What's Going On Wednesday: Feb. 17, 2016

The countdown to Convention is beginning to dwindle! The staff is busy in preparation for the big event next week and are looking so forward to seeing all the attendees, hear all the speakers and enjoying all the food, fellowship and fun. There's so much to look forward to, but Convention isn't the only thing on your state staff's calendar. We're here, there and everywhere working to represent Alabama cattlemen and the beef industry.

Saddle up for a update on what's going on around the ACA this week:

Membership Update

Total membership for 2016 to date is 7,512! Help us reach our goal of 12,000 members! This month is your final opportunity to renew or join at the $30 rate. The dues increase will take effect on March 1st. 

Dates to remember for membership- Feb. 26 is the final chance for your county to go "Over the Top" by five members to qualify for the President's red coat. Congrats to Colbert, Crenshaw and Sumter counties who have already gone "Over the Top." Good work getting your membership up this year!

April 30 is the deadline for Top Hand Club (see prizes in the January Alabama Cattleman) and for your county to go "Over the Top" to qualify for the Priefert Squeeze Chute. April 30 is also the deadline for the Gator raffle. 

Stay up to date on events coming your way by visiting the Cattlemen's Calendar. 

ACA Convention and Trade Show- NEXT WEEK!

ACA officers and staff are finalizing plans for the “Iron City Beef Bash” coming up in Birmingham! It's going to be a great time of fellowship and education, so don't miss out.

If you haven't regisitered for the 73rd annual ACA Convention and Trade Show, then now's the time! Pre-registration, which would sign you up for meals, closes February 18.

We have a great lineup of guest speakers and a sold-out trade show for the Iron City Beef Bash 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, nationally-recognized Extension Ag Economist Dr. 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! We also have a great selection of items for Beef PAC auction planned for Friday night with World Champion Auctioneer Branden Neely along with some very interesting items. You do not have to be present to participate and we will send you a list of auction items soon!

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 BEFORE Feb. 21!

(Group code: AL CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION)

ACA Staff Promotes the Convention

Staffers Kayla Greer and Curt Berry hit the road early Monday morning in route to Hoover to do a live interview with ACB33|40 "Talk of Alabama." Want to see the interview? CLICK HERE

Legislative Front- Ag Coalition Meets at ACA

To stay in touch with other agribusinesses and commodities during the ongoing legislative session, the Ag Coalition meets in the ACA building on Tuesday to discuss upcoming bills and legislative discussions.

The Legislature is meeting three days this week instead of the normal two. According to ACA's lobbyist Dr. Billy Powell, hall talk now is that the necessary sunset bills are handled, to start moving on the General Fund budget in the Senate and the Education Budget in the House. Everyone Dr. Powell has spoken with sure hopes to end this session early with all work completed  so they will not need to be called back into any Special Sessions.

It's important to have an Association representative monitoring and protecting your livelihood while you continue to invest in it. To donate to the PAC, click here. 

Sysco Central Alabama Promotion

The beef checkoff is funding another beef sales promotion with Sysco Foodservice. Three weeks into the two-month promoti

on, an increase of over 10,000 lbs of beef have already been sold. The sales team at Sysco is working hard to sell as much as they can to try and win the grand prize of a Yeti cooler. Stay tuned for the results of this great beef promotion.

Cowboy Cookoff- Sign Up Today

Have you got a Ribeye Steak recipe that's popular among crowds? If so, then get ready to get grillin' at this year's Cowboy Cookoff as part of SLE Rodeo week! Join us in front of Garrett Coliseum on

Saturday, March 19 for a Ribeye Steak cookoff you don't wanna miss. Teams of four or less can compete for monetary prizes in the People's Choice and Judge's Panel categories.

Interested in forming a team? Learn more and sign up today!

State Beef Checkoffs Meet in Austin, TX

Dr. Powell will spend Thursday and Friday at a State Checkoff Execs meeting in Austin, TX hosted by the Texas Beef Council. To date, there are 14 states with separate checkoff programs and another 10+ states working on their own program. The purpose of this meeting is to share ideas and discuss ways to work more closely together.  

Social Media Update

Staffer Kayla Greer has been working with national staff to get recommendations for improving our social platforms from the NCBA digital lab. After an evaluation and several phone calls and email conversations, some new ideas have been discussed. Stay tuned to our social platforms to see what happens. 

FACEBOOK

TWITTER
INSTAGRAM

JBE Planning

Staffer Curt Berry is burning up the Junior Beef Expo planning grounds. This week, his focus has been primarily on breaking up the classes for the heifer and steer shows, organizing and ordering ribbons and finalizing sponsorships. Curt has been working closely with Nate Yeager, Jimmy Holliman, Rusty Roden and Van Smith to plan this year's show and is very appreciative of all the hard work and support this group has put forth! Great job, gentlemen. 

The 2016 Junior Beef Expo will take place March 18-20 at the Garrett Coliseum livestock barns. 

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.

What's Going On Wednesday: September 30, 2015

Your ACA staff is preparing for one busy month kicking off TOMORROW. That's right- October Beef Month is rolling back into town, and we are excited for all the beefy happenings that comes with it. Stay tuned for weekly updates on what's happening this #OctBeefMonth and check out today's #WhatsHappeningWednesday for an update on this week's business at the Cattlemen's building.

Beef Month Kickoff

You heard it from us! October Beef Month kicks off tomorrow! Call us today if your county is interested in participating in Cowboys in the Classroom, an elementary school program where our Cattlemen visit classes to teach students about the farm. Also, call us if your county needs promotional items for county fairs. We are here to help, and can't wait for all the beefy events to take place during this exciting time of year!

If you need a press release for events happening in your county contact Erin or Kayla. They want to hear about it!

Breakin' Bread Food Festival

The ACA group at the Breakin' Beef
Food Festival in Birmingham.

Jim and Kay Akin, several Auburn University Collegiate Cattlemen and CattleWomen, Erin, Selina and Curt promoted beef at the Breakin' Bread Food Festival this past Sunday at the Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Ala. The group served beef sundaes, handed out October Beef Month promotional items and sponsored the Iron Chef Competition at the event. 

Jim Akin poses with Chef Joe Resha
and his Culinard apprentices.

Chef Joe Resha from JoJo’s on Broadway in Birmingham won the Iron Chef Competition. He survived two heats of competition to stake his claim as winner.

Get Moving Alabama

Today, we are kicking off the #GetMovingAL challenge with the Alabama Obesity Task Force and the Alabama Department of Education FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America). Family and Consumer Science classes are tasked with submitting a video of how

they are getting involved with the 30-day protein challenge, funded by the National Beef Checkoff, as a way to "Get Moving!"  Stay tuned on our Facebook page for video submissions made by classes across the state!

#BeefUpYourTailgate

Speaking of Facebook, it wouldn't be fall without football. It wouldn't be football with tailgating. We want to see your tailgates! Our first-ever #BeefUpYourTailgate contest kicks off tomorrow and invites football fans and tailgate activists across the state of Alabama to post a picture on our Facebook page featuring your tailgate set up, football fans and of course, your favorite tailgate food- BEEF! 

On November 1, a winner will be selected and will receive a $250 prize package. The package comes with a Weber Smoky Joe Premium grill, a grilling utensil set, $100 beef gift card, 2 ACA 24-oz. Tervis Tumblers and a Ready.Set.Sizzle. apron for grilling! 

Contest rules and guidelines will be up on the Facebook tomorrow! Get grillin' and get postin'! #BeefUpYourTailgate

BEEF 101

Thursday, October 1 not only hosts the first day of #OctBeefMonth, but it brings another BEEF 101 course at the Lambert-Powell Meats Lab in Auburn. Erin, Curt and local cattlemen will be educating 35 students and teachers from Robertsdale High School Family and Consumer Science program about the beef industry and product. 

Chambers County Meeting

Curt will be visiting the Chambers County Cattlemen's Association meeting Thursday evening. Be prepared to meet with him and ask him your questions. If you're interested in having ACA state staff at your county meeting, give us a call at (334) 265-1867. 

Ag Round-Up

The Auburn University Ag Round-Up is taking place as part of their Homecoming tradition this Saturday, October 3 at the ALFA Pavilion from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Commodities from around the state will be there with food, and AU ag clubs will provide games and entertainment. Stop by and see us at the Beef tent! 

What's Going On Wednesday: September 16, 2015

Who's loving the Fall weather this week brought along with it? Your ACA staff sure is because we know the Fall season brings some exciting things through our office- namely, October Beef Month and Fall calving season! We are staying busy, and we know the Alabama Cattlemen are as well with new babies hitting the ground left and right! 

Here's #WhatsGoingOn with what your ACA staff is doing for you this week:

Social Media Posts

Speaking of new babies hitting the ground during the calving season, we want to see! Post your new calf pictures on the Alabama Cattlemen's Association Facebook page so we and the rest of our followers can watch together as the Alabama beef industry grows! We can't wait to see all the pictures!

Junior Beef Expo

It's an exciting day because the Junior Beef Expo rules are now available to view on the website! The JBE will be held March 18-20, 2016 at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery in correspondence with the SLE Rodeo.

Some notable deadlines are:
October 15: Deadline for EID tagging is Steers & Market Heifers
October 30: Deadline for Market registration
January 1: Deadline for breeding heifer entries

Visit the link above for more details, and if you come upon a question not already covered in the rules, contact Curt Berry. 

Congressman Luncheon

Congressman Mike Rogers stopped by the ACA building Monday for a luncheon hosted by the ACA. A group of 30 were able to visit and hear from the Congressman while enjoying some delicious beef! 

Protein Panel in Huntsville

Erin Bealsey spent all day Tuesday in Huntsville as she and other Limestone and Madison counties producers represented the ACA in a large consumer show hosted by the Von Braun Center. Mickey Childers, Donna Jo Curtis, Ray Hilburn and Erin (all pictured left) discussed and took consumer questions about how beef, dairy, poultry and eggs are produced in America during a Protein Panel discussion. Erin and the producers also hosted a booth in the show where the steer trailer showed the main primal cuts of a beef animal, and Erin performed a "tailgating with beef" cooking segment for the show's large crowd. 

Burger Bash

This first-time event will hit Montgomery Thursday evening for a night full of good beef! The Alabama Cattlemen's Association is sponsoring the beef product for this event, and Erin, Selina, Kayla and Curt  along with a few Montgomery County cattle producers will be making Cattlemen's sliders to serve at the ACA booth. 

During the Burger Bash, 12 River Region restaurants will compete for the winning, tastiest burger to represent Montgomery at the World Food Championship.

BEEF 101

If it's not obvious that the Fall is Erin's busiest time of year already, it's about to be. Erin will be leading a BEEF 101 program with Jeff State Culinary and Shelby County Career Tech Culinary at the Lambert-Powell Meats Lab in Auburn Friday, September 18. 

The group will hear the "Pasture to Plate" story, participate in a live animal evaluation with local producers and AU cattle, tour the packing facility and view a carcass fabrication. All the while, asking questions about our industry and having them answered by industry professionals. 

World Champion Auctioneer in Montgomery

ACA's Billy Powell visits with
Brandon Neely and Autauga County
producer Wayne Thorn

Brandon Neely stopped by the Montgomery Stockyards Monday, September 14 to provide his talents at the market's bred heifer sale. Neely, a Southside, Ala. native, is the first ever Alabamian to bring the world title back to his home state. Jerry Etheredge and other stockyard staff were excited to have him by to help sell the day's 1,300 cattle. Visit the ACA Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages to hear his chant! While you're there, follow us! 

What's Going On Wednesday

Weekly activities, meetings and events around the Alabama Cattlemen's Association are never the same. While the ACA officers pop in from out of town and staffers travel to speak to different groups to promote and educate about beef, AJCA officers are busy planning the next big event and the MOOseum is always buzzing with the sound of young folks learning about the Alabama cattle production and the beef industry. The ACA staff and officers stay busy working for an industry we all love promoting, educating about and bettering.

Here's an update about #What'sGoingOn around the Alabama Cattlemen's Association this week!

2015 AJCA Round-Up

"Catch and Wave" at the 9th Annual AJCA Round-Up on July 23-26 at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery. Round-Up is open to all Alabama Juniors ages 9-21 who have paid their 2015 AJCA dues. Membership forms and a schedule of events are available here. If interested contestants have already paid their 2015 dues, Round-Up entry forms can be found here. The deadline for entry is July 1, 2015.

New Faces: Summer Intern

Madison Tew of Ozark, Ala. will be joining the ACA staff this summer as an intern. Madison recently moved back home after attending Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas for the past two years and competing on the school's Livestock Judging Team. She will be attending Mississippi State University this fall as an agricultural communications major but not before she spends the summer in Montgomery at the Alabama Cattlemen's Association. 

Her responsibilities will center around this year's AJCA Round-Up. Madison, a former competitor of the Round-Up, has seven years of experience with the show and will be an invaluable asset to the AJCA officer team and the ACA staff as they join to plan and promote this year's show. 

Welcome, Madison! We look forward to having you around this summer!

Social Media Takeover

With the shifting of time and technology comes the need to update ways of reaching an audience. Snail mail is becoming a thing of the past, and email and social media blasts are taking its place. Better yet, just post it on social media! 

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the Alabama Cattlemen's Association recognize the need to stay on top of the newest and best ways to keep in touch with our producers and consumers and has taken the necessary steps in order to do just that. Alabama Cattlemen's has welcomed a new staffer whose job focuses on enhancing and maintaining the ACA and the SLE's presence on social media platforms.

The Facebook (Alabama Cattlemen's Association) is actively posting daily themed posts targeted on educating consumers, keeping members updated on what we are doing with their state and national checkoff dollars and informing producers on upcoming events or legislation. The Twitter (@ALCattlemen) follows suit on educating and promoting the beef industry, while also serving as a vehicle to market this blog. An Instagram is in our future to reach out to our millennial audiences, and we are predicting some social media contests with beefed up prizes in the future. Also in our future is a major overhaul of the ACA website. 

To keep up with the upcoming 2016 SLE Rodeo dates, check out it's Facebook  and Twitter accounts as well as its website. 

Exciting things are happening for the ACA and its online presence. Follow us on our pages to keep up with our exciting changes!