What's Going On Wednesday: August 19, 2015

We weren't kidding when we said August was a busy month! Brace yourself because you're about to see why! Get the scoop about what's happening in the ACA office for this week's #WhatsGoingOnWednesday!

The MOOseum Remodel

ACA staff is getting re-engaged this week on The MOOseum renovation project. After 20+ years and thousands of families later, it could use a freshening up! That's why Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week have in part been dedicated to the project and deciding on needed upgrades and how to accomplish those!

We are excited for the future of The MOOseum and its ability after this renovation to integrate into the hands-on, technological world we live in...but don't worry, that good ole' Alabama Cattlemen's heritage will still remain nestled at the very core of The MOOseum. 

Speaking of The MOOseum, if you're a school teacher or home school teacher looking for a fun educational experience for your students, book your tour today! Just call Jessica at (334) 265-1867!

Alabama's Best Steak

Congratulations to the 2015 Alabama's Best Steak contest "Fiery 4" finalists! 

• OH! Bryan's Family Steakhouse, Tuscumbia
• Bull Pen Steakhouse, Oakman
• Elmer's Restaurant, Notasulga
• The Old Barn Restaurant, Goshen 

These four finalist will compete in anonymous taste-test judging throughout the month of September! Stay tuned to find out who's home to Alabama's best ribeye steak!

Political Front

The ACA will be working with the Alabama Farmers Federation to co-host a fundraiser for Danny Crawford, a long-time ag leader and special election candidate for House District 5. The fundraiser will be held Thursday, August 20 from 4-6 pm at the ACA building. 

Bettering Alabama's BQA

Friday, August 21 will host a meeting for Alabama's Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program. Dr. Soren Rodning is the recently-named BQA coordinator for the state of Alabama, and ACA staff will be meeting with him Friday to discuss ideas for expansion of the program in the state and ways to increase the number of BQA-certified producers across Alabama. 

Stay tuned on upcoming BQA programs!

ACA Summer Board Meeting

On August 27, ACA Board members will gather from around the state to discuss upcoming events, vote on association matters and get an update from the executive office. A reminder to the Board members to mark their calendars and an encouragement to our members to contact your county president following the meeting to get updates about what went on. As a member, it's important to stay in the know!

Save the Dates

Go ahead and mark your calendars for the 2016 ACA Convention and SLE Rodeo. The ACA Convention will be held February 26-27 at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Birmingham, and the SLE Rodeo comes to town March 17-19 at Garrett Coliseum. 

Save the dates and get excited for our upcoming events! We can't wait to see you there!

Growing the AJCA

The Alabama Junior Cattlemen's Association (AJCA) is more than just calf shows. It's more than scholarships, ribbons and awards. It's a way to involve Alabama's youth in the beef industry so that they can learn early about our industry. Building on that education, it's a way to train, mold and develop our youth into future leaders. It's a way for today's leaders to invest in tomorrow's success. 

We firmly believe in this at the ACA, and that's why staffer Curt Berry has been assigned the task to increase AJCA member numbers across the state. Help him in this task, and sign your kids up! Click here to join online today!

What's Going On Wednesday: August 12, 2015

Meetings, meetings and more meetings- that's the theme of this week at the Cattlemen's building! Task force meetings, committee meetings, board meetings...so many meetings! They're all, however, for the betterment of our association and Alabama's beef industry, so your ACA staffers are happy to conduct or attend as many meetings as it takes! 

Also, our Checkoff and Magazine staffers are preparing for the big month of October- Beef Month in Alabama! Get ready for events, promotions and some pretty cool social media campaigns as well as the "Bulls of Fall" issue of the Alabama Cattleman.

See #WhatsGoingOn around this Cattlemen's office this week:

Alabama's Best Steak

We are in the "Enticing 8" round of the 2015 Alabama's Best Steak contest and the competition is getting hot! This portion of the bracket challenge kicked off Monday at noon and so far over 9,000 votes have been recorded! The bracket closes Saturday, August 15 at midnight, so submit your vote before then at www.AlabamasBestSteak.com. 

The final "Fiery 4" restaurants will be announced Monday, August 24 and anonymous judging will begin and continue throughout the month of September! Make sure your favorite restaurant makes it to the "Fiery 4" and vote now! 

Mag Ads...Get Your Mag Ads!

As we mentioned earlier, October's issue of the Alabama Cattlemen magazine is the "Bulls of Fall" issue, and we are offering an advertising special too good to pass up! If you call and reserve your spot by Sept. 10, we can get you a quarter-page, two-color ad for only $200! If you've got a bull sale going on, then this is the deal for you! 

Get your spot in our October issue today by calling our office and asking for Nicky or by emailing her.

Obesity Task Force Meeting

The Alabama Obesity Task Force held its quarterly meeting Tuesday in Birmingham. The group- comprised of nutrition professionals and organizations- met to discuss initiatives in the state that are helping Alabamians make healthy lifestyle choices, and ACA staffer Erin Beasley was there to make sure beef was well represented!

A new campaign was recently kicked off called "Get Moving Alabama." It features a theme each month to keep the state moving. The ACA is looking for ways to become involved as a lead organization as a part of October Beef Month planning! The next meeting for the task force will be held at the ACA building in December, and Erin will present ways that beef fits into a healthy diet.

Department of Agriculture and Related Industries Board Meeting

Not only was Erin out representing the beef industry in meetings on Tuesday, but the newest ACA staffer Curt Berry was also! Curt spent a chunk out of his day at the Dept. of Ag and Related Industries Board Meeting where a variety of topics were discussed from avian influenza to financial business related to the happenings of our legislature's special session. 

On a topic more related to our industry- State Veterinarian Dr. Frazier gave a report on a proposed rule to change the way bulls are tested for Bovine Trichomoniasis. This rule would simplify the testing process in the future.

SLE Committee Meetings

On Friday our SLE Rodeo officers and committees are meeting in house to discuss the upcoming 2016 SLE Rodeo and the events associated with it! The rodeo will be held March 17-19, 2016 at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery.

Be on the lookout for social media surveys regarding what you'd like to see at next year's rodeo! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates!

What's Going On Wednesday: August 5, 2015

Can you believe it's already August?! We sure can't, and there's no time during this busy month to mess around at the Cattlemen's building!

The legislative special session, board meetings, board sales, task forces, planning committees and conferences are only a few of the things on our August calendar. Then throw in the start of 2016 membership campaigns, October Beef Month just around the corner and the normal day-to-day operations on our to-do lists, and all that causes for a busy month! 

Despite all this hustle and bustle, the staffers are excited to be working for our Alabama cattlemen daily to help maintain and better the beef industry in our beautiful home state. We don't mind staying busy for our members, so you take care of the cattle, and we'll take care of you!

Alabama's Best Steak Contest

WHOA- We are so thrilled by the response this year's ABS contest has received! The July nomination round brought in over 12,000 nominations representing more than 140 Alabama restaurants. However, only 16 of those could proceed (see below) to the "Sizzling 16" round which lasts until this Saturday at midnight! Cast your vote NOW at www.AlabamasBestSteak.com and be looking out for the announcement of the "Enticing 8" restaurants August 10th at noon.

Dinners, Dinners and More Dinners

With concerns about budget cuts, we hosted a steak dinner along with 20 members of the Ag Legislative Coalition for the Ag Commissioner and seven key committee chairs from the House and Senate. Discussions provide insight into the impact proposed budget cuts could have on the state’s #1 industry – agriculture and forestry.

Tonight (Wednesday), Dr. Billy Powell, Curt Berry and Kayla Sellers will be attending the Producers Feeder Calf Sale in Autaugaville, AL. A steak dinner will follow the board sale featuring 2,550 outstanding calves. ACA President-elect Bill Lipscomb manages this sale.

Thursday night will bring around 100 conference attendees to the Cattlemen's building for a steak dinner. Those attending the dinner will be part of the Deep South Stocker Conference held at Auburn University Montgomery Aug. 6-7. During the dinner, the conference goers will learn about the history of Montgomery and the Alabama Cattlemen's Association from Dr. Billy Powell.

WARNING: Remodel In the Works

It's time the MOOseum gets a facelift, don't you think? Well so do we and that's why several days out of this month will be spent in planning meetings dedicated to the modernization/updating of a valuable asset to our association- the MOOseum. 

There's no set timeline on this remodel. These meetings are solely for discussing the topic of a makeover and ideally creating a timeline. Until further notice, the MOOseum is open for business and waiting for you to stop by!

Dustpans! Get Your Dustpans!

Make the ACA a part of your everyday chores! How, you ask? Let us help you clean your house! That's right, stop by the MOOseum today to get an "Eat Beef" dustpan- handmade from 100-year-old wood straight out of Fort Deposit, Alabama! Talk about buying local! 

These novelty items are on sale now at the MOOseum for $20 each. Stop by today and grab on before they're gone! 

SLE Rodeo

Go ahead and mark your calendars! The 2016 SLE Rodeo will be buckin' back to town March 17-19, 2016 at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery! Look out on social media for some surveys of what you'd like to see at this year's rodeo event! Be sure to "Like"

PSA: 2015 Alabama's Best Steak "Sizzling 16"

More than 12,000 nominations...
                                   representing over 140 Alabama restaurants...

ONLY 16 REMAIN.

VOTE NOW in the "Sizzling 16" Bracket Challenge at

www.AlabamasBestSteak.com.

Congratulations to our semi-finalists! 

What's Going On Wednesday: July 22, 2015

Can you believe it?! It's almost August! Where in the world did the summer go?! That's right; soon the kids will go back to school, football season will kick off, cold weather will start working its way in, the holiday season will sneak up on us, then feeding cattle in the snow and ice, calving season...WHOA...rewind. 

None of that can happen until July is over, and we have a BUSY end of July to look forward to here at the Alabama Cattlemen's Association!

2015 AJCA Round-Up

Ready, set...AND THEY'RE OFF! It's Round-Up season for the Alabama Junior Cattlemen's Association and by tomorrow, more than 150 participants, their families and their cattle will have made the trek to Montgomery to Catch a Wave with us! 

We are so excited (and, we admit, stressed!) with the arrival of the Round-Up and have our staff working overtime to get prepared for it! Last minute details, a lot of printing, coliseum set-up, organization, ballots, raffle tickets, sponsorships, stall assignemnts, check-ins, membership, collecting awards...our heads are spinning! Even some of the AJCA directors came in the office today to help with last minute labor! 

It will all be worth it TOMORROW when the Round-Up kicks off! We can't wait to see you there!

See #WhatsGoingOn in the office today to get ready for the Round-Up:

Young Cattlemen's Leadership Program

Speaking of tomorrow...the YCLP-Class II will have it's first session at the Cattlemen's building to kick off an exciting year of learning, advocating, networking and training to become better representatives and leaders of the beef industry. Led by Dr. Don Mulvaney of Auburn University's Dept. of Animal Sciences, and ACA staff, 19 young cattlemen and emerging leaders (ages 22-40) from across the state will join to begin a program to enhance leadership skills and learn more about Alabama’s cattle industry. Funded through the Alabama state beef checkoff, this program ensures development of the next generation of cattlemen leaders for the association.

Alabama's Best Steak

The contest is well underway and nominations are through the roof! We are excited to have already received 7,600 nominations representing 141 restaurants across the state! If you know of an Alabama restaurant that serves up a rockin' ribeye, nominate them at www.AlabamasBestSteak.com. 

The Alabama's Best Steak contest is sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff, the National Beef Checkoff and the Alabama Cattlemen's Association. 

ACA Officers Working Hard

ACA President Jim Akin, President Elect Bill Lipscomb, Vice President Richard Meadows and Treasurer L.D. Fitzpatrick will be in the big city of Montgomery this week to help judge various events for the AJCA Round-Up. While in town, they will also be meeting to plan August's Board of Directors meeting and discuss legislation that may be considered in the legislative special session that's convening on Aug. 3. 

We appreciate the work and devotion of our state officer team to the betterment of our association and our industry! 

Show Others You're a Steward of the Land

How, you ask? Purchase a Cowboy Tag to support the funding of youth events and scholarships for our state's future industry leaders. Invest in a tag, invest in a future...

ACA Membership

Sign up now for your 2016 Alabama Cattlemen's Association membership by visiting www.BamaBeef.org or by contacting your county officers. There are great benefits that come with being an ACA member, including receiving our monthly magazine the Alabama Cattleman where you can learn about what's happening in the state, read up on research efforts and find producers in our directory. Sign up today- you won't regret it!

What's Going On Wednesday

July is a busy month at the Alabama Cattlemen's Association, and we want to make sure our members stay in-the-know about #WhatsGoingOn around our office. Check out what we are up to this week.

Alabama's Best Steak Has Great Kickoff

In only one week, the Alabama's Best Steak contest has generated 1400 nominations that accounts for 104 Alabama restaurants! Big numbers for a beefy contest! This contest usually causes a rise in beef sales across the state. Check out what ACA Director of Consumer Marketing Erin Beasley has to say about it here! 

 Be sure to visit www.AlabamasBestSteak.com to nominate your favorite Alabama steakhouse that serves up a rockin' ribeye!

AJCA Round-Up

The 2015 Round-Up is two weeks away, and our staff is constantly working on the ins and outs of making it happen! We are excited to Catch a Wave at this year's show with  more than 150 participants, 200 head of cattle and 14 different contests!

ACA Intern Madison Tew is ordering some great awards, prizes and gear, and you're not going to want to miss out on getting at chance at what she's bought up. 

If you have any questions email Madison or call (334) 265-1867. We will see you July 23-26 at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery, AL.

Magazine Advertising

The August issue of the Alabama Cattleman will feature the

Simmental breed and Nicky Bechard is taking ad reservations until July 17th.

Also, October is the Bull Buying issue, and Nicky has already started taking reservations for that issue.

Call or email her today to reserve your spot in the magazine! 

Legislative Front

We know many of you may be concerned with the recent WTO ruling that stated the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) legislation is against trade rules and Canada and Mexico could retaliate, but the Cattlemen’s Association has your back. We worked with our Congressional delegation in the House where legislation has passed repealing COOL. Now we are asking Senator Shelby to also vote to repeal the legislation that has largely negative affects on our industry. If you have questions or concerns about the legislation, give us a call. We encourage all who are against COOL to call our senators in DC and ask them to vote to repeal this legislation.

Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program

The second class of YCLP is set. Twenty-one emerging leaders across the state will be joining together on July 23 at the ACA office under the leadership of ACA staff and Dr. Don Mulvaney, ACA regional vice president and Auburn University faculty member, to learn about the association’s program of work, the checkoff program and to discuss industry hot topics. Following the discussion, the group will visit the Alabama Senate Chamber where Dr. Powell will lead a discussion on how a bill becomes a law and what to expect in the upcoming General Session.

What's Going On Wednesday: July 1, 2015

It's a whirlwind week at the ACA- meetings, deadlines and kickoffs galore! We hope you're ready to hear #What'sGoingOn this Wednesday around the Alabama Cattlemen's headquarters in beautiful downtown Montgomery.

AJCA Round-Up Registration Deadline TODAY

Today's your last chance to register your child for the 2015 AJCA Round-Up to be held at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery on July 23-26! This year's theme is "Catch a Wave." Online registration can be submitted here. 

Contests for the Round-Up include: Career Development, Showmanship, Sales Talk, Skill-A-Thon, Team Grooming, Build a Better Burger, Volleyball, Photography, Poster, Record Book,
Essay, Ad Design, Public Speaking and Cattle Judging

2015 ACA Membership

It was ACA's goal to reach 12,000 members during 2015, and we are SO CLOSE. If you or your friends and family haven't paid your dues yet, now's the time! Help us reach our goal and get some great benefits in return. Register online or check out our member benefits on our website. 

Alabama's Best Steak Contest

Alabama’s Best Steak contest kicks off TODAY (July 1) at noon. Visit www.AlabamasBestSteak.com to submit your nomination for your favorite Alabama steakhouse who serves an outstanding ribeye! 

July 1-31: Kickoff round for nominations. 

August 3-10: Sizzlin' 16 bracket challenge. 

August 11-17: Enticing 8 bracket challenge. 

August 18-24: Final 4 bracket challenge. 

September: a panel of judges will anonymously visit to judge taste, tenderness and juiciness. 

Beginning of October: Winners will be announced to kick off Alabama's Beef Month!

Sysco Central Alabama Spring Promotion

Pictured from R-L is the winner of the Big Green Egg 
Craig Smitherman, CEO of Sysco Central Alabama
David Dickson and Vice President of Sales Danny Ralph

The results are in from the Sysco Central Alabama spring promotion, and they are remarkable! Sysco salesmen were charged with selling the most beef they could during May and June, in efforts to win a Big Green Egg smoker, funded by the Alabama Beef Checkoff program.  The final numbers showed an unprecedented 127,000-pound increase in beef over sales from last May and June.