Happy Veterans Day to our service men and women!
America is the land of the free because of the brave! We salute those who have served or are currently active in the United States Military. There is no acceptable amount of "thank yous" to express our sincere gratitude.
While we reflect on our undying gratitude of those who have served, we also want to give a quick update on #WhatsGoingOn around the ACA offices this week! It may be drawing near the end of 2015, but that just means planning for 2016 is well underway! Check it out:
Meeting at Mid State
The Agriculture and Industries Board met Monday evening at Mid State Stockyard
and were introduced into the stockyard business and how it runs. ACA's Dr. Billy Powell and Mid State's Rebecca Loftin tagged team the discussion that informed the group of the Board's policies that so deeply affect daily operations at the stockyards, such as scale management. The group then enjoyed a meal from Southern Comfort in Hope Hull, AL.Agriculture and Industries Board Meeting
The same Board that met at Mid State Stockyard Tuesday night also met Tuesday morning for their quarterly Board meeting. At the meeting, they passed laws to help strengthen and protect the agriculture industry in Alabama. Specific to us was the revision of a rule to have bulls tested for Bovine Trichomoniasis before entering the state. ACA staffer Curt Berry was in attendance.Special Guests at The MOOseum
You never know where folks who stop by The MOOseum will come from and a visit on Tuesday proved that! Tuesday morning a group from the Hartford-Litchfield Sister Cities program stopped by to learn about Alabama's Beef Industry. For 44 years, the cities of Hartford, AL and Litchfield, MN have exchanged FFA students and community members to learn about agriculture in other parts of the nation! We were so excited to host this group of FFA students from Minnesota, and we hope they learned a lot about how beef is raised in Alabama. Heading North of the River
Several ACA staffers will head out early Wednesday morning for an overnight trip to north Alabama. While visiting Madison, Limestone and Lauderdale counties, the group will be shooting video footage to use with in The MOOseum's future renovations! It's hoped to captured the rolling hills and fall foliage of the Tennessee Valley!Stops will be made at ACA President Jim Akin's farm, Past President Donna Jo Curtis' operation, Brad Brooks' farm that sits on the Tennessee River and Thornton Stanley, Jr.'s operation in Madison County. Thanks to all our producers who are taking time from their work to smile for the camera! We appreciate it and so will the thousands of children who visit The MOOseum in the future.
November Board & Executive Committee Meetings
Planning is well-underway for next week's Board and Executive Committee meetings. November 18-19, your ACA staff and state representatives will be in Montgomery receiving updates from state officers and staff as well as reviewing the 2016 Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan.2016 Convention and Trade Show
A lot of time and planning this week have been dedicated to the 2016 ACA Convention. Developing a Cattlemen's College plan and contacting potential keynote speakers were at the top of the to-do list! ACA staffer Martha Davis is also busy with sponsorships for the Convention, the Junior Beef Expo and the SLE Rodeo!Be sure to save the dates for the 2016 ACA Convention and Trade Show to be held February 26-27 at the Sheraton Hotel in Downtown Birmingham.
