Thunderstorms, heat, humidity…yep, that sounds like an Alabama summer. Whew it’s a hot one this week, cattlemen, so we encourage you to wear your sun gear and pack extra water as you head out to the hay fields or the weaning pens. Don’t overdo it! While the past couple of weeks have been relatively quiet compared to the usual madness here in downtown Montgomery, staff is enjoying a time to catch up, handle housekeeping tasks and prepare for a busy fall to come. Keep reading to learn more about what’s happening here at the state office and stay informed with the work your Cattlemen’s Association is up to on your behalf.
ROUND-UP REGISTRATION CLOSING THIS FRIDAY
Are you ready to rock?! Registration for the 12th annual AJCA Round-Up, 
happening July 19-22 can be found at BamaBeef.org/Round-Up and CLOSES THIS FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT. Also on that site, you’ll find contest and show rules, a schedule of events and 2018-2019 AJCA director applications. The Round-Up is more than just a calf show! If you don’t show cattle, that’s okay! The great news about the Round-Up is that there’s a contest for anyone and everyone. Check it out:
- Photography
- Ad Design
- Record Book
- Poster
- Essay
- Public Speaking
- Skill-A-Thon
- Career Development
- Volleyball
- Carne Fiesta (Cooking Competition)
- Sales Talk
- Cattle Judging
- Team Grooming
- Showmanship
- Prospect Market Show
- Breeding Heifer Show
Don’t miss out on all the fun and awesome prizes! Join us in Montgomery to show what you know and make lifelong friends.
AJCA membership is required to participate in the AJCA Round-Up. If membership is not current by July 15, your credit card will be charged the membership fee of $15.
You can view the 2018 contest rules, a schedule of events or the director application by clicking the links below. Registration is now available online and closes June 29 at 11:55 p.m.
Cold calls firing up
Cold calls to association non-renewed members are under way as we are only 100 members away from our 2018 membership goal!! Help us get there by sending in your county memberships you’ve been holding onto. Several phone conversations have revealed to us that alleged non-renewed members have, in fact, paid and the counties have not sent in those dues. yet! Memberships need to be entered or postmarked by Saturday to help us meet our 2018 goal!!
Alabama Agribusiness Council Annual Meeting
As a board member for the Alabama Agribusiness Council, Erin Beasley 
spent the first half of this week at the organization’s annual meeting. The council is comprised of a wide range of companies involved in agriculture and the conference featured several speakers in the industry. The awards dinner honored three very special individuals who have had a major impact on Alabama agriculture and rural Alabama. Gov. Kay Ivey received the AAC Distinguished Service Award, and Sen. Clay Scofield was named the Legislator of the Year. Retired ACA Executive Vice President Dr. Billy Powell was honored with the Heritage Award for his many contributions to the council since its inception. Congratulations Dr. Powell!
Environmental Management Commission
Erin will take part in interviews today for a position open on the Environmental Management Commission which sets statewide environmental policy. The position is looking replace a professional engineer who recently completed a term.
Livestock Marketing Association Annual Meeting Next Week
ACA’s Erin Beasley and Michael Agar will attend the Alabama Livestock Marketing Association meeting next week in south Alabama to provide an update about the association to stockyards. A new card was recently printed for stockyards to highlight benefits of the beef checkoff and tips from Alabama Extension on marketing calves. These cards will be provided to stockyard owners at this meeting. We appreciate the invite given to us by members of the Alabama LMA and look forward to visiting with our state’s livestock market owners.
SUMMER GRILLING CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES ON PANDORA RADIO
If you’re a Pandora Radio fan, you may just hear the sound of the 
sizzle on your next advertisement. As of Friday, June 15, the Alabama Beef Checkoff is sponsoring a two-month-long summer grilling promotional campaign that puts beef on consumers’ minds. The ad is targeted to reach millennial consumers in Alabama’s four main media markets including Madison, Jefferson, Montgomery and Baldwin counties and those who are out and about doing all the fun activities of summertime. The ad features the voice of the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. campaign and the iconic “Hoedown” tune nostalgically humming in the background. Display imagery will accompany the radio ad and features steak, the BIWFD logo and the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association logo. It is projected to reach over 68,000 around twice weekly throughout the lifetime of the campaign.
I4A TRAINING VIDEOS- COMING SOON TO A WEBSITE NEAR YOU!
Still a little confused on how the new membership software works? Don’t worry. We’ve got your back! In preparation for the 2019 membership year heading our way July 1, ACA Member and Producer Contact Coordinator Jessica Kennedy began re-making i4a software tutorial videos. As many of you may remember, videos were made before then taken down because of necessary changes that had to be made in the program!
We’re over that hump now, though, and 4 new videos are in the works and include a software basics 101, how to add a new member, how to renew a member and a merging video. These will be handy to have once we start putting in ALL those new and renewed members in 2019!! As soon as they’re complete, Jessica will share the link with county leaders.
JUNIOR PASTURE TO RAIL PROGRAM- REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Learn more about the Junior Pasture to Rail program today by visiting www.BamaBeef.org/JP2R. The 2018 Junior Pasture to Rail program will be managed through the AJCA in conjunction with the current Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) Pasture to Rail program. Youth will learn how to retain ownership on their cattle and how to market cattle on the grid. There will be four (4) educational programs beginning in fall 2018 to educate the participating youth about the cattle industry from pasture to plate.
Cattle will be gathered at central locations around Alabama and shipped to Hy-Plains Feedlot in Montezuma, KS. Ear notches will be pulled for BVD-PI testing and calves will be tagged, weighed and graded at that time (frame/muscle score, BCS). Data/results will be provided at the awards presentation for the 2018 Pasture to Rail program. Awards will be given to the top three (3) youth based on profitability in two categories: individual profitability of one (1) calf and the average profitability of a pen of three (3) calves.
Data provided will include carcass data as well as feedlot performance, medical expenses, feed costs, etc.
Program Requirements:
- Youth must be of age 21 or younger by January 1, 2018 to participate
- Youth must be an AJCA, FFA or 4-H member
- Steers are preferred, heifers can be entered but will be at a disadvantage for the program.
- Cattle must be 600-lbs. at minimum on the day of shipment, be weaned and pre-conditioned for 60 days (castrated, dehorned and healed, dewormed) and be vaccinated/boostered for Blackleg, PI3, BVD, BSRV and IBR (modified live).
- A $200 participation fee will be incurred for pens of three (3) or less. A $75/head fee will be added for additional entries.
- Youth must attend a minimum of three (3) of four (4) educational programs to be eligible for any awards.
Calves will be shipped at specified dates between August 2018 to March 2019. In order to ship, calves must meet the aforementioned pre-conditioning requirements. Ship dates and locations as well as educational programs will be communicated as determined.
Registration will close August 31 at midnight.
This program is sponsored by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program.
Fourth of July Holiday
The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association and The MOOseum will be closed 
Wednesday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. Normal office hours will resume Thursday, but this means the blog will skip a week! We’ll catch back up with you on all the important updates on Wednesday, July 11. We pray your family has a safe holiday and enjoys lots of delicious, nutritious beef!
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