What's Going On Wednesday: January 27, 2016

It is an exciting week in the ACA office! Not only is Convention one month away, but Baby Hunter Beasley made is appearance this morning, and mama and baby are both happy and healthy! Weighing in at 9 pounds and 4 ounces and 20 inches long, it's clear that the Beef Girl, ACA staffer Erin Beasley, had a beefy baby! Welcome to the ACA family, Hunter, and congrats Erin and Chad!

Keep reading to learn #WhatsGoingOn around the ACA state office this week.

Set Sail for San Diego

More than 60 Alabama Cattlemen and CattleWomen are setting sail for San Diego this week as they head west to the NCBA Convention (#BeefMeet). Those in attendance on Alabama's behalf are ACA staffer Curt Berry, ACA President Jim Akin, ACA President-Elect Bill Lipscomb, ACA Past President and Federation Executive Committee representative Donna Jo Curtis, ACA Past President and Vice Chair of Animal Health Jimmy Holliman, the Alabama CattleWomen's Association officer team, Dr. Christy Bratcher and 15 Auburn Collegiate Cattlemen and CattleWomen and Dr. Wayne Greene from Auburn University's Dept. of Animal Sciences.

This is going to be a great week of learning and networking as they attended the many sessions and activities designed for American cattle producers! Thanks for your representation at this year's convention, Alabamians. We can't wait to hear about all you learned and saw. 

Photo Courtesy of the Alabama CattleWomen's Association

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)

Membership Report

Total membership for 2016 to date is 6,599. As January comes to a close, the final chance for you to join or renew at the $30 fee is during the month of February. The dues increase will take effect on March 1. Eighteen of our counties chose to send out final renewal notices, and Selina has been hard at work to get those out.

Congratulations to Sumter County who was the first county to go "Over the Top" by 5!

If you're from Jackson or Montgomery counties- be on the lookout for ACA staff at your upcoming annual meeting. Dr. Billy Powell will attended and speak at the Jackson County meeting Saturday evening, and Powell and ACA staffer Kayla Greer will be at the Montgomery County Livestock Expo and annual meeting Sunday afternoon/evening. See you there!

Be sure to get the press out to your county's meeting! Great job to Walker County who invited the media and got a great article in their weekly newspaper. Read It. 

Year End Auditing

Staffer Cynthia Dondrea has been keeping her nose in the file cabinets for the past two weeks as the ACA goes through its year-end auditing for 2015. It's hopeful that that project will wrap up by this week's end. 

Convention and SLE Rodeo Promotion

Staffer Kayla Greer has been on the run promoting the Convention and SLE Rodeo. She met with G2 productions Tuesday afternoon with Sela Marketing Rep Lisa Locklar to get SLE Rodeo TV commericals in the works. She's also been corresponding with two major media markets setting up talk show interviews to promote Convention. Watch for ACA staffers on the ABC33 "Talk of Alabama" segment Monday, Feb. 15 at 9 a.m and WSFA12 "Alabama Live!" talk show Monday, Feb. 22 at 11 a.m. 

Legislative Front

On Thursay, Dr. Billy Powell, the sole lobbyist for the ACA, will spend his day at a Legislative Outlook Seminar in preparation for the Legislative Session convening next Tuesday on Capitol Hill. As the host, Gov. Robert Bentley will be informing Alabama's lobbyists about what to expect in the next session, and Alabama senators will speak on the anticipated budget battles to take place during the session. Dr. Powell does a great job following the activity of the legislature in order to protect you from potentially harmful legislation.

Also in the legislative world, tomorrow, the ACA will host a luncheon for Congressman Bradley Byrne. Congressman Byrne will give an update from D.C. about what's happening in the House of Representatives. 

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.

Be a Fan