What's Going On Wednesday: November 4, 2015

Well that's a wrap for the 2015 October Beef Month, and it was successful to say the least! Just because Beef Month is over doesn't mean that your ACA staff is kicking up its boots and taking a breather. It just means it's time to start digging into plans for 2016! ACA Convention, SLE Rodeo, Cowboy Cookoff and Junior and Senior High School Cookoffs are just around the corner! That doesn't include events defined in the 2016 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan, which is becoming full of beefy ways to spread the word about our favorite protein! 

Take a second to check out #WhatsGoingOn around the ACA this week!

2016 Marketing Plan

After last week's marketing plan task force meeting, your ACA staffers are glued to the computer screens this week recording all the notes taken and applying them to the marketing plan template! After all the blanks are filled in, budgeting will begin and then the Executive Committee will discuss what we've got! Our marketing plan is the driving force behind all of our beef promotion, education and research in the state, so that's why we pay careful mind to its construction!

November Board Meeting

The next two weeks will be spent preparing for Executive Committee meeting November 18 and November Board meeting the following day. The Board meeting is where budgets for the General Fund, State and National Checkoffs and Foundation will be presented for approval along with 2016 Checkoff Marketing Plan. Be on the lookout for Facebook updates and pictures from the meeting. 

Upcoming County Meetings

Pike County Cattlemen's Association met
November 2 at Cattlemen's Park in Troy.

There's lots of county meetings going on this month! Keep reading to make sure you won't miss yours!

County meetings are important because that's where you can get state updates and get involved on the local level!

• Butler County: Saturday, November 7th 
• Barbour County: Thursday, November 12 at 6:30 pm, Texasville Community House, 2429 County Road 53, Texasville, Alabama. Please RSVP by Wednesday, November 11, 2015, by calling Merri Robinson at (334) 775-3284.
• Sumter County: Thursday, November 19th at 6pm, Livingston Civic Center
• Randolph County: Thursday, November 19th 
• Lauderdale County: Thursday, Nov. 19th at Crosspoint Church of Christ 
• Conecuh County: Sat., November 21st at 6pm, Repton School

October Beef Month- Sysco Promotion

 During October Beef Month, Sysco Gulf Coast ran a “Sell the Sizzle” beef promotion with their sales team. Each salesmen was charged with selling the most beef he/she could during the month. The ACA provided cash prizes to the top sellers. This year’s promotion produced an increase of over 95,000 lbs. of beef compared to September. 

In a climate of high beef prices, this is very positive and a great use of checkoff dollars to keep beef demand high. Hats off to the sales team!

Environmental Stewardship Award

ACA staffer Curt Berry met on Tuesday with Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), Alabama Dept. of Ag and Industries and Alabama Soil and Water Conservation district representatives to discuss a future annual state contest for a beef cattle environmental stewardship award. The winner from the state contest will be entered into the national contest put on by NCBA. Look for that in the future!

SLE Rodeo Plans in Full Swing

Who's getting ready for the 2016 SLE Rodeo?! We are, and that's why staffers met this week to discuss details for this year's rodeo! There's lots to look forward to, so save the dates for March 17-19. We will see you at the rodeo! 

Be on the lookout for updates and announcements on the SLE Rodeo Facebook page and at www.SLERodeo.com. 

Statewide Bull Sales

CK Cattle in Hope Hull recently hosted
it's annual headquarters sale.

Your ACA state officers and staff have traveled here, there and everywhere across the state visiting bull sales this fall! They've all been top notch with quality bulls, great crowds and solid prices. If you've got questions about upcoming bull sales, call Curt Berry at 334-265-1867 or check out the latest Alabama Cattleman magazine for sale ads and information. 

Alabama Agribusiness Council

ACA Executive VP Dr. Billy Powell is attending the Alabama Agribusiness Council Board meeting today, November 4. He's doing what he can to stay atop the state's agribusiness climate to better serve the ACA members on the legislative and leadership front. 

Save the Date

ACA Convention will be here before you know it! Mark your calendar for February 26-27, 2016 at the Sheraton Hotel in Birmingham for the 2016 ACA Convention and Trade Show! Some great Cattlemen's Colleges and discussions are in the works! You don't want to miss the Convention this upcoming year!

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!