What’s Going On Wednesday: August 29, 2018

Hello August. Goodbye August.

It sure feels like it came and went that quickly, and now we are barreling forward head first toward September and a busy fall season! Fall is not only busy for us with all the activities centered around beef promotion, but it’s a busy time for you as those fall calves start hitting the ground and county events start firing up! We’re excited to hit the roads toward those events, county meetings and cattle sales as it means we’ll get to see you out and about! Keep reading to learn what we’ve been up to this week and what we’ve got in the works here at the ACA state office.


 

Checkoff Funds Beef Cattle Research

The Alabama Beef Checkoff places a high priority on funding practical cattle production research that will assist producers in the state. Recently, researchers across the College of Agriculture at Auburn University submitted cattle research proposals totaling 15 projects for consideration of funds. After evaluation of the projects, five stood out and received funding to begin work this fall. They are:

  1. An Economic Analysis of Productivity and Efficiency of AL Cattle Industry: Best Management Practices and Growth Opportunities (V. Hartarska, D. Nadolnyak, G. Richburg, B. Goodrich, M. Runge)
  2. Cottonseed Assessment for Improvement of Beef Cattle Feed Recommendations (K. Mullenix, J. Koebernick)
  3. Improving the Reproductive Efficiency of Heifers Using a Combination of Estrus Synchronization, Natural Service and Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination (S. Rodning, S. Dickinson, L. Marks, J. Elmore, M. Elmore, M. Edmondson, J. Gard, F. Biase, P. Dyce, P. Walz)
  4. On-Farm Demonstration of Biofertilization in Pastures (D. Held, L. Dillard, R. Muntifering, J. Kloepper)
  5. Eradication of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Using Novel Antiviral Drugs (J. Wower, S. Rodning, P. Walz, J. Sztuba-Solinska, I. Wower)

 

 

A Weekend Full of Cattlemen Fun

40137688_1974812282577263_4147726320920428544_nThis past weekend, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell got the opportunity to see how Alabama puts on a rodeo when she went to both the Pike and Clay County Cattlemen’s rodeos. Both rodeos had a sell-out crowd and a grand ole time. In between the two rodeos, she also attended the ACWA Youth Ag Day and joined in on the fun activities going on with the youth of Wedowee, Alabama. Special thanks to AJCA President Michael Morrison, District 2 Director Christian Meadows and District 2 Director Chelsea Langley for being involved with this event!

 

ACA Director of Industry Relations & Youth Programs Michael Agar also 40058918_2217490088261316_2711907024311943168_njoined in on the fun but was bested by a mechanical bull at the Pike County Cattlemen’s Western Festival where he drew 3rd place in their Celebrity Bull Ride. He enjoyed attending the event where he met up with ACA President-Elect Chris Langley fellow staffer, Ali Cantrell.

 

Michael completed his weekend by attending the Alabama & Mississippi Simmental Sale in Uniontown, AL which featured 17 consignors. Great prices and buyers from across the country made for an excellent sale!

 

 

Regional Meetings

On Monday night, Regional Vice President Gene Fernandes gathered his counties for a meeting in Southwest Alabama with ACA staff. Each RVP has been tasked with planning a time and place for county leadership to meet and work with staff. Membership, October Beef Month and grassroots involvement highlight the conversation. The next meeting will be for RVP Jim Jordan’s counties on September 6 at 6:00PM at Western Sizzlin’ in Oxford.

 

 

Rep. Bradley Byrnes Reception

Last night, ACA VP Larry Reeves and Erin Beasley attended a roundtable discussion and reception for Congressman Bradley Byrnes in Dothan. Farmers surrounded the table and were given a chance to discuss key issues for the agriculture industry including Farm Bill, trade and for us in livestock, Hours of Service for transporting cattle. Congressman Byrne sits on the important Rules committee in the House of Representatives which decides which bills will make it to the floor calendar.

 

 

THE COUNTY LEADER RUN-DOWN

As we approach a busy time of year for counties, Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy wants to be sure you’re prepared and that all communication lines are open to make this the most successful year for county annual meetings and events yet!

 

County Meeting Scheduling

Please EMAIL JESSICA  your county meeting information (time, date, location, etc.) and anyone you request to speak/attend whether it be a staff member or state officer. If you would like for this information to appear in the magazine, it must be sent to Jessica by the 15th of the previous month!

 

Mailouts – Postcards/Letters

If you need a mailout done please let Jessica know 1-2 weeks prior to the actual date the mailout needs to go in the mail, not two weeks from the date of the meeting.

 

Supplies

If you need supplies such as napkins and placemats prior to your meeting, please email Jessica the number of members you anticipate, and she will ship them to you.  Local counties may pick them up here at the ACA building.

 

Reports

WE’VE GOT AN UPDATE ON REPORTS! At the county meeting, we had mentioned that the new membership year would affect our ability to supply reports until January 2019. THANKS TO THE DEDICATED WORK OF JESSICA KENNEDY, WE THINK THIS ISSUE IS SOLVED! Now she is busy at work creating individualized county reports. Once they are completed, Jessica will send county presidents and secretaries an email announcing their availability!

 

Leadership Changes

County secretaries, it is your responsibility to make sure you send Jessica Kennedy the changes to your county leadership after your county meetings.  Jessica has to change these on mailing lists, in the magazine, online, etc. and needs all contact information – name, address, phone number and the very important email addresses!  Email is how we send a majority of our information.  If this information is not updated here at the ACA, then those officers are not getting the information they need and we have no line of communication.

 

October Beef Month Supplies

ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell introduced the reading book for our Cowboys in the Classroom program called “My Family’s Beef Farm.” Cowboys in the Classroom is an opportunity for producers to visit their local classrooms and educate youth about the beef they consume and where it comes from. One book will be donated to the library of the school for future access to the students. There has also been an addition to the Cowboys in the Classroom program where county leaders can also provide a Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner Coloring and Activity Book. These are two separate books that you can provide to the classroom for the students to enjoy.  If you want to participate in the Cowboys in the Classroom Program in your county, please let Ali know how many schools you plan to attend so she can send you these books in time for October.

 

BAMA’S BEST BURGER UPDATE

The Bama’s Best Burger contest is in its last week of narrowing down our Region5_Meme-01eight regional semifinalists to the final four. Last week’s Facebook poll challenge opened up the dual between Heard’s BBQ & Soul Food (Maplesville, AL) Signature Burger vs 82 West (Union Springs, AL) Cheeseburger. Heard’s BQ & Soul Food secured their seat in the finals with 595 votes throughout the week, and now the Meat Boss (Mobile) Boss Burger is going head-to-head with Our Place Diner’s (Ozark) Big Bopper Burger. So far in the voting, Our Place Diner is in the lead!

 

Next week kicks off the Final 4 Taste Test Challenge with a panel of industry judges who will anonymously visit each joint to try out the finalist burgers, which are (as a reminder) Bentley’s Hartselle’s Cheeseburger, R & R Burgers (Springville) T-Rex Burger, Heard’s BBQ & Soul Food’s (Maplesville) Signature Burger with one more to determine this week!

 

To participate in the voting, visit the Alabama Cattlemen’s Facebook page and simply click the photo of the burger you’d like to vote for!

 

 

Early Childhood Nutrition Summit

On Tuesday, staffer Ali Cantrell participated in the Early Childhood Nutrition Summit and met with dieticians and nutritionist that are leading the way in assuring child health and well-being in Alabama. She also joined the Obesity Task Force in order to ensure that beef is included in the plan for a healthy lifestyle.

 

 

CATTLE JUDGING FIELD DAY

Web_JudgingFieldDay-01On September 8, the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association will host a Cattle Judging Field Day at Summerford Charolais in Falkville, AL. This youth event is FREE and open to all young cattlemen below the age of 21. Extension Specialist and Auburn Livestock Judging Team Coach Jason P’Poole will be teaching our youth the basics of livestock judging beginning at 9:00 a.m., and after a brief how-to, the participants will judge three classes of livestock (bulls and heifers) and answer questions about them. Lunch will be provided at noon with a farm tour led by Robert Summerford to follow.

 

To register, visit www.BamaBeef.org/Judge.

 

 

Tailgating Treasures

Break out the shakers, grab your lucky shirt and practice those battle Tailgatecries…college football season is one again among us! Don’t forget to fuel your game day spirit with the protein-packed goodness of beef. Beef makes a delicious ingredient in those go-to tailgate foods. Got a good queso dip? Add ground beef to include protein in that next bite. Want to make a sandwich or burger? Don’t forget about beloved sloppy joes which …BONUS stay warm in a slow cooker. Need something handheld? Meatballs are the way to go. And don’t forget to throw some beef on top of those nachos! BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com is home to thousands of delicious beef recipes and even a collection built around those Saturdays in a college town. Tailgating Treasures Try out these delicious recipes for kickoff weekend!

 

 


Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on FacebookTwitter or Instagram.

 

What’s Going On Wednesday: August 22, 2018

What’s that?! Some relief? A break in the rain? Lower humidity? Is this even Alabama? Is it even August?

Ha! These upper-80 temps are just a little teaser as we head into the fall season. There’s so much to look forward to…especially when considering the fall brings even more exciting elements than football, pumpkins and pretty landscapes to cattlemen. It means calving season!! It’s a time when all the labor is rewarded with new, healthy calves on the ground and wagging tails filling the farmscape as those newborns learn to suck. It’s a rewarding time, an exciting one…and one that we look forward to each year here at the state office. Keep reading to learn more about what our week (and the upcoming fall season) brings for us working every day on your behalf.


 

Young Leaders Gather for a Weekend in Auburn

Screenshot 2018-08-22 11.41.14YCLP Class V met for their second session of the year on August 17-18 in Auburn. Friday’s agenda was packed with team-building and leadership exercises performed by Dr. Mulvaney as well as the instructors from the AU Challenge Course. The instructors encouraged our young leaders step outside their comfort zone by attempting some of the high-rope exercises at the Challenge Course, which really helped build camaraderie and trust within the group. Collins Farm in Cusseta then hosted the group for a farm tour and dinner at La Cantina in Opelika. We would like to thank Jim Collins and his family for talking to the group not only on his cattle and restaurant but the beef industry as a whole. Saturday’s events consisted of the AU Beef Cattle Conference where the group was introduced to the crowd and able to attend the various industry presentations including a stockmanship demonstration by industry-renown livestock handler Curt Pate.

 

We look forward to the third session with this group in September. It is amazing how close they have become in such a short amount of time!

 

 

Bama’s Best Burger Update

Region 4_meme-01The Bama’s Best Burger contest is well on its way to narrowing down our eight regional semifinalists to the final four. Last week’s Facebook poll challenge open up the dual between River Cafe and Sports Bar (Adger, AL) Bacon Cheeseburger vs R & R Burgers (Springville, AL) T-Rex Burger. R & R Burgers secured their seat in the finals with over 1,200 votes throughout the week, and now Heard’s BBQ & Soul Food’s (Maplesville) Signature Burger is going head-to-head with 82 West’s (Union Springs) Cheeseburger. So far in the voting, Heard’s BBQ & Soul Food is in the lead!

 

Next week’s final Facebook poll competition will put Meat Boss of Mobile against Our Place Diner of Ozark in a dualmfor their seat in the Final 4 Taste Test Challenge.

 

To participate in the voting, visit the Alabama Cattlemen’s Facebook page and simply click the photo of the burger you’d like to vote for!

 

 

The County Leader Run-Down

As we approach a busy time of year for counties, Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy wants to be sure you’re prepared and that all communication lines are open to make this the most successful year for county annual meetings and events yet!

 

County Meeting Scheduling

Please EMAIL JESSICA  your county meeting information (time, date, location, etc.) and anyone you request to speak/attend whether it be a staff member or state officer.

 

Mailouts – Postcards/Letters

If you need a mailout done please let Jessica know 1-2 weeks prior to the actual date the mailout needs to go in the mail, not two weeks from the date of the meeting.

 

Supplies

If you need supplies such as napkins and placemats prior to your meeting, please email Jessica the number of members you anticipate, and she will ship them to you.  Local counties may pick them up here at the ACA building.

 

Reports

WE’VE GOT AN UPDATE ON REPORTS! At the county meeting, we had mentioned that the new membership year would affect our ability to supply reports until January 2019. THANKS TO THE DEDICATED WORK OF JESSICA KENNEDY, WE THINK THIS ISSUE IS SOLVED! Now she is busy at work creating individualized county reports. Once they are completed, Jessica will send county presidents and secretaries an email announcing their availability!

 

Leadership Changes

County secretaries, it is your responsibility to make sure you send me the changes to your county leadership after your county meetings.  I have to change these on mailing lists, in the magazine, online, etc.  I need all contact information – name, address, phone number and the very important email addresses!  Email is how we send a majority of our information.  If this information is not updated here at the ACA, then those officers are not getting the information they need and we have no line of communication.

 

October Beef Month Supplies

ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell introduced the reading book for our Cowboys in the Classroom program called “My Family’s Beef Farm.” Cowboys in the Classroom is an opportunity for producers to visit their local classrooms and educate youth about the beef they consume and where it comes from. One book will be donated to the library of the school for future access to the students. There has also been an addition to the Cowboys in the Classroom program where county leaders can also provide a Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner Coloring and Activity Book. These are two separate books that you can provide to the classroom for the students to enjoy.  If you want to participate in the Cowboys in the Classroom Program in your county, please let Ali know how many schools you plan to attend so she can send you these books in time for October.

 

 

CATTLE JUDGING FIELD DAY

Web_JudgingFieldDay-01On September 8, the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association will host a Cattle Judging Field Day at Summerford Charolais in Falkville, AL. This youth event is FREE and open to all young cattlemen below the age of 21. Extension Specialist and Auburn Livestock Judging Team Coach Jason P’Poole will be teaching our youth the basics of livestock judging beginning at 9:00 a.m., and after a brief how-to, the participants will judge three classes of livestock (bulls and heifers) and answer questions about them. Lunch will be provided at noon with a farm tour led by Robert Summerford to follow.

 

To register, visit www.BamaBeef.org/Judge.

 

 

October Beef Month Planning in the Works

slow-cooker-pot-roast-soup-horizontal.tifOctober Beef Month is just around the corner, as we’ve already mentioned a few times but this week we’re really putting boots on the ground for preparation! On Monday, program staffers traveled to Birmingham to meet with the Visitors Bureau to discuss restaurants to participate in a Birmingham Beef Week event. Today, Ali Cantrell and Erin Beasley met with the Montgomery Dept. of Public Safety Director Ron Sams to select a group to honor for our Beef Day event here in town. Thursday will bring a delightfully tasty day as Ali Cantrell and Kayla Greer will spend the day preparing recipes and doing food photography and videography for some neat recipe videos to feature on social media during October!

 

 

CATTLEMEN’S BUS TOUR

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
COST: $325/PERSON (Includes lodging, food and transportation)
FORM & FEE DUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

REGISTER HERE!

 

Join us on a 3-day, 2-night tour of the beef cattle industry across Georgia, Screenshot 2018-07-25 11.24.55Florida and Alabama! This tour is a true “pasture to plate” experience as it starts off with a tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika where McDonalds burger patties are produced followed by a stop at Buckhead Beef in Atlanta, Georgia where wholesale beef cuts are further processed into cut steaks ready for the restaurant.

After learning what happens to beef once it leaves the farm, we’ll stop for a visit at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and then tour Chatel Farms, an FPL feeding facility, in Reidsville, Georgia. We will then head south to tour the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC, wake up to tour the North Florida Research & Education Center and round out the tour at Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, Florida.

 

BUS TOUR AGENDA

Thursday, September 13
-Depart from Montgomery at 8 a.m.
-Tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika
See how a McDonald’s burger patty is produced
-Tour of Buckhead Beef in College Park, GA
Explore how beef is further processed into retail cuts
-Bunk in Macon, GA
Friday, September 14
-Start the Day at 7:30 a.m.
-Breakfast at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association
-Tour of Chatel Farms in Reidsville, GA
Explore this FPL feeding facility in person
– Dinner and tour of the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC in Tipfton, GA
– Bunk in Bainbridge, GA
Saturday, September 15
– Tour of North Florida Research & Education Center at 8:30 a.m.
– Head out for Marianna, FL at 9:30 a.m.
– Tour Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, FL
SCC is a large-scale operation that has a hand in multiple
segments of the industry!
– Return to Montgomery, AL
Seats will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Deposits are non-refundable.
For more information, contact Michael Agar at (334) 265-1867 or magar@bamabeef.org.

 

 


Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on FacebookTwitter or Instagram.

What’s Going On Wednesday: August 15, 2018

August is just scooting by us faster than we know. Before long, stadium seats will be filling up with the sounds of eager fans and cracking helmets, the leaves will change, the temperatures will cool down…wow, that just all sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Well soon enough that dream will arrive as time moves faster than you think. To keep the time full, your ACA staff is busy planning for those busy fall months. Between county meetings firing up, cattle sale season kicking off soon and our beloved October Beef Month, there is A LOT to think about in preparation. We’re excited about it all, though, and look forward to see you at the many upcoming events. Keep reading to learn more about what’s going on at the ACA this week… 


 

Board Meeting Follow Up

ACA logo- meme size copyWe enjoyed seeing representatives from 44 of our county chapters at last week’s Board meeting! It was a great time of updates, good food and rewarding the hard work of county presidents, secretaries and Top Hand recruiters. We also would like to congratulate Scott McElfresh of Fayette County on winning the John Deere Gator, sponsored by John Deere, SunSouth and TriGreen Equipment! To follow up on other meeting information offered, keep reading these notes from Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy!

 

County Meeting Scheduling

Please EMAIL me (Jessica) your county meeting information (time, date, location, etc.) and anyone you request to speak/attend whether it be a staff member or state officer.

 

Mailouts – Postcards/Letters

If you need a mailout done please let me know 1-2 weeks prior to the actual date the mailout needs to go in the mail, not two weeks from the date of the meeting.  To be sure your postcards/letters get sent in a timely manner, I really do need time to prepare them and give your members ample time to prepare to attend so your meeting is a success!

 

Supplies

If you need supplies such as napkins and placemats prior to your meeting, please email me the number of members you anticipate, and I will ship them to you.  Local counties may pick them up here at the ACA building.

 

Reports

Unfortunately due to the membership year change, reports will not be available for you to pull until after the first of the year.  Until that time please give me a heads-up as to when you need one, so that I can have them to you a couple of days before your meetings.

 

Leadership Changes

County secretaries, it is your responsibility to make sure you send me the changes to your county leadership after your county meetings.  I have to change these on mailing lists, in the magazine, online, etc.  I need all contact information – name, address, phone number and the very important email addresses!  Email is how we send a majority of our information.  If this information is not updated here at the ACA, then those officers are not getting the information they need and we have no line of communication.

 

Tents and October Beef Month Supplies

If you’re interested in cost sharing a canopy tent for your county, the ACA is Screenshot (2)excited to offer a deal that would get you a shiny, red canopy tent featuring the ACA logo and “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” tagline for ONLY $250 to the county. If you’re interested in seeing the tents or purchasing one for your county, contact Ali Cantrell at 334-265-1867 by August 20 if you’d like to get in on the order.

 

To go under those tents you may need some promotional material to hand out during your October Beef Month event. Please contact Ali at (334) 265-1867 if you have an event during October where you might need a box of beef promotional material. Explain what the event is and its purpose along with what you might need in the box in order to make your event successful.

 

Also, at the board meeting,  Ali introduced the reading book for our Cowboys in the Classroom program called “My Family’s Beef Farm.” Cowboys in the Classroom is an opportunity for producers to visit their local classrooms and educate youth about the beef they consume and where it comes from. One book will be donated to the library of the school for future access to the students. There has also been an addition to the Cowboys in the Classroom program where county leaders can also provide a Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner Coloring and Activity Book. These are two separate books that you can provide to the classroom for the students to enjoy.  If you want to participate in the Cowboys in the Classroom Program in your county, please let Ali know how many schools you plan to attend so she can send you these books in time for October.

 

 

 

Bama’s Best Burger Contest Update

The Bama’s Best Burger contest is well on its way to narrowing down our REGION 1_meme-01eight regional semifinalists to the final four. Last week’s Facebook poll challenge open up the dual between Bentley’s Hartselle’s Cheeseburger and Union Jack Cafe’s Spicy BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger. Bentley’s Hartselle secured their seat in the finals with almost 1,000 votes throughout the week, and now River Cafe of Agder’s Bacon Cheeseburger is going head-to-head with R & R Burger’s (Springville) T-Rex Burger. So far in the voting, R & R Burgers is in the lead!

 

Next week’s competition will put Heard’s BBQ of Maplesville against 82 West of Union Springs in a dual, while the last week of the month will bring our southernmost competitors, Meat Boss (Mobile) and Our Place Diner (Ozark), to the stage to fight for their seat in the Final 4 Taste Test Challenge.

 

To participate in the voting, visit the Alabama Cattlemen’s Facebook page and simply click the photo of the burger you’d like to vote for!

 

 

Sales Meeting with Wood Fruitticher

ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell traveled to Birmingham on Tuesday to meet with Wood Fruitticher about increasing promotions for October Beef Month. Wood Fruitticher is dedicated to increasing their beef sales during the month of October and enhancing their beef knowledge by sending their new salesmen to a Beef 101 at Auburn on October 23. On Friday, Ali will head to Calera to meet with Sysco for their sales meeting to discuss beef promotion and attend some of their educational breakout sessions afterwards.

 

 

Rep. Martha Roby Visits The MOOseum

39153070_1817817235006103_4259815728871374848_oCongressman Martha Roby took time out of her schedule to visit The MOOseum today. The MOOseum Coordinator Kara Harden invited Rep. Roby to visit as a part of the Invite Congress to Your Museum 2018 initiative hosted by the National Alliance of Museums. We enjoyed the opportunity to tour Rep. Roby around the facility and spend a little time getting some updates from D.C.

 

 

Regional Meetings Underway

Regional Vice Presidents are working to get their counties together for a fall regional meeting to visit with ACA staff. Last night, Ashley Catrett organized her counties for a dinner and discussion at the cattlemen’s building in Montgomery. So far, these meetings are being well received as a small setting for the county leaders and state office to discuss strengths, weaknesses and needs. We thank everyone for taking time to organize and attend these dinners. If you are a county president, be on the lookout for your RVP to contact you in the coming months about a meeting. Not sure who your RVP is? You can check them out at www.bamabeef.org/RVP.

 

 

State Checkoff Funds Beef Cattle Research

The Alabama State Beef Checkoff will be funding several cattle production State Checkoff color_nobackgroundprojects at Auburn University in the coming year. This is one of the valuable program areas that the state dollars can fund. We received 16 practical, collaborative proposals from professors across the College of Agriculture this year, which made the decision on projects to fund very difficult. Proposals focused on reproduction, forage quality, feeding, economics and animal health. Researchers will be notified today if their project has received funding from the committee.

 

 

Cattle Judging Field Day

Web_JudgingFieldDay-01On September 8, the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association will host a Cattle Judging Field Day at Summerford Charolais in Falkville, AL. This youth event is FREE and open to all young cattlemen below the age of 21. Extension Specialist and Auburn Livestock Judging Team Coach Jason P’Poole will be teaching our youth the basics of livestock judging beginning at 9:00 a.m., and after a brief how-to, the participants will judge three classes of livestock (bulls and heifers) and answer questions about them. Lunch will be provided at noon with a farm tour led by Robert Summerford to follow.

 

To register, visit www.BamaBeef.org/Judge.

 

 

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH BEEF

It’s back to school season for little scholars and their teachers! We’d like to Shot_5_Breakfast_Taco_1904wish everyone Happy Back to School Wishes and encourage you to fuel those growing brains with the 10 vitamins and minerals found in delicious, nutritious beef! Whether it’s lean school lunches or brain-boosting family dinners you’re in the market for, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner has all kinds of kid-friendly and delicious meals for families on the go during a new season! Check out theses recipe collections:

 

Kid-Friendly Fare

Best.School.Lunch.Ever.

30 Minutes or Less

 

 

CATTLEMEN’S BUS TOUR

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
COST: $325/PERSON (Includes lodging, food and transportation)
FORM & FEE DUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

REGISTER HERE!

Join us on a 3-day, 2-night tour of the beef cattle industry across Georgia, Screenshot 2018-07-25 11.24.55Florida and Alabama! This tour is a true “pasture to plate” experience as it starts off with a tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika where McDonalds burger patties are produced followed by a stop at Buckhead Beef in Atlanta, Georgia where wholesale beef cuts are further processed into cut steaks ready for the restaurant.

After learning what happens to beef once it leaves the farm, we’ll stop for a visit at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and then tour Chatel Farms, an FPL feeding facility, in Reidsville, Georgia. We will then head south to tour the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC, wake up to tour the North Florida Research & Education Center and round out the tour at Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, Florida.

 

BUS TOUR AGENDA

Thursday, September 13
-Depart from Montgomery at 8 a.m.
-Tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika
See how a McDonald’s burger patty is produced
-Tour of Buckhead Beef in College Park, GA
Explore how beef is further processed into retail cuts
-Bunk in Macon, GA
Friday, September 14
-Start the Day at 7:30 a.m.
-Breakfast at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association
-Tour of Chatel Farms in Reidsville, GA
Explore this FPL feeding facility in person
– Dinner and tour of the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC in Tipfton, GA
– Bunk in Bainbridge, GA
Saturday, September 15
– Tour of North Florida Research & Education Center at 8:30 a.m.
– Head out for Marianna, FL at 9:30 a.m.
– Tour Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, FL
SCC is a large-scale operation that has a hand in multiple
segments of the industry!
– Return to Montgomery, AL
Seats will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Deposits are non-refundable.
For more information, contact Michael Agar at (334) 265-1867 or magar@bamabeef.org.

 

 


Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on FacebookTwitter or Instagram.

Healthy Beef for All Stages of Life

By Jessica Ivey, RDN

 

From birth, good nutrition is essential for providing the nutrients needed for normal growth and development and for laying the foundation for optimal health across the lifespan.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for about the first six months of life, continuing through the first year of life or beyond alongside complementary foods. To determine when your child is ready for you to introduce complementary foods, assess whether they are able to sit up without support and move the food to the back of the mouth and swallow. By the time a child reaches six months of age, breastmilk alone is no longer sufficient to meet their needs for iron, zinc and calcium, and carefully selected complementary foods can help to fill that gap.

 

 

Single grain cereals are a common first food, but the AAP recommends that meats, including lean beef, should be introduced early on. Research shows that beef is well tolerated by infants and can help to improve iron and zinc levels. Lean beef provides heme iron, which is the more readily-absorbed form of iron. Iron plays a vital role in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body, and sufficient iron helps promote strong immunity and the growth of good bacteria in the infant’s gut. Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in infants worldwide, and it can be prevented by early introduction of lean beef (which contains twice as much iron as chicken and pork) and iron-rich vegetables and cereals.

 

 

Zinc is another essential nutrient for growth and development, immunity and wound healing. Meats contain a higher amount of zinc in a more bioavailable form than cereals, vegetables, and fruits, and lean beef contains twice as much zinc as compared to turkey, chicken or pork.

 

 

If you’re ready to introduce your child to beef, start by offering pureed beef, which you can make yourself in a blender or purchase as prepared baby food. Once your child gets more teeth and is able to chew, try small pieces of tender beef, like ground beef or pot roast.

 

 

As your child continues to grow and develop, a healthy diet provides essential nutrients. Introducing a wide variety of foods will help to ensure that your child is getting everything they need to be as healthy as possible. Lean beef provides protein, iron and zinc, which can all be lacking in kids’ diets. Pair lean beef with a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy to create balanced meals. If your child is a picky eater, try incorporating healthy ingredients, like lean beef and vegetables, into dishes they already like, like pasta. This One Pot Lasagna has all the appeal of traditional lasagna and includes a hefty dose of protein from lean ground beef and a serving of vegetables, thanks to the addition of zucchini and tomato sauce. Hoisin BBQ Kabobs with Pineapple Salsa features the fun of kabobs paired with pineapple for a serving of fruit, as well as red bell pepper and cucumber. Try adding chopped vegetables, like bell pepper, onion, carrot or celery to lean ground beef when making tacos, spaghetti sauce, or Sloppy Joes. My Barbecue Sloppy Joe Stuffed Potatoes feature three vegetables – bell pepper, onion, and potatoes, in a kid-friendly and simple dinner recipe.

 

 

Although I’m not a mom yet, I hope to be one day, and as a dietitian, I’ll be looking to do my best to teach my child to eat a healthy and well-balanced diet featuring a variety of foods. I know it’s not always easy, but keep offering healthy choices, realizing that you’re setting your child up for a lifetime of healthy habits.
Looking for quick and easy, crowd-pleasing recipes to make during the busy back-to-school season? Check out the Kid-Friendly Fare  or the Best. School. Lunch. Ever recipe collections at BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com, and join me on the @alcattlemen Instagram story on Thursday, August 9 as I share step-by-step instructions for making my Barbecue Sloppy Joe Stuffed Potatoes.

What’s Going On Wednesday: August 1

Well hello there, August. We see you’ve brought some wet weather along with your arrival! While the rain may slow down hay production, it won’t slow down work on the farm, nor will it slow down all the work happening here at the state office! Your Cattlemen’s Association is busy, busy this week with beef promotion, education, The MOOseum tours and planning for next week’s Board meeting. Keep reading to learn all about what’s happening at the ACA this week.


Bama’s Best Burger- 8 Regional Semifinalists Named!

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It’s an exciting week as nominations have CLOSED for the 2018 Bama’s Best Burger contest and eight regional semifinalists have been named to move forward into the contest’s Facebook poll bracket challenge! The semifinalists are:

Region 1: Bentley’s Cheeseburger (Hartselle, AL)

Region 2: Union Jack Cafe’s Spicy Bacon BBQ Burger (Rainbow City)

Region 3: River Cafe’s Bacon Cheeseburger (Adger, AL)

Region 4: R & R Burgers’ T-Rex Burger (Springville, AL)

Region 5: Heard’s BBQ Signature Burger (Maplesville, AL)

Region 6: 82 West’s Cheeseburger (Union Springs, AL)

Region 7: Meat Boss’ Boss Burger (Mobile, AL)

Region 8: Our Place Diner’s Big Bopper Burger (Ozark, AL)

 

If one of these dives are in your local area, stop by, shake their hand, try the burger and get ready to vote beginning August 6 with a Facebook poll putting Bentley’s and Union Jack Cafe head-to-head for a seat in the final 4!  The remaining bracket challenges will follow.

 

Timeline

  • July 23-29: Nominations
  • July 30- August 3: Obtain Semifinalist Photos
  • August 6-12: Region 1 vs Region 2 Facebook Poll
  • August 13-19: Region 3 vs Region 4 Facebook Poll
  • August 20-26: Region 5 vs Region 6 Facebook Poll
  • August 27- September 2: Region 7 vs Region 8 Facebook Poll
  • September 2-28: Anonymous Judging
  • October 2: Winner Announced

 

 

Off to Denver

For the remainder of this week, ACA Executive Vice President Erin Beasley will be joining ACA President-Elect Chris Langley, ACA Past President Richard Meadows and ACA Past President Jimmy Holliman in Denver for the NCBA summer meeting. At this meeting both policy and national checkoff decisions will be made in preparation for 2019. Chris represents Alabama as the policy director, Richard as the federation director and Jimmy is the policy chair for Region 2 which consists of the Southeastern states.

 

 

Beef Promo on the Road…Again!

On Tuesday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell has traveled to Destin, FL for the Alabama Grocers Convention to meet and learn from foodservice and retail groups. She took this opportunity to inform these groups about our services and educational programs such as BEEF 101. Upon leaving Destin, she traveled north to Birmingham for the ALACTE Summer Professional Development Conference where she presented to the Family and Consumer Science teachers about the Alabama Jr & Sr. High school state cookoff this spring and encouraged them to get their students involved.

 

 

Agriscience Educators

Screenshot 2018-08-01 11.29.04On Tuesday ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar traveled to Birmingham for the ALACTE Summer Conference to discuss AJCA programs with agriscience teachers from across the state. Michael spent much of his time promoting this year’s AJCA Round-Up as well as upcoming field days and the Junior Pasture to Rail program. We enjoy strong relationships with our ag teachers and appreciate all the effort that they put in to developing the next generation of Cattlemen.

 

 

Board Meeting Reminder

Board Members: Don’t forget about next week’s Summer Board of Directors Meeting on August 9 from 10 AM -2 PM. This is not a meeting to miss as we will be awarded red coats to Over the Top county presidents, prizes to our Top Hand Club members and drawing for the John Deere Gator sponsored by John Deere, SunSouth and TriGreen Equipment. If you haven’t already, you have until THIS FRIDAY to RSVP to Jessica Kennedy.

 

Back to School with Beef

It’s back to school season for little scholars and their teachers! We’d like to Shot_5_Breakfast_Taco_1904wish everyone Happy Back to School Wishes and encourage you to fuel those growing brains with the 10 vitamins and minerals found in delicious, nutritious beef! Whether it’s lean school lunches or brain-boosting family dinners you’re in the market for, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner has all kinds of kid-friendly and delicious meals for families on the go during a new season! Check out theses recipe collections:

 

Kid-Friendly Fare

Best.School.Lunch.Ever.

30 Minutes or Less

 

 

CATTLEMEN’S BUS TOUR

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BEEF INDUSTRY FROM PASTURE TO PLATE!
COST: $325/PERSON (Includes lodging, food and transportation)
FORM & FEE DUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

REGISTER HERE!

Join us on a 3-day, 2-night tour of the beef cattle industry across Georgia, Screenshot 2018-07-25 11.24.55Florida and Alabama! This tour is a true “pasture to plate” experience as it starts off with a tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika where McDonalds burger patties are produced followed by a stop at Buckhead Beef in Atlanta, Georgia where wholesale beef cuts are further processed into cut steaks ready for the restaurant.

After learning what happens to beef once it leaves the farm, we’ll stop for a visit at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association and then tour Chatel Farms, an FPL feeding facility, in Reidsville, Georgia. We will then head south to tour the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC, wake up to tour the North Florida Research & Education Center and round out the tour at Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, Florida.

 

BUS TOUR AGENDA

Thursday, September 13
-Depart from Montgomery at 8 a.m.
-Tour of Golden State Foods in Opelika
See how a McDonald’s burger patty is produced
-Tour of Buckhead Beef in College Park, GA
Explore how beef is further processed into retail cuts
-Bunk in Macon, GA
Friday, September 14
-Start the Day at 7:30 a.m.
-Breakfast at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association
-Tour of Chatel Farms in Reidsville, GA
Explore this FPL feeding facility in person
– Dinner and tour of the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village at ABAC in Tipfton, GA
– Bunk in Bainbridge, GA
Saturday, September 15
– Tour of North Florida Research & Education Center at 8:30 a.m.
– Head out for Marianna, FL at 9:30 a.m.
– Tour Southern Cattle Company in Marianna, FL
SCC is a large-scale operation that has a hand in multiple
segments of the industry!
– Return to Montgomery, AL
Seats will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Deposits are non-refundable.
For more information, contact Michael Agar at (334) 265-1867 or magar@bamabeef.org.

 

 


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