booth sponsored by the Southeastern Livestock Expo will be available as well!

A special thanks to this year's Convention sponsors Alabama Farm Credit/Alabama Land Credit, Alabama Farmers Cooperative. Alabama Farmers Federation, AgriLabs, Alabama CattleWomen’s Association, First South Farm Credit, Fuller Supply Company/Preifert Ranch Equipment, Morgan Stanley, ServisFirst Bank, Southeast AgNet and the Southeastern Livestock Exposition.

More information regarding this year's convention is in January's issue of the Alabama Cattleman and there will be more in February's upcoming issue. Register online or by mail today by clicking the link above. Reserve your room at the Sheraton: CLICK HERE or call 205-324-500

(Group code: AL CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION)

Alabama Livestock Hall of Fame

The ballots have been mailed to the 37 living members encouraging them to vote on individuals for induction into the Alabama Livestock Hall of Fame at Convention on Saturday, February 27. Two new honarees and a Pioneer Inductee will be inducted with their families at side. Be sure to get those ballots in!

Farm Tours

On Tuesday, ACA Director of Industry Relations Curt Berry traveled north to St. Clair and Cullman counties to four different operations. Curt's objective was to view nominations for the NCBA, NRCS and Soil and Water Conservation's Environmental Stewardship Award. Stay tuned to follow the progress of this award. 

2016 SLE Rodeo

The 59th Annual SLE Rodeo comes bucking into town March 17-19. This is a family event you don't wanna miss because this year has all kinds of new events including a parade to kick off SLE week! Tickets are easy to buy:

• Call 1-888-2RODEO2 and order over phone
• Visit www.SLERodeo.com and order online through Ticketmaster.
• Visit the Cattlemen's building in Downtown Montgomery or the Garrett Coliseum and buy your tickets in person
• Mail in a ticket order form, which can her found here. 

You're not going to want to miss this family fun show packed with entertainment! Frontier Rodeo Company, PRCA's Stock Contractor of the Year, will be bringing their best including PRCA Saddle Bronc of the Year, Medicine Woman! In between the bucking, bulldoggin' and barrels, Pro Rodeo master comedian Lecile Harris

will entertain the crowd while celebrating 60 years in the business! Don't forget your boogie boots because following Friday and Saturday nights' performances, you'll get to go Dancin' in the Dirt to the Sweet Young'Uns (Friday) and the Wes Loper Band (Saturday). Just in case that's not enough excitement, Thursday night is First Responders Night where FREE general admission is granted to anyone who can present a first responders identification. Friday night is Ladies Night where all ladies tickets will be submitted for some juicy door prizes drawn throughout the show! Lastly, bring those battle cries to the rodeo Saturday

The Sweet Young'Uns will perform
Friday evening following the
show, and the Wes Loper Band will
party in true rodeo fashion Saturday! 

 night for College Night, where college students can receive 4 tickets for only $40 with the presentation of a valid college i.d. 

Saddle up and join in the family fun and entertainment for all ages all while enjoying America's original sport, rodeo! Visit our website for more information and a schedule of events.

2016 Cowboy Cookoff

Round up your team for the Cowboy Cookoff! Online registration

is now available for teams interested in competing in the 2016 Cowboy Cookoff, held in conjunction with the SLE Rodeo on March 19 in Montgomery at the Garrett Coliseum. Prize money will be given to the Judges Choice winner ($500) and the People’s Choice winner ($250). Entry fee is only $100 and we will provide you with the steaks! Questions? Contact Erin at the ACA office.

Rodeo and Junior Beef Expo Planning

Dr. Billy Powell met with Garrett Coliseum staff this week and is holding a meeting Friday with SLE officers to finalize plans for this year's SLE Rodeo. He says it's shaping up to be the best one in 59 years!

Dr. Powell also talked to Alabama Junior Cinch and Senior High School Rodeos, and SLE is allowing them to hold rodeos in the Coliseum on March 12 and 13, prior to SLE week. This will be a great learning experience for these upcoming rodeo cowboys and cowgirls.

ACA staffer Curt Berry has been busy with Junior Beef Expo (JBE) planning and fundraising, and he, along with Dr. Powell, is in discussion with Extension's 4-H and Youth Development Specialist Jason P’Poole to discuss plans for 1st Annual Southeastern Livestock Expo 4-H/FFA and Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest.

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