It has been two months since we last updated about what is going on in the office, and to be honest…you probably already know. Coronavirus has shifted all our lives like we never could have anticipated. Although blog updates have been slow, the work continued and today we encourage you to saddle up for a long, all-encompassing update about the many things that have been happening while we have practiced social distancing and worked remotely for a stint of time. Here goes…get ready for a big read!
ACA Membership Update
We will start with our the most constant aspect of our 
association…membership! We were thrilled with the continued support through membership we have received throughout the pandemic. We are just a handful of members away from 8,000 for the year, clocking in the day with 7,983 members. As a reminder, the Over the Top county membership deadline to qualify for your iconic red coat is June 30. Stay tuned for information about our May Board of Directors meeting coming soon.
FREE Webinars Available and Upcoming
While education may look drastically different today, the good news is that thanks to technology…it is still possible from the comfort and safety of our homes. While many great informational webinars have taken place to date, we want to draw your attention to a few that stand out.
- The Intersection of the Cattle & Beef Industries
- This twice-weekly, two-hour informational session is designed to provide an accurate science-and-evidence-based overview of the U.S. beef industry from conception to consumption for producers, consumers and decision makers.
- Are Your Cattle Breed-Ready?
- Sponsored by Multimin USA and the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, this informational webinar is targeted for cow/calf producers and will feature the knowledge of Multimin Technical Veterinarian Dr. Andy Bennett. There will be two convenient dates and times- May 18 at 7 p.m. and May 29 at 2 p.m. To register and get more information, contact Sheri Chapman at (334) 352-5062 or sheri@multiminusa.com.
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Services Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Update
- USDA announced the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) will be hosting a webinar for farmers, ranchers and other producers interested in applying for direct payments through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) this Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 12 p.m. CST. This webinar is an opportunity for producers to learn about the general application process and required documentation prior to the official beginning of signup. Producers interested in participating may register in advance for webinar HERE.
County Cattlemen’s Associations Give Back
Through a partnership with the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation and
local sponsors, county chapters across Alabama have given back to the frontline workers of this pandemic in the best way they know how— with beef! Butler, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Colbert, Franklin, Houston, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison, Montgomery and Shelby counties have already completed projects that provided beef meals to hospital staff, first responders, truck drivers, farm supply stores and other employees deemed “essential.” That’s not all as Jackson will complete this charitable project on Friday, followed by Coffee County on Saturday. If you are interested in doing this in your own county, contact our office at (334) 265-1867.
Summer Grilling Campaign Excitement!
We will be able to tell you more next week, but trust us when we say 
that our national office is getting ready to release an EXCELLENT summer grilling campaign, and we are excited to extend it here in our home state in a number of ways. ACA’s Ali Cantrell and Kayla Greer have been busy planning this campaign to best implement it in Alabama under the current circumstances. Given that many events are cancelled, digital is the main route for this promotion. That includes billboards, display and social ads through AL.com, radio commercials in Mobile, and all of our summertime consumer-facing assets will also claim this promotion’s battle cry. If baseball kicks back into play, it will also be seen at the Montgomery Biscuits and Birmingham Barons stadiums.
We look forward to the chance to unveil it to you all next week on May 20 following the national launch, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. We have to keep it under wraps until then…but it lacks nothing in patriotism and style!
14th annual AJCA Round-Up
Registration is now open for the 14th annual Alabama Junior 
Cattlemen’s Association Round-Up. Happening July 16-19 at the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery, this annual junior event is full steam ahead. The agenda might look a little different this year as the public speaking and career development contests were moved to the convention, and a showmanship clinic and a Bred & Owned show were added to the events lineup. A full schedule and the rules packet are available on the website, along with registration. Check it out >> www.BamaBeef.org/RoundUp.
Representing Cattlemen in the News
There are two things that are in no short supply around our office…hand sanitizer and news media interview requests. Given the current state of the cattle markets and the kink in the supply chain due to packing plant shut downs, the news has been knocking on our doors regularly. ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley has been fielding these calls and questions. Check out her latest interview with WSFA (Montgomery) HERE and read this article written by Tuscaloosa-based and James Beard awarding-winning dietician Dr. Carolyn Williams, RD about what you really need to know about the meat “shortage.” We will continue to monitor local news outlets across Alabama to ensure the right information is being shared. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
SLE Rodeo Update
The Southeastern Livestock Exposition Board of Directors will hold a tele-meeting tomorrow to discuss the plans for the 2020 rodeo. A statement will be release on or by Friday afternoon regarding this year’s events. Stay tuned to Facebook for updates.
Giving Back With a Virtual Cookoff
On Memorial Day weekend, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association will be partnering with the Montgomery Biscuits and Bama-Q to host a “Virtual” Burger Cook-off at the Biscuits stadium in Montgomery. This cook-off will raise awareness about the impacts of COVID-19 and host as a fundraiser for local organizations benefiting healthcare workers, restaurant workers and first responders. On May 22, local cattlemen will be cooking ribeye steak sandwiches in the stadium to serve healthcare workers at Baptist South Medical Center and meet with media to talk about the cook-off on Saturday. Bama-Q will broadcast the burger cook-off live through multiple outlets (Facebook, fireTV, ROKU) on May 23 and viewers will be able to donate through an online donation platform directly to Biscuits Charitable Foundation. We are excited to be part of this event that features our favorite protein, beef, on the kickoff weekend for summer grilling!
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 Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Can you please post a list of cattlemen that will sell to the public. See Florida Cattleman’s Association page. Facebook has a group Ranch to a table to match consumers with cattlemen and farmers.
We are currently working on a directory to meet this growing demand. We hope to provide this information sometime this summer. Thanks!